What is “inner
child healing?”
Does everyone
have an “inner child” that needs to be healed?
Isn’t the idea
of an “inner child” the by-product of new-age thinking or 60s hippie
mumbo-jumbo—or just an entertaining Hallmark movie of the week?
The fact is, the
concept of “inner child healing” is sound—even Scripturally based—and, in many
instances, a necessary step to the wholeness that everyone desires.
Very few adults
reach adulthood without trauma, tragedy, or some sort of emotional damage that
makes a very real difference in how they function in the world. These
experiences affect how they interact, express and interpret things, and make
decisions. For some the “baggage” of childhood is light and has few ill
effects; but, mostly it is a burden that many carry and need to learn how to let
go.
Enter “inner
child healing.”
Inner child
healing is the release of the past’s hold on your present life—it is the
reconciliation of the little, wounded child and the adult that the child has become—in
a way that the adult is able to more fully function as he or she should: as a
thriving, joyful, engaged-in-the-world grown-up.
The Synoptic
Gospels all share the story of Christ’s disciples trying keep a distance
between the Savior and various children. They (the Synoptic Gospels) then show
that Jesus rebukes the efforts of the disciples to keep the kids away as he
directs them to “Let the children come to me, do not prevent them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Christ finishes by placing his hands
upon the children where he blesses and embraces them.
Most readers of
Scripture tend to see this in a literal sense—which is certainly the case on
one level—but we also ought to delve deeper, into the analogous sense of children
coming to Christ and his ultimate laying on of hands and blessing.
In other words,
adults should see this as an invitation to take their inner child to Christ for
his loving embrace, blessing, and healing.
Most inner child
healing occurs within the context of spiritual direction or counseling but it
can be achieved through any number of alternate ways. The key to inner child
healing is to understand what it is and what it is not.
For instance,
inner child healing is not a panacea for all that ails the mind, body, soul or
spirit. Other issues—whether physical or emotional—may very well be in need of professional
diagnosis and treatment.
On the other
hand, inner child healing is a tool
that, when used knowledgably, effectively provides an adult with a fuller sense
of self—an ability to not react to life from the standpoint of a wounded child
but, rather, to respond to life in an appropriate, mature way.
At its core,
inner child healing is the purposeful journey into your own childhood or young
adulthood and uncovering hurts and pains that, once uncovered, are brought to
Christ. Inner child healing is taking the experiences that have caused
woundedness in your life to the foot of the Cross where Christ will embrace,
bless and heal.
While inner
child healing doesn’t happen overnight, it also shouldn’t become the new place
for a person to live, either
psychologically or emotionally.
The balm of
Christ’s love is applied to the hurts and pains of the inner child in a way
that they are healed and the adult is consequently made more whole—more able to
enjoy the abundant life promised in Christ.
