Win The Night's Inner Child Healing Guide
We all have that inner child Maybe you're finally ready to sit down with them and figure some shit out. Give your inner child the support you needed but never got.
We all have that inner child who's still trying to process what the hell happened. Maybe you're finally ready to sit down with them and figure some shit out.
This guide isn't your typical self-help article; it's real, actionable, and laser-focused on giving your inner child the support you needed but never got.
Why Your Inner Child Needs Attention Right Now
Remember being told to "grow up" or "get over it"?
Yeah, that advice was garbage. Your inner child holds onto every dismissive comment, every moment you felt small, and every time you needed a hug but got silence instead.
These experiences shape how we move through the world today, from our relationships to how we handle stress.
Getting Started
Create the Safe Space
I talk about them a ton, so it’s only fitting I recommend it first. You need to create a environment where your inner child feels safe enough to come out and talk (or cry, or scream – whatever they need).
Find a quiet corner in your home, grab some comfort items, and maybe even dig up an old photo of younger you. This is your healing space.
Meeting Your Inner Child
Close your eyes. Picture yourself at an age when you felt particularly vulnerable. What are you wearing? Where are you? What does that version of you need to hear most?
Write it all down. Every detail matters because this isn't just an exercise – it's time travel with purpose.
The Healing Work
Let's break this down into manageable pieces because healing isn't a weekend project. Think of this as your emotional toolkit; some days you'll need certain tools more than others, and that's perfectly okay.
Sacred Letter Writing
Writing to your younger self might feel weird at first. You might sit there thinking, "What the fuck am I supposed to say?" Start simple. Pick an age, a specific memory, or even a photo to focus on.
Your first letter might be messy. It might be angry. You might find yourself crying over your notebook, and that's exactly where healing begins. Write about what happened, but more importantly, write what you wish someone had told you then:
"Dear Little Me at Age Seven, I see you hiding in your closet during those fights. I know you think it's your fault. It never was. Not even a little bit. You were just a kid trying to make sense of adult feelings..."
Keep writing these letters. They become a bridge between who you were and who you're becoming. Some topics to explore:
The dreams you had that got shut down
Times you felt unseen or unheard
Moments of joy that got stolen
Promises you want to make to your younger self
Art Therapy and Expression
Buy yourself some basic art supplies – colored pencils, markers, clay, or even finger paints.
Your inner child doesn't always want to use words.
Sometimes they need to scribble in red crayon or smash clay between their fingers. Create without judgment.
Draw your anger, your fear, your hope. Make it ugly. Make it beautiful. Make it real. What colors represent your pain? What shapes show your healing? There's no wrong way to do this.
Physical Reconnection Work
Our bodies hold onto trauma like a time capsule. Each tense muscle, each shallow breath tells a story. This work helps you rewrite those stories at a cellular level:
Mirror Work:
Stand in front of a mirror daily
Look into your own eyes (yeah, it's uncomfortable as hell at first)
Speak to your reflection as if they're your younger self
Practice loving touch – hugging yourself, gentle face touches
Use affirmations that your body needs to hear: "You're safe now," "I've got you"
Movement Medicine:
Create a playlist of songs from different ages of your life (mine is the original soundtrack to the Robots movie.)
Let your body move however it needs to
Dance out your rage, your grief, your joy
Try gentle movement practices like yoga or tai chi
Release stored tension through shaking or tremoring exercises
Sensory Healing:
Collect comfort items that soothe your inner child
Keep soft blankets, stuffed animals, or fidget toys nearby
Use essential oils or scents that make you feel safe
Create a physical comfort corner in your home (literally you can just make an adult pillow fort, absolutely no one is stopping you.)
Voice Work
Your inner child needs to hear your voice, both literally and metaphorically. Try:
Recording messages to yourself
Singing childhood songs
Humming or toning to release stuck emotions
Speaking up about your needs (start small, like needing help with carrying a bag or a trip to the store)
Practicing saying "no" in the mirror (it’s odd, but it helps.)
Play Therapy
Somewhere along the way, we forgot how to play. Heal that, and you unlock a childlike wonder in adulthood that’s like no other:
Buy toys you weren't allowed to have
Color outside the lines (try throwing some paint, or doing chalk drawings.)
Build blanket forts (that comfort corner!)
Get messy with clay or slime
Run in the rain
Skip next time you’re on a walk (this one makes me laugh, and usually just boosts my mood because of how ridiculous I look doing it, and my awareness of how ridiculous I look. I’m weird and I embrace it.)
Remember, this work isn't about perfection as much as it's about presence.
Some days you might only have energy for a five-minute mirror check-in. Other days you might spend hours writing letters or dancing in your living room.
Trust your instincts. Your inner child will let you know what they need, if you listen.
Tracking Your Journey
Keep a healing journal. Not because you need to prove anything, but because healing happens in tiny moments that are easy to miss. Write down:
"Today I felt safe enough to..." "I showed up for my inner child by..." "I'm learning that I deserve..."
You can also try our Ultimate Micro-Journaling Guide, if you’re reading this, you may have that unlocked already!
When Shit Gets Hard
Because it will. Some days you'll want to skip the whole thing and pretend everything's fine. That's normal. Those are the days your inner child needs you most.
Remember: Healing isn't linear. You might feel amazing one day and like a complete mess the next. Both are valid, both are part of the process.
Creating New Patterns
Creating new patterns isn't just about changing behaviors – it's about rewiring your entire relationship with yourself. This is where all that inner child work starts showing up in your daily life.
Boundaries and Self-Protection
Your inner child needed protection then, and sometimes still does now. Start by identifying where you need stronger boundaries. Notice when your body tenses up around certain people or in specific situations. That tension is your inner child saying, "Hey, something doesn't feel safe here."
Practice setting boundaries in small ways first:
Taking a full lunch break without answering work messages
Saying "I need to think about it" instead of immediately saying yes
Letting calls go to voicemail when you need quiet time
Excusing yourself from conversations that drain you
As you get more comfortable, scale up to bigger boundaries:
Having difficult conversations with family about respect
Leaving toxic friendships or relationships
Changing jobs or living situations that don't honor your growth
Speaking up about your needs in important relationships
Daily Rituals of Self-Trust
Your inner child needs to know they can count on you, every single day. Create simple rituals that show up for both past and present you:
Morning Check-ins: Start each day by asking yourself "What does little me need today?" Maybe it's extra rest, maybe it's play time, maybe it's a good cry. Trust whatever answer comes up.
Evening Reflection: Before bed, acknowledge three ways you showed up for yourself today. They don't have to be big things. Maybe you drank water, took a deep breath, or walked away from drama.
Rewriting Your Story
The stories we tell about ourselves shape our reality. Start catching the old narratives:
"I'm too sensitive" becomes "I feel deeply and that's a gift"
"I'm broken" becomes "I'm healing and growing"
"I don't deserve good things" becomes "I'm learning to receive"
Write these new stories everywhere – on sticky notes, in your journal, as phone reminders. Let them sink into your bones until they feel more true than the old ones.
Building Your Support System
Healing doesn't happen in isolation. Your inner child needs to know there are safe people now:
Find a therapist who specializes in inner child work
Join support groups or online communities focused on healing
Connect with friends who understand this journey
Create boundaries with people who dismiss your healing
Remember to celebrate every tiny shift. Did you speak up in a meeting? That's huge. Did you buy yourself flowers? Also huge. Did you rest when you needed to instead of pushing through? Fucking massive.
The Ongoing Journey
Some days you'll feel like you're starting over, and that's okay. Other days you'll catch yourself automatically responding with kindness to your own needs, and you'll realize how far you've come.
Your inner child has been waiting a long time for you to show up like this. They've been holding onto hope, keeping your dreams safe, protecting your light even in the darkest times. Now it's your turn to hold space for them, to listen to their wisdom, and to create the life both of you deserve.
This isn't just healing work, it's a revolution of self-love. It's reclaiming every part of you that got lost or buried or forgotten.
It's saying something very clearly:
"We get to start over, as many times as we need to, and we get to do it together."
Keep going. Keep listening. Keep showing up. Your inner child is healing, and so are you.