Shadow Work & the Inner Child: Healing Old Wounds
Healing begins when we start listening to those younger parts of ourselves without judgement.
Shadow Work & the Inner Child: Healing Old Wounds
The parts of yourself you hide as an adult often began forming in childhood. Shadow work and inner child healing are deeply connected because the beliefs, behaviours, and defences that shape your shadow frequently stem from early experiences where your needs weren’t fully met. As children, we quickly learn what earns us love and what risks rejection. We adapt by hiding parts of ourselves that feel unsafe to express—our anger, sadness, creativity, or vulnerability. Over time, these hidden aspects become part of the shadow. Healing begins when we start listening to those younger parts of ourselves without judgment.
Signs your inner child may need attention include feeling overly defensive, people-pleasing to avoid conflict, struggling with emotional regulation, or repeating relationship patterns that leave you drained. Journaling is a powerful entry point into this work because it helps you give voice to the emotions and memories your younger self never got to express.Journaling Prompts for Inner Child Healing
• When did I first learn to hide parts of myself to feel safe?
• What did I need most as a child that I didn’t receive?
• What memories still carry shame or fear for me?
• What beliefs about love and worthiness did I absorb growing up?
• How can I give myself now what I needed then?
Reparenting Your Inner Child
Reparenting is the process of providing your younger self with the safety, care, and validation they didn’t receive. Start small: talk to yourself gently, set boundaries that protect your energy, and establish rituals of comfort, such as journaling, taking rest, and engaging in play. This isn’t about reliving old wounds—it’s about creating new patterns where you’re no longer abandoning yourself in the same way others may have.
Integrating Insights Into Daily Life
Awareness without action isn’t integration. The goal of inner child healing is to rewrite the behaviours and choices driven by old wounds. Integration may look like speaking up when you’d usually stay silent, choosing relationships that feel safe rather than familiar, or recognising when you’re people-pleasing and pausing to ask yourself why. Community can be a tremendous support here—our Sista Circles Guide.
The Shadow work journal is confronting, but healing doesn’t have to happen in isolation. These younger parts of you aren’t broken—they’re waiting to be acknowledged and welcomed back into your wholeness.
Related Blogs to Deepen Your PracticeThe Ultimate Shadow Work Guide: Journaling, Healing & IntegrationShadow Work Journaling 101: How to Start and Stay ConsistentBeyond the Workbook: DIY Shadow Work PromptsHuman Design & Shadow IntegrationChiron Return & Shadow WorkShadow Work, Boundaries & Self-Worth
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