Inner Child Healing

What is an inner child? 

Ever heard of the term “inner child”? Well, inner child refers to an individual’s semi-independent subpersonality (Restoring Peace, 2024). In other words, it relates to the child an individual once was and with whom, the said individual may have lost touch while transitioning into adulthood (Hestbech, 2018). According to Carl Jung, the inner child holds both positive and negative memories from their developmental years subconsciously (Restoring Peace, 2024). 

Why is it important to heal our inner child?

When a child is unable to process painful memories such as neglect or other forms of negative instances, the painful experiences develop into trauma, which in turn, negatively affects the child. To shield themselves from the pain and to cope with daily tasks, the child may dissociate or numb the painful memories (Restoring Peace, 2024). 

These unprocessed painful memories typically result in the child having challenges forming healthy relationships as they get older, through avoidance or confrontational behaviour. In a sense, the inner child continues to hold onto the negative or traumatic experiences even though their physical self has grown (Restoring Peace, 2024).  

An unhealed inner child can continuously affect the individual in their present life and may result in them having more frequent intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts (Restoring Peace, 2024). They may spend a bulk of their waking hours in a negative state, which could lead to more difficulties in coping with life (Hestbech, 2018). 

Individuals with unhealed inner child wounds struggle to build healthy relationships, and without healthy connections with others, they cannot thrive. Hence, it is crucial for us to pay attention to our inner child and to guide them to a safe mode. Once our inner child feels safe and secure over time, the individual can slowly develop healthy emotional regulation, self-esteem, and confidence in themselves, allowing them to thrive in life, better than before (Restoring Peace, 2024). 

Written by: Su Hui

01/2026

References

Hestbech, M. (2018b). Reclaiming the inner child in cognitive-behavioral therapy: The complementary model of the personality | american journal of psychotherapy. Psychiatry Online. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20180008 

Peace, R. (2024, February 8). Understanding and healing your inner child. Restoring Peace CC. https://www.restoringpeace.com.sg/post/understanding-and-healing-your-inner-child