The way we perceive life and how we interact with the world and people around us is directly affected by emotional wounds and negative feelings suffered during our childhood. The neglect of these emotional wounds only served as prime conditions allowing them to fester and turn into controlling forces that could either make or break you as a psychologically healthy individual.

These negative feelings transferred to our inner child, causing us to react the only way known — by abandoning ourselves. A sense of self-deprivation, if you will, allows us to effectively close off feelings and emotions that would be painful, by ignoring our inner selves and not allowing the tears and hurt to be recognized.

What Age Do You Feel?

The time to address these issues is now, to seek full recovery of control over ourselves, emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. The first step is to recognize the signs of reacting to issues that imitate past experiences. When we feel intense emotions such as panic or rage over any situation, most often it is a clear indication there are age old issues at hand that were not reconciled. Stop at this point and ask yourself, “What age does this situation make me feel like?” Give yourself time to answer without responding fully out of anger or hurt. Once you can determine this, you are heading down the right path to addressing that inner child, and following closely, is the chance to find out why the child felt that way.

Details of past experiences are not relevant to the healing, it’s the overall acknowledgment that the child was hurt, felt pain, and was not able to clearly express his or her feelings at that time. Now, as an adult, you are able to express your hurt, rage, or feelings of helplessness. This period of emotional recognition enables you to take cautious steps to beginning emotional counseling.

Trusting An Emotional Counselor

Keep in mind, if the trusted person you have chosen to divulge your past hurts to has not completed their own version of emotional healing, will not be helpful to you during the healing process. They may unintentionally, or otherwise, project their issues onto you which would not only impede the cleansing process, but also increase the depth of your negative feelings, possibly resulting in becoming a part of the problem rather than being a part of a solution.

An excellent counselor or therapist will not judge you or your feelings, nor will they attempt to make you feel shameful or angry over past issues. Their job entails listening carefully, and gently leading you when you feel lost, to finding your inner child and how you lost touch. This calls for a certain amount of trust and, in a sense, bonding. This trust should be delicately placed using discernment and common sense.

Healing your inner child is a process that takes time, patience, and strength. Until you are able to successfully get in touch with your inner child, and begin healing yourself, your friendships and relationships will repeatedly follow pre-set courses as results of your emotional wounds from the past. Believe in yourself, and invest in your happiness, satisfaction, and peace by reconciling with the past and looking forward to the future.