Sometimes it feels like my coping mechanisms are like I am placating a child. When I am stressed out, I tend to reach for the chocolate cake and stay up past my bedtime. The next day I am left with a tummy ache and too little sleep. Could this be my inner child acting out? What are some healthy ways to soothe her?
Gwen’s Answer:
Well, certainly the inner child is not doing well. It is not so much acting out: the inner child is trying to soothe itself. That means we are approaching life as our inner child rather than our wise adult. If we develop adult points of view and ways of handling situations, the inner child is not stressed out. He/she does not, and should not be the one who is responding to adult life circumstances. It is not so much about soothing the inner child, but having our wise adult step in and handle things so the inner child feels secure. This is how we become empowered.
