Childhood Trauma and the Inner Child

Traumatic factors include physical/emotional/sexual abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. It's not only the “episodes” that matter, but also how often they happened and how alone you were with them. In adulthood this often looks like:

Many reactions are normal adaptations to abnormal conditions in the past. They can be changed — carefully.

The “inner child” is a metaphor for the part of us that holds childhood experience: fear, shame — but also aliveness and spontaneity. When this part is hurt, we react more painfully to rejection, try to “be perfect,” or, on the contrary, freeze. The task of therapy is to bring back the adult, caring Self that can hear, protect and support.

The body and nervous system remember danger. With frequent threats the organism learns to live on alert, the “window” of stress tolerance gets narrower. In therapy we expand this window gently: first — stabilisation and resources, then — careful work with memory, and only then — integration of new experience. Terms are used only as much as they help (ACEs, EMDR, TF-CBT — applied when indicated).

Phase 1. Safety and stabilisation.

We build “the riverbanks”: a safety plan (if needed), trigger recognition, basic rhythm (sleep, food, load), first body-based anchors. The pace is yours.

Phase 2. Processing traumatic material.

Only when there is enough support. I use evidence-based approaches (trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, titrated exposure). We reduce the “charge” of memories and rebuild key beliefs about self and the world.

Phase 3. Integration and growth.

We consolidate new skills, strengthen relationships and boundaries, bring back creativity and play. Here we actively work with the inner-child image — not to “fix” it, but to gently take it by the hand.

All techniques are chosen individually and applied gently. If too much comes up, we go back to stabilisation.

We don’t “chase checklists” — we close key deficits together: safety, acceptance, belonging, autonomy, play/creativity and structure. This becomes a new care system, not a one-off “exercise.”

Reach out if you have intrusive memories/nightmares, panic attacks, marked depression/anxiety, dissociation, self-harm, addiction, or safety threats (stalking, domestic violence). In emergencies — only your local crisis/emergency services; therapy continues when you are safe.

For those who:

Individual sessions 50–55 minutes online/offline. Usually once a week; less often after stabilisation. Short-term — 8–12 sessions for stabilisation and planning; deeper work — 16+ sessions for processing and integration. We agree on the pace — no overload.

If you are in immediate danger — contact emergency services. With suicidal thoughts — your regional crisis line/medical help. Confidentiality is observed; exceptions are only legal requirements to protect life and safety.

Working through childhood trauma is possible. I will help you build a safe plan, learn self-regulation skills and gently process traumatic experience so you can reconnect with your feelings, creativity and life energy.