What the science says about inner child healing (and why it works)
We often hear people talk about inner child healing, but what does it actually mean? Is it just a trend, or is there real evidence to support it?
The truth is, healing your inner child isn’t just a spiritual practice or a feel-good idea, it’s backed by decades of psychological and neurological research. Let’s explore some of the key concepts behind this work and why it can be so profoundly transformational.
Attachment Theory: Your earliest relationships still matter
Attachment theory, developed by psychologists John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, teaches us that the way we were cared for in childhood has a lasting impact on how we relate to ourselves and others.
Secure attachment: When caregivers are loving, responsive, and consistent it helps us grow into confident, emotionally stable adults.
Insecure attachment: When caregivers are emotionally unavailable, dismissive, or unpredictable it can lead to anxiety, people-pleasing, emotional shutdown, or fear of intimacy.
Why it matters:
Inner child healing often begins with examining these early patterns. When we heal the parts of us that didn’t feel safe, seen, or supported, we begin to change how we show up in relationships both with others and with ourselves.
This is why I often ask: What did you need as a child that you didn’t receive?
That’s the part of you that still craves attention and care.
Childhood Trauma: It stays in the body until we address it
The groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study revealed a direct connection between childhood trauma and adult physical and mental health challenges - from anxiety and depression to autoimmune conditions and heart disease.
Unprocessed trauma doesn't just disappear - it lodges itself in the body, influencing your nervous system, your reactivity, and even your sense of self-worth.
Why it matters:
Inner child healing (especially when combined with somatic tools like breathwork) helps the body safely release these stored memories and emotions.
This is why in breathwork sessions, people often access long-buried feelings or forgotten memories. The body remembers - and it wants to be free.
You don’t need to relive your trauma to heal it. But you do need to be willing to feel what your body has held onto for so long.
Self-Compassion: The missing ingredient in most healing work
According to the research of Dr. Kristin Neff, self-compassion - treating yourself with the same kindness and care you’d offer to a loved one is a key factor in emotional well-being.
People who practice self-compassion are shown to have:
Lower levels of anxiety and depression
Greater emotional resilience
Healthier relationships
Increased motivation and self-worth
Why it matters:
So many of us internalized the voice of a critical parent, teacher, or caregiver and that voice became the soundtrack of our inner world.
Inner child healing replaces that voice with a new one: nurturing, kind, encouraging.
When you speak to your inner child with compassion, you rewire your brain’s response to stress and shame.
You create safety where there was once fear.
This work is more than just ‘feeling your feelings’
It’s neuroscience.
It’s nervous system regulation.
It’s trauma-informed healing.
And yes, it’s deeply spiritual, too.
When you integrate science and soul, healing stops feeling like a mystery.
It becomes a process you can trust. One breath at a time.
Ready to begin? Start with one of these free tools:
Download my free Inner Child Wounds PDF
Join a free monthly breathwork session
Or come say hi on Instagram - I share regular practices, prompts, and behind-the-scenes insights into this work.
You don’t have to ‘figure it all out.’
You just have to be willing to begin.
And I’m here to help.