The growth and expansion of the popularity of Transactional Analysis among practicing psychologists now suggests that such concepts as the Inner Child, Inner Parent and Adult are known to everyone and no longer need any presentation. However, I was recently asked: “What is this inner child and does it really exist?” I have no other answer except: “Of course it exists!” Once, 3-4 years ago, I gave my clients in the group only the most general information about ego states. And then I received a completely unexpected reaction from them: people experienced an insight, a discovery that literally awakened and revived them, like fireworks! One of the training participants, a young girl, said: “It turns out how simple it is! Why didn’t I guess about this myself?!” “Didn’t guess about what?” - I asked. “About how I work inside, because I hear them all the time! My Child, Parent and Adult. It's so good that you talked about this! Now I understand a lot in my internal dialogues!” Of course, at such moments it can be very joyful! However, later, when I offered the exercise to the participants, many found it difficult to identify this ego-state of the Child in themselves and observe it detachedly. The exercise is suitable for revitalizing and healing the emotional sphere. It is simple and complex at the same time: to show care and love for your Inner Child. To do this, you need to imagine, imagine your Inner Child as a child: what he looks like, what age he is, etc. Next, you need to imaginatively show attention to this child and show him your love: say kind, affectionate words, hug, play, take him to some pleasant place, such as a carousel or a candy store, or a park - whatever your imagination and inner need suggest. Everyone succeeded. But this exercise worked great for one client and she shared her impressions with me. The first time she did the exercise with my help and accompaniment, her imagination drew a picture of a tiny girl, about nine months old, who was just learning to walk. Then the woman did this exercise on her own and noticed that day by day the girl in her imagination was getting older and older. What's happened? Her inner Child really received from herself the love and care that she lacked. The client soon shared that she felt more secure, more confident, and this manifested itself in her communication and relationships at work. She felt inner support within herself and was able to become her own best Parent. And these classes also taught the woman to separate herself from her emotions, step back and study them, form her attitude towards them and streamline her internal dialogue. Communicating with her inner child through our exercise really helped her, and she continued to do it every day. The girl in her imagination reached adolescence, and then the client turned to this practice less often, only when she felt this need to support her inner Child. I was very pleased with this experience. The Inner Child not only exists, we can not only speak and think from this ego state, we can communicate with it from our other ego states: Caring Parent and Adult. With this exercise, “take care of your Inner Child,” I have Another, completely different experience is connected, but more on that another time. Marianna Kopylova Your psychologist, consultant, coach. I will help you make friends with yourself, create stable self-esteem and start living in accordance with your dreams. WhatsApp: +7 916 691 78 73 Sign up for a consultation