6 Signs Your Inner Child Needs Healing

“Twenty years of medical research has shown that childhood adversity literally gets under our skin, changing people in ways that can endure in their bodies for decades. It can tip a child’s developmental trajectory and affect physiology.”

-Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

Recognizing the subtle ways early wounds still show up in your adult life.

Many people carry unresolved emotional pain from childhood—sometimes without realizing it. These old wounds, stored deep in the nervous system and subconscious mind, often shape our reactions, relationships, and self-perception in adulthood.

At my therapy practice in McKinney, TX, I work with adults who feel emotionally stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected—but can't always trace those patterns to their origin. Inner child therapy offers a path to explore those early emotional experiences with compassion, safety, and care.

So how do you know if your inner child might be calling for your attention?

Common Signs Your Inner Child Needs Healing

1. You’re Highly Self-Critical or Perfectionistic

Do you constantly feel like you’re not doing enough or worry about disappointing others? Often, this inner pressure comes from childhood environments where love or attention felt conditional on performance.

2. You Struggle with Trust or Intimacy

If you find it hard to let others in—or if closeness triggers fear or withdrawal—it could reflect early attachment wounds or emotional neglect.

3. You React Strongly to Rejection or Criticism

Feeling crushed by small rejections or criticism might point to unhealed emotional pain from earlier relationships—especially with caregivers or authority figures.

4. You Feel “Too Sensitive” or Emotionally Overwhelmed

You may have been taught to hide your feelings or to “toughen up.” Now, those suppressed emotions show up as anxiety, emotional flooding, or shutdown.

5. You People-Please or Avoid Conflict at All Costs

A childhood need to stay safe or earn approval often turns into adult patterns of people-pleasing or avoidance of healthy boundaries.

6. You Struggle to Feel Joy, Playfulness, or Creativity

The inner child holds your sense of wonder and aliveness. If those qualities feel distant or inaccessible, it may be time to reconnect with that part of you.

Why These Signs Matter

These patterns aren’t just habits—they’re emotional imprints left over from early experiences. Your inner child may not have had the safety, support, or validation they needed. Today, your adult self can offer those things—often for the first time.

Inner child work is about healing, not blaming. It’s about meeting yourself with compassion and uncovering the unmet needs that are still influencing your life.

How Inner Child Therapy Can Help

At my practice, Acadia Psychotherapy in downtown McKinney, TX, I use an integrative approach to inner child work that includes:

• EMDR therapy for reprocessing early emotional memories stored in the nervous system

• Re-parenting exercises to meet unmet emotional needs in the present

• Somatic and creative techniques to help your body safely access and release old patterns

• Mindfulness and CBT to gently shift inner narratives

When to Reach Out

If any of these signs resonate, know that you’re not alone—and healing is possible. You don’t have to unpack it all at once. Sometimes, the first step is simply acknowledging that a younger part of you is still asking to be heard.

I offer inner child therapy in McKinney and surrounding areas including Frisco, Allen, and Plano, as well as throughout Texas via telehealth.

Ready to Begin?

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if this work is right for you.

Recommended Reading for Inner Child Healing

If you’re curious to explore more about childhood trauma and healing beyond therapy sessions, this books offer compassionate, insightful guidance:

1. The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Adversity

As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases—at no extra cost to you. I only recommend resources I believe can support healing and growth.

By Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
This book explores how early adversity affects long-term health—and how healing is possible. Drawing on science and personal stories, Dr. Harris offers powerful insights into the mind-body connection and the importance of early emotional care.

This resources may complement therapy and may deepen your self-understanding as you begin (or continue) your inner child healing journey.

This blog was written by Elizabeth Boudreau-Boyer, LMFT, a licensed therapist based in McKinney, TX. Elizabeth specializes in trauma-informed and integrative care, including EMDR and inner child work for adults.