What is Re-Parenting?

Introduction: Healing the Past in the Present

Our childhood inevitably shaped who we are today, passing on habits and ways of managing emotions.

As adults, we often continue to carry these unexamined behaviors that we absorbed from our parents and our environment.

Reparenting is the conscious process of reviewing these patterns and healing past wounds in our present life.

Defining the Act of Reparenting

The concept of reparenting is the literal act of becoming the parent to your own inner child.

It involves giving yourself, as the capable adult you are today, all the nurturing that your inner child didn't receive.

This includes the protection, love, guidance, and attentive listening that are critical for healthy emotional development.

It is an active commitment to building from within the strong emotional foundations that you may have lacked in your parenting.

The Root of the Problem. Unmet Needs

Most anxiety problems and addictions have their roots in unprocessed pain and unmet needs.

As long as these emotional needs of our inner child remain below our awareness, they will continue to cause us problems.

We will be drawn into compulsive behaviors and persistent anxiety as a way to avoid feeling that emptiness.

The Process. How Re-Parenting Happens

Re-parenting involves listening to your body, your emotions, and your energy levels to honor what you need.

It’s also about practicing self-compassion and being kind to yourself, especially when things get difficult.

This process includes concrete actions like validating your own feelings without waiting for external approval from others.

It also means giving yourself permission to be curious, learn new things, and most of all, to play and enjoy life.

It also involves working on self-discipline with small, achievable goals and setting healthy boundaries in your relationships.

The Ultimate Goal. Integration and Wholeness

By attending to these needs, you will experience a new level of freedom, joy, and spontaneity in your daily life.

The ultimate goal is to heal your inner conflict so that your inner child feels safe, loved, and respected.

When your inner ch