Did you know that no matter how old we grow, we carry our younger selves with us day-to-day?

Perhaps our hurt 6-year-old self shows up when our partner doesn't answer our phone call, or our abandoned 12-year-old self comes out when friend doesn't invite you to a party.

The inner child is the vulnerable part of ourselves wounded and shaped throughout the earliest experiences and stages of our lives.

Caring for this younger version of ourselves is important to our healing.

By connecting with our inner-child, we gain access to new information about our unhealed wounds, and the needs that may not have been met when we were actually children.When needs of love, care, and recognition go unmet in childhood, the trauma that results from it can last for a lifetime.

But it’s never too late to heal.With time, effort, and guided exercises, reparenting your inner child can open doors to a new life – a life that is healthy, happy, and full of positivity.

By Damaris Karanja, Mental Health Counselor and Dietitian at Healing Streams Counseling.