Heal The Abuse - Recover Your Life by Jason Goodwin (great books for teens .txt) 📕

him, because love feelsso foreign to him.

I need to cry. I need to release my pain. Ineed to encourage my inner child to say “no” to his abusers. “No,it’s not okay for you to abuse me! I deserve better! I love myself,and what you are doing to me is wrong!”

When I cry and shake with fear, it is becauseI am finally healing. I will allow my feelings to surface and passthrough me.

If the inner child:

-feels needy, vulnerable, or scared: dosomething to meet his/her needs, make him/her feel safe, and calmhis/her fears. Take some time alone, reassure him/her thateverything will be okay, or take steps to remove him/her from anunsafe situation.

-gets angry, resentful, or sensitive: remindhim/her that you are going to take care of him/her and that youwill meet his/her needs from now on. Ask your inner child whathe/she wants and needs.

-acts controlling, manipulative, or hostile:ask him/her what’s going on, meet his/her needs immediately, orhelp him/her let go of what he/she wants to control.

-fears abandonment or rejection: tell him/herthat you will always love him/her, that you will never leavehim/her, that you will always be there for him/her, and that youwill be there no matter what happens. Say the words, “I love myinner child unconditionally” as often as you need to, and takeaction to take care of yourself.

Personal Journal Entries

Entry #2: Inner Child Feelings

My inner child is angry with people for whatthey did to him. He wants revenge. He wishes there was something hecould do to regain his power.

What am I so afraid of?

Sexual abuse. I fear the cruelty of myabusers. My inner child’s feelings come from his desire forcontrol.

How can he learn to let go? By releasing hisfear.

And what are some of the fears my inner childneeds to release?

1. Fear of pain

2. Fear of betrayal

3. Fear of hatred

4. Fear of powerlessness

5. Fear of death

Pain, betrayal, hatred, powerlessness, anddeath. These were all directed at me when I was abused. They arethe same fears that my abusers held within themselves. I realizenow that they were trying to pass their fear on to me.

Don’t be afraid of your fear. Just allow itto pass through you. Allow yourself shake. Allow yourself to letgo.

As a child, I was afraid of dying. Myfeelings of vulnerability were intense. I need to let go of thisfear. What will happen if you die, Jacob?

(Inner child voice): I don’t know. I’m reallyscared.

You can’t die, Jacob. You only move to a newbody. A body of light.

(Inner child voice): They told me that if Idie, I’ll go to hell. I’ll burn in hell. I’m so afraid ofdying.

That was a lie, Jacob. There is no hell. Whenyou die, you go to heaven. You are surrounded by light andlove.

Personal Journal Entries

Entry #3: Releasing Resentments

My inner child carries a lot of resentment.He’s angry that he didn’t get the respect or encouragement heneeded. He’s angry that he had so little control.

He wanted love, safety, and support.

As a child, I felt vulnerable, needy, andafraid. I wanted to be protected from the danger in this world. Ifelt sensitive to pain. I had just come from God’s loving arms, andI wanted my mother’s loving arms as a replacement.

(To my inner child): Try to let go of thethings you wanted. Try to let go of the respect, encouragement, andlove you never received from your abusers. You may not know this,but you are eternal. You are a child of God. No matter whathappens, your soul will live on. It cannot be destroyed.

Those people can’t control you any more.Breathe in the pure love of God. Use it to transform yourfears.

Personal Journal Entries

Entry #4: Healing the Inner Child

Optional: (Placeyour hand over your heart or stomach to direct love into yourself.Imagine your inner child. Look at a photograph of yourself as achild if that helps.)

Say: “I am sendingdeep love and healing into _________ (name of your innerchild).”

“I am sending love and healing deep into_________ (name of your inner child).”

“I am sending deep healing and love into_________ (name of your inner child).”

“I am sending healing and love deep into_________ (name of your inner child).”

“I am sending deep love and healing into myinner child.”

“I am sending love and healing deep into myinner child.”

“I am sending deep healing and love into myinner child.”

“I am sending healing and love deep into myinner child.”

“I love you, (name of your inner child).You’re such a good boy/girl!”

“ (name of your inner child), you deserve tobe loved. You always deserve to be loved.”

“I love myself as a survivor of sexualabuse.”

Remember, if you find yourself crying orshaking from repeating these statements to yourself, that’s good.It means you are healing. Repeat these statements to your innerchild as often as you need to. Remember, a tremendous amount oflove is needed to counter a tremendous amount of hate. Love, and alot of it, is the only thing that will heal our inner child.

Our inner child wants to be loved, no matterwhat he/she may say or how he/she may act. Remember this, and giveyour inner child the love that he/she needs.

Stepping Stones to Health

Healing the Inner Child

-Try to identify where you are in thestepping-stones to health, and the next step or steps you need totake.

_____ 1. I do not recognize that I have aninner child.

_____ 2. I sometimes feel there is a part ofme that still carries the pain of sexual abuse.

_____ 3. I was a child when I was abused, andthere could be a childlike part of me that continues to strugglewith what happened.

_____ 4. I recognize that there are childlikeparts of myself, even today, that like to play and have fun. I wantto nurture those parts of myself.

_____ 5. I believe the childlike part of mewas hurt by the sexual abuse.

_____ 6. I am beginning to have morecompassion for myself. I am starting to want to heal and nurturethis part of me.

_____ 7. I have connected with my innerchild’s feelings, and repeat healing affirmations to him/her.

_____ 8. I have conversations with my innerchild and ask what he/she needs.

_____ 9. I recognize that I have an innerchild, and I will do whatever it