Healing Shame in Inner Children and Actual Children

The child lives on! Though we may develop adult bodies and think our childhood is long behind us, somewhere inside the child is still alive, deeply influencing our thoughts, words and actions. It may be that the most important relationship we have is the relationship we develop with our inner child.

Many adults have moments of sudden sensitivity or confusion that make no sense, and struggle to set boundaries in relationships—because they don’t realize how deeply what happened as a child is still affecting them. Many deny the inner child part of themselves—or actively dismiss or criticize it. When we ignore, deny or attack our inner child, the result is shame—momentary or constant.

Clinically we are working with depression, addiction, eating disorders, substance abuse or trauma. What keeps these clinical issues in place is toxic shame. In place are the automatic thoughts, and secret or not so secret inner conversations that the person has with him- or herself and their inner child, age two or five or ten or the inner teen, plus the shame loop that keeps things in place.

In this workshop, we will teach you how to help your clients reestablish a healthy relationship with their inner child—so that they can both listen and talk to that sensitive, creative and essential part of us.

Using Imaginal techniques, we will:

  • Join and explore the world of the child. Find out where there was deprivation or lack of attunement.

  • Add a healthy coach or caring inner parent to repair the shame ruptures from neglect or simple misattunements.

  • Provide an inner champion or protector to provide healthy boundaries and kind adult influence.

  • Say hello to the part that wants to eat healthy and the part that wants ice cream, to the bully and the scary places. 

  • Explore and re-enact scenes from childhood when a person was shamed and repair or replace what they wish they could have said.

  • Explore the shadow—embrace the shame hidden in the darkness. From deprivation, taking small steps toward nourishment.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Explain and discuss the importance of the client’s relationship to his or her inner child and creativity.

  • Identify three specific shaming experiences in childhood that the client has carried with them to adulthood affecting their mental health.

  • Utilize Drama Therapy techniques to get beyond the inner critic and connect with the world of the inner child.

  • Demonstrate techniques to counter the shame that the adult has been carrying from childhood.

  • Use roleplay to transform shaming childhood experiences into healthy shame experiences.

  • Identify four interventions that can lessen shame

  • Describe the role of the protector in all-pervasive shame.

  • Create a healthy coach or inner parent to repair shame ruptures.

Course Level: Beginning

There is no prerequisite for this course. It can be taken by itself or as part of a sequence.

CE credits are available only for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs in California – CAMFT Approved CE Provider #134393

This workshop is offered in the following formats:

  • Live, interactive workshop on Zoom in 2-day or 4-day format

  • Live, in-person, 2-day workshop (Note: Live, in-person workshops are currently suspended due to Covid-19.)

For a basic course agenda, click here. (Those registering will receive a full course agenda prior to the workshop.)

The Center for Healing Shame is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs in California – CAMFT-approved CE provider #134393. Courses meet the qualifications for 13 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. 

The Center for Healing Shame maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.

WORKSHOP CANCELLATION POLICY

We do not offer refunds. The amount paid can be applied toward a future workshop within 12 months. Registrations are not transferable.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED

The Center for Healing Shame welcomes people who have disabilities. Our training location is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific needs.

GRIEVANCE POLICY

The Center for Healing Shame seeks to ensure equitable treatment of every person and to make every attempt to resolve grievances in a fair manner.

If you have a grievance, please include your name and contact information and submit it in writing to Sheila Rubin (sheila@healingshame.com).

Grievances will receive, to the best of our ability, corrective action in order to prevent further problems.

Top photo by Bret Lyon