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Section 11
Sample of an Inner Child Visualization

Question 11 | Test | Table of Contents

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Unlike the other sections, this section is an excerpt from the book "The Invisible Wound" by Wayne Kritsberg and is intended as a client exercise. You may want to use this exercise in a group or individual session. In order to get the most from this inner vision experience, you might repeat the process several times.

♦ Begin this inner child visualization . . . by finding a comfortable position and if possible, lowering the room lights.

Become aware of your breath . . . Relax . . . Let your breath move freely in and out of your body . . . Use your breath as a way to focus your attention on your body . . . With each inhalation become aware of your lungs filling with life-giving air . . . With each exhalation let your lungs empty . . . Let go and relax . . . Now focus on your breath for the next minute or so.

Imagine yourself in the middle of a forest . . . You are surrounded by towering trees . . . Feel the wisdom of these large old trees . . . Become aware that you are standing on a pathway . . . You are wearing the same clothes you're wearing right now . . . Begin to walk along this pathway . . . As you walk, become aware that you are moving deeper and deeper into the forest . . . As you continue walking you realize that, off to each side of the pathway, there are scenes from your past . . . The farther down the path you go, the earlier the scenes from your life become . . . If you wish, you may leave the path and enter any period of your life.

Move deeper and deeper into the forest . . . Go farther down the pathway until you are at a time of your life when you were a young child . . . Look into your past and see yourself as a young child . . . Notice what you, as a young child, are wearing . . . Notice what your younger self is doing . . . Become aware of what this child, your inner child, is feeling . . . Step off of the path and go to the child.

♦ Introduce yourself to the child . . . Begin to walk with your child, explaining who you are and that you won't hurt the child . . . Hold the child's hand . . . Feel the warmth and experience the trust of this little child . . . Pick the child up and hold the child to your chest . . . Tell your inner child they never have to be alone again . . . Tell them that you will be there whenever they need you . . . Tell your inner child that you will not abandon them. Ever.

Walk with your inner child . . . Feel the clear and simple love of this wonderful little being . . . Using the power of your imagination, look up and see a sky full of bright stars . . . Show the stars to the child . . . Now reach up and gently touch one of these shimmering stars . - . Hold the star in your hand . . . Bring down the star and give it to your inner child . . . Feel the healing warmth of the star . . . Experience the healing glow of this magical star . . - Tell the child that this magical star will never burn out . . . Tell the child this is their star . . . The child will always have its light of healing and hope to carry with them . . . No one can ever take this gift from them . . . Tell your child that, no matter what happens to them, the light from the magical star will always be there for them . . . Tell your child that the star's light will light the darkness and the shadows . . . and that you and the magical star will always be there for them.

♦ You are holding your inner child . . . and the child is holding the healing star . . . See the glow and feel the warmth from the star . . . As the child holds the star to their chest, the star begins to melt into the child's heart . . . healing and warming your inner child . . . Carrying your child, you walk back toward the path . . . You step onto the path and begin walking back in the direction that you came from . . . Holding your inner child, you once again reaffirm that you will never abandon them.

Returning up the pathway, holding your child, you feel the little child melting into your heart . . . You continue along the path, passing the early scenes of your life . . . You are aware of the truth that you and your inner child are one and the same . . . that you truly will not abandon your child . . . that together you will both heal and give each other love and understanding . . . The healing light of the magical star is for you, and for your inner child . . . You will always have it to light the way through your recovery.

Walking farther up the path, you become more and more aware of your breath . . . You begin to focus on your breath . . . You are aware of the flow of your breath . . . You are aware of the movement of your breath as it flows in and out of your body . . . You become aware of your body and of your surroundings . . . You are aware of being at the same place where you began this journey . . . When you are ready, slowly and gently allow your eyes to open.

If you are playing this section for continuing education purposes, consider making a tape or having your client make a tape of the above reading. As you know, keeping your voice soft and your tone gentle will enhance the relaxing affect when listening to it later.
Reviewed 2023

Peer-Reviewed Journal Article Reference:
Betsch, T., Wünsche, K., Großkopf, A., Schröder, K., & Stenmans, R. (2018). Sonification and visualization of predecisional information search: Identifying toolboxes in children. Developmental Psychology, 54(3), 474–481.

Böge, K., Mouthaan, J., & Krause-Utz, A. (2020). Effects of dialogical mindfulness on psychopathology: A pilot study’s results from a seven-day psychosynthesis course about the inner child. The Humanistic Psychologist, 48(1), 84–99.

Hayes, J. A., Gelso, C. J., Goldberg, S., & Kivlighan, D. M. (2018). Countertransference management and effective psychotherapy: Meta-analytic findings. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 496–507.

Lang, J. M., & Connell, C. M. (2017). Development and validation of a brief trauma screening measure for children: The Child Trauma Screen. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(3), 390–398.

QUESTION 11
What are steps one might use to prepare for a guided visualization? To select and enter your answer go to Test.

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