Inner Child Work & IRRT: What It Is and How It Helps
Inner Child Work has become increasingly popular. It is a nurturing and transformative process that is foundational to emotional well-being and is not limited to specific diagnoses. It can be very helpful in contexts like trauma, neglect, abuse, anxiety, and depression.
There are many different approaches to Inner Child Work, but Imagery Rescripting and Reprocessing Therapy (IRRT) uses gentle, emotion-focused imagery to facilitate this experience. This work offers a unique way of immersing yourself in the relationship with yourself, which is very helpful for learning self-soothing skills and improving emotional regulation.
If you are curious to explore IRRT and Inner Child Work in Coffs Harbour or via online therapy, feel free to reach out.
Doing Inner Child Work in therapy is considered doing foundational work. It moves therapy beyond surface-level issues (e.g., the most recent argument with a work colleague) and gives us direct access to the client’s unique emotional landscape.
What is the Inner Child?
The ‘Inner Child’ is metaphor for your ‘inner self’. Most people find the term 'inner child' intuitive.
Inner Child Work in IRRT is not about reprocessing past situations. While past events might inform the work, the imagery is a way of accessing how the client relates to themselves today.
The inner child carries the blueprint for how an individual relates to themselves today. It’s about the following fundamental aspects:
· Self-Compassion and Self-Talk: How do you talk and relate to yourself? Can you sooth yourself?
· Emotional Validation: Can you feel, name, and share your emotions?
· Responsibility: Can you hold yourself accountable and responsible for your own well-being?
These aspects are often central for our emotional well-being.
How to Do Inner Child Work?
Your IRRT therapist guides you and asks you to close your eyes and visualise your Inner Child with whom you then start to interact.
This is a curious exploration with absolutely no pressure and no expectation. There is truly nothing you, as the client, can do wrong.
A Key Difference: The Socratic Approach
Unlike modalities where the therapist might take on a direct ‘parenting’ role (like Limited Reparenting in Schema Therapy), the IRRT approach is Socratic and client-led. Your therapist supports you in finding your own unique way of interacting with your inner self. The belief is that you possess the inner wisdom and capacity to connect with, soothe, and find the best solutions for yourself.
Your therapist remains present, continuously talking to you, which provides you with a sense of safety and trust. You know your therapist is guiding the session, allowing you to embrace the emotion-focused, gentle, and immersive experience. Many clients comment that they haven't done anything similar in therapy before.
Once your imagery encounter comes to an end, your IRRT therapist will help you debrief and share observations. Sometimes this is a single session in your therapeutic process; other times, it is an ongoing process of immersing yourself in the imagery to access a feeling, understand a belief, or gain a new insight. It is a unique process for every person, and you’ll discuss with your therapist what feels best for you.
Emotional Regulation and Self-Compassion
By doing Inner Child Work, emotions can be accessed that often wouldn’t surface otherwise. Fully feeling and processing these emotions can be incredibly important for therapeutic progress.
Building Self-Soothing Skills
Inner Child Work has the profound capacity for individuals to learn self-soothing skills that can potentially support emotional regulation. Your IRRT therapist can support you in integrating those newly gained insights and skills into your everyday life.
Inner Child Work May Help You Achieve:
Emotional & Relational Growth:
· More Confidence and Self-Respect.
· Greater Emotional Clarity: Learning to connect with, accept, and express feelings without judgment.
· Increased Self-Awareness: Understanding why you react the way you do.
Regulation & Autonomy:
· The Ability to Self-Sooth during moments of distress.
· Increased Control over your behavior and emotional responses.
Ready to Start This Process?
If you're curious to explore this kind of therapy, feel free to reach out to me in Coffs Harbour or for online therapy.
For therapists and colleagues: If you’re a psychologist wanting to learn more about this, feel free to reach out. You can also sign up to my newsletter about IRRT.
Samantha Duroska is a Clinical Psychologist and IRRT Therapist in Coffs Harbour offering trauma therapy in person and online telehealth Australia-wide. She is passionate about the profound emotional transformations IRRT provides for her clients.