Containing the Inner Child, Activating the Nurturing Parent Within

Our guest blogger this week is Lori Jo Siegel, a candidate for certification in our Creative Journal Expressive Arts Training Program. As she was applying my methods in her everyday life we talked on the phone about how she could use Inner Child and Inner Family work for dealing with a health issue. Here is a description of Lori Jo’s process, including illustrations of the artwork that became 3-dimensional.

Containing the Inner Child, Activating the Nurturing Parent Within 

Towards the end of November 2019, I came down with a severe upper respiratory infection. Missing 3 weeks of work at a new job that I had started a month ago was causing me a lot of stress. In addition, I was having mixed feelings about this new job and was asking myself if it is the right one for me.

I decided to delve deeper into my psyche to find the root cause of me feeling unwell. After discussing this matter with Lucia she offered helpful prompts to unlock the problem. I discovered there were 3 three selves involved in root of this matter. I drew a picture of each self with my non- dominant hand and dialogued with all of them.

After gathering all the information from the 3 selves, listening to their concerns and feelings, I was able to get a clear picture of what direction I needed to go in.

The process of communicating with the 3 selves and using my non-dominant hand helped me to learn the following: I need to get a housekeeper; on the weekends I have to carve out down time at home and not over plan and finally, I need to continually give myself praise for the positive changes and things I am doing. I also understood, that I cannot go into my head and override my body’s signals for rest and healing. I came away with a lot of helpful information.

After doing all this dialoging, I was inspired to take this process a step further. Still longing to create a deeper connection with my inner child, I was motivated to create something to celebrate and commemorate my connection to her.

Ideas were flooding through me from the knowing field. In my minds eye, I saw a picture of us together. I was intuitively guided to create a 3D visual representation of us. Fueled by enthusiasm, I was eager to get to know her, to understand her and to receive guidance from her.

I transformed a 16 oz. cottage container and it’s lid into a vessel to house my inner child and my adult self. With my non-dominant hand, I drew a picture of my inner child and then one of my adult self-using colored pencils. I drew big ears on my adult self puppet to represent me being a “good listener”.





I cut both drawings out and mounted each one onto a Popsicle stick creating a puppet. On the back of each drawing I glued a photo representation of my inner child and my adult self. I made 2 holes in the bottom of the cottage cheese container and placed the puppets in the holes so they could stand sturdily facing each other with arms stretched out and hands touching. I then cut a big hole around the inside perimeter of the lid. I placed it in the middle of the container as a symbol of me cutting out any obstacles to connecting to my inner child.

Cutting the inside out of the lid was a most satisfying and transformative part of the process. I felt I was cutting out any barriers between us. As I continued to cut through the thick plastic lid, I imagined the veils between us being lifted! When everything was set in the way I imagined it, I covered the container with a soft fabric of a favorite color.

The finished project shows my adult self and my inner child standing up on opposite sides of the cottage cheese container, facing each other, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes thru the cut cottage cheese lid. I can also turn the puppets around and let the photo images look at each other or at the drawings. I can mix it up any way I like.





After completing it, I dialoged with my inner child using my non-dominant hand. She expressed, “ I feel more happy. I can relax and sleep. I love you Mommy. I love our holding hands and your big ears! I love you.



I felt really happy about being able to create something commemorating our relationship, and my commitment to her.

This 3D representation sits on my dinning room table where I look at it regularly and can feel this beautiful connection. It also serves as a visual reminder for me to stay connected to her.

I continue to journal with her and draw pictures with my non-dominant hand. She lets off a lot of steam informing me of how she feels. I hold the space for her to vent and express anything and everything. Most of the time, I wind up crying, or I feel a surge of anger welling up that needs to be released. I feel much lighter after releasing these feelings. I can see and the feel the havoc they can wreak when not addressed.

Using my non-dominant informs my decision making in everyday life. Just the other day, I was feeling under the weather and I asked her what she needed. My usual pattern would be to push through; instead I listened to her when she told me to stay home and rest. She told me, “Don’t care about everyone more than me!” That was a true and powerful blow. As I dialogue with her my adult self is becoming a better listener. She is helping me to be direct and assertive.

This process of using my non-dominant hand has been meaningful to my mental, physical, emotional & spiritual growth and development. The 3D creation is a visual reminder of my sacred connection to my inner child and the importance of listening to and taking care of her.

Lori Jo Siegel, MS Education, Early Childhood Teacher, Artist, Musican, Reiki Master/Teacher,
Singer/Songwriter with a cd to be released of orginal songs and compositions.
Candidate for Creative Journal Expressive Arts Certification
Lorsieg9@aol.com

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Lucia

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