10/22/2025
This is a lot what we do using Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). I offer 90 minute sessions as well as 1-3 day intensives.
https://embraceyourbrave.org/art
We grow up, but parts of us stay behind, hurt, unheard, waiting to be acknowledged. In The Child in You, psychotherapist Stefanie Stahl masterfully explores this hidden inner landscape, showing how much of our adult behavior is driven by the emotional wounds of our “inner child.” The book isn’t heavy with theory, it’s simple, compassionate, and deeply practical. Stahl’s method helps you identify your “shadow child,” the part of you shaped by early fears and unmet needs, and nurture your “sun child,” the part that embodies confidence, love, and authenticity.
Key Lessons from The Child in You
1. Your inner child still lives within you.
No matter how old you are, your early experiences continue to shape how you think, feel, and relate. Healing begins when you stop ignoring that child and start listening.
2. The “shadow child” drives unconscious patterns.
This part of you carries old fears, shame, and coping mechanisms. It reacts defensively to protect you, but often ends up sabotaging your relationships and peace.
3. The “sun child” represents your authentic self.
When you connect with this part, you rediscover joy, courage, and compassion. It’s the version of you that can love and live freely.
4. Awareness breaks old cycles.
You can’t heal what you don’t see. Recognizing when your shadow child is in control helps you respond from wisdom, not from wounds.
5. Healing requires re-parenting yourself.
You learn to give yourself the safety, affection, and validation you once needed from others. This inner nurturing builds emotional stability and self-trust.
6. Relationships mirror your inner world.
The conflicts and disappointments you face with others often reflect unresolved parts of yourself. Healing your inner child improves every external bond.
7. Compassion is the key to transformation.
Stahl emphasizes that you can’t shame your way into healing. Real growth comes from kindness toward yourself, even the parts that once acted out of fear.
8. You can rewrite your story.
Your past shapes you, but it doesn’t define you. By befriending your inner child, you create space for a new narrative, one rooted in self-respect and emotional freedom.
The Child in You is not just a psychology book, it’s a roadmap to self-understanding. It teaches that healing isn’t about erasing the past, but about integrating it with compassion.
In the end, Stahl reminds us of something quietly revolutionary: the person you’ve been waiting to save you… has been you, all along.
BOOK: https://amzn.to/47iKxCV
