I like to think of myself posing back to back with my inner-child as the inspiration for getting my own back.
How do we do this?
Well, just like we would in any relationship:
Validate yourself
Offer yourself empathy
Offer yourself compassion
Listen to yourself (this includes hunger cues, emotional pleas, cries for help, hints for connection, prayers for sleep).
Respect yourself (this includes respectful speech, gestures, acknowledgment, boundaries).
Give yourself the benefit of the doubt (often when clients berate themselves I ask if they can defend themselves... maybe stand up for themselves a little. It’s an interesting practice when we’re in a shame cycle, it helps shift to compassion - which is much more conducive of change).
Allow yourself to feel deal heal
Encourage yourself
Meet your needs
Care about yourself
Be cool to yourself
It’s tricky shifting from a self-punishment paradigm to a self-love paradigm. We foster it through consistent daily action of being cool to ourselves and building trust. How are you gonna get your back today?
Therapy and tacos for all,