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Who's running the show? Looking like an adult, talking like an adult, yet not necessarily thinking or behaving like an adult could be because our inner child parts have a way of making themselves known..

As children, many of us were traumatized by physical, emotional or sexual abuse by parents or other adults. We had no protection, no way of getting away so we became fragmented into parts, which evolved to protect us, fight fires that were going on in our lives.

Even children who lived with wonderful, nurturing parents may have been through events such as a fire, death of a beloved pet, or something else that was difficult to cope with, and parts were born to help in those events.

These childhood parts never leave us, and are an integral part of our lives. It is important that we recognize them, accept them and embrace them, be a nurturing parent to them and get to know what role they are playing in our lives.

Before I became involved in a support group, Adults Molested as Children (AMAC) I knew I had a lot of "kid" in me, fun-loving and hamming it up. I didn't know I had several inner child parts that were and still are, wreaking havoc in my life in some areas. How? When I blame myself for something over which I have no control, feel ashamed or guilty, when I succumb to addictions, overeat just to comfort myself, feel the sting of rejection or fail at something (being fired from jobs), my inner parts are just trying to protect me from real or imagined danger.

In the process of healing, I'm learning to accept all of my parts, giving them new jobs that are more appropriate in the present if they are old enough (some parts are very young) so that I can have better relationships with others, fulfill my higher potential and make better choices.

Instead of baring my soul to a therapist for years and years (I wasn't taking their advice anyway), I'm taking action on my own behalf with the support I receive in AMAC, becoming my own advocate no longer a victim!

Learn more about this author, Joyce Bocek.
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