Episode 03 - Healing and Understanding Your Inner Child with Joan Mwangi
Sep 18, 2023
I had the pleasure of interviewing Certified Adult Chair® Life Coach Joan Mwangi and we dove into the world of inner child work. Joan and I crossed paths during our Adult Chair® certification journey, bonded by our mutual passion for breaking down generational patterns, and our connection quickly grew into a cherished friendship.
In this episode we discuss the significance of recognizing and addressing emotional inheritance and generational patterns to promote emotional wellness. We also highlight how experiences and traumas from previous generations can impact individuals in the present. The concept of emotional inheritance refers to the transfer of emotional patterns and responses from ancestors to descendants. These generational patterns can manifest in various ways, influencing behaviors, beliefs, and emotional responses.
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Joan shares a personal stories about her family's history and how it has shaped her own experiences. She talks about her parents' upbringing and the challenges they faced, such as abandonment, loss, and trauma. These experiences have had a profound impact on her own emotional well-being and behavior. By understanding the emotional inheritance from her ancestors, she has been able to delve into her inner child work and address the generational patterns that have influenced her life.
The conversation also touches on the importance of connecting with one's inner child to uncover suppressed emotions and authentic feelings. By looking at childhood photos or observing children's behaviors, individuals can tap into their inner child and understand the emotions that may have been overlooked or suppressed over time. This process allows individuals to identify and process emotions that have been carried through generations, leading to a deeper sense of self-awareness and emotional healing.
Furthermore, the discussion emphasizes the need to listen to the body's sensations and emotions as a way to address emotional inheritance and generational patterns. By recognizing physical manifestations of emotions, such as tummy aches or headaches, individuals can gain insights into their emotional state and take appropriate steps to address underlying issues. This approach helps in breaking the cycle of emotional suppression and misdiagnosis, promoting emotional wellness and self-care.
In conclusion, recognizing and addressing emotional inheritance and generational patterns is essential for promoting emotional wellness. By delving into one's inner child, understanding generational influences, and listening to the body's signals, individuals can embark on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and emotional growth. This process allows for the breaking of harmful patterns and the cultivation of a more authentic and emotionally conscious life.
In this episode, we cover:
[00:02:13] Inner child and emotional wellness.
[00:05:48] Generational patterns.
[00:09:13] Generational family dynamics.
[00:14:28] Child marriages and brain development.
[00:20:05] The inner child.
[00:23:45] Connecting with your inner child.
[00:29:18] Self-reflection and personal growth.
[00:35:02] Grief and emotional inheritance.
[00:37:50] Suppressing emotions and pressure cooker.
[00:43:08] Embracing your inner child.
[00:45:04] Understanding children's emotional needs.
[00:50:18] Understanding body sensations for emotions.
[00:57:18] Being selfless is not a compliment.
[00:58:16] Emotions as roadmap to lifestyle.
[01:04:02] Understanding the inner child.
Quotes:
"Colonialism, racism, sexism, all the isms, patriarchy, all those things, have shaped who we are." - Joan Mwangi
"I am not okay. I have a need. I don't have language for this need, but I have this voice and I'm going to fall out in the middle of this football game until my need is met." - LaShonda Walker
"That part of you is the container for the most authentic version of you." - Joan Mwangi
"I had to really abandon my inner child to suck it up, as they would tell me, to get thicker skin in order to fit into this environment." - LaShonda Walker
"It's like a pressure cooker, right? It's just the steam is just in there. And at some point you have to let the steam out." - Joan Mwangi
"I love when my clients use that statement. I love when people around me use that statement because then I follow that up with, well, what type of way do you feel? What does that mean? What do you feel?" - Joan Mwangi
"A tummy ache equals anxiety doesn't always mean run and get the Pepto Bismol. Because then you're medicating an emotion. You're not medicating a true illness." - Joan Mwangi
"Being called selfless is not a compliment because it means you do not have a self." - Joan Mwangi
Guest Information:
Resources
Galit Atlas, Ph.D. - Emotional Inheritance
Marc Brackett, Ph.D. - Permission to Feel