What Is Reparenting—and Why It’s a Game-Changer for Healing Childhood Trauma in Falls Church, VA
Okay, so we can’t really go back in time and “re-do” your most painful moments. But think of the times you are the hardest on yourself, the most impatient, the most critical, the most stressed, or even the most frustrated. What if, instead of routinely being critical of yourself, you could learn to bring in self-love, kindness, and compassion? What if you could start to communicate to yourself and treat yourself the way an endearing caregiver would (and also bring a little more joy and play into your life)? That is where reparenting therapy comes in and turns the healing game on its head.
What is reparenting therapy in Falls Church, VA?
Reparenting therapy is about learning to provide yourself with the resources, skills, capacities, and capabilities to be able to return to yourself the emotional support, nurture, protection, and delight that were denied to you during childhood.
Who is reparenting therapy for?
Reparenting is for anyone who feels like what they lacked in their past is interfering with present-day life, or for those who were described as “old souls” during childhood and experienced the pressure to “grow up too fast” and take care of others.
At Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy, reparenting can be helpful for those who have experienced:
Abuse
Neglect
Parentification
Grief/loss
Substance use of parents/caregivers
If you feel like your childhood was filled with abuse and/or neglect or that it was gone too soon, reparenting may allow you to open the door to rediscovering your full self.
How does reparenting work in trauma therapy?
You can’t think your way out of any trauma, and that is absolutely true for childhood trauma, too. In therapy, we usually do not begin with reparenting right away. We usually begin with a period of building safety and security in your body—essentially, building skills and tools for you to have a connection between your brain and body and to find safety and calm when you find yourself reacting intensely to experiences that do not feel congruent to your circumstances in your present day life.
Then, we start to explore the blocks that you may have to the most painful parts of your past. For example, you might be someone who is a strong people pleaser. This can help keep you safe, but it may also be interfering with emotionally processing some old wounds that you have. It may be helpful for us to support your strengths and get to understand this people-pleasing part of you a bit more (and others like it).
As compassionate trauma therapists, we want to build up your strengths! We want to get curious about what you are amazing at. Why? Because these likely were not celebrated in your childhood, this is where some of the reparenting comes in.
As you build compassion and love towards yourself, we support you in building internal resources. This can look like exploring areas where you have been compassionate and caring towards others, where you have witnessed models of loving parenting, and taken in moments of awe. These are important because they can be harnessed as a team for you when you need nurture, protection, safety, and delight. Reparenting can also include tapping into what you loved during childhood, but were unable to explore, and exploring it now, during adulthood. This can include options like a favorite hobby, book, movie, activity, etc. Discovering the part of you that delights and finds curiosity can also allow for new awakenings, joy, and healing within yourself.
Get Started In Reparenting Therapy at Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy in Falls Church, VA
Alice Zic, MPH, LCSW | Trauma Therapist & Owner of Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy, LLC
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Begin your therapeutic journey toward reparenting with childhood trauma therapy.
Online Reparenting Therapy in Virginia
Reparenting does NOT just have to be an in-person experience. Make your life easier with online therapy! All you need is your private space, internet, and your device, and you can make online reparenting therapy work for you. No stressful traffic—it’s simple and easy! Get started with a free consult call below:
Expanded Therapy Support in Falls Church, VA & Colchester, CT
In addition to our focus on childhood trauma, Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy offers virtual therapy for challenges such as parentification trauma and teen anxiety. We provide a safe, compassionate space where clients can begin healing, build healthier boundaries, and manage stress, no matter where they’re located.
About Alice Zic, Licensed Trauma Therapist in Virginia
Alice Zic is a licensed clinical social worker in Connecticut and Virginia. She is a reparenting therapist and trauma therapist who specializes in helping mother wounded women heal their childhood traumas and reparent into confident, capable adults. Alice is an attachment-based therapist who is trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. IFS is a trauma-informed and evidence-based modality that supports healing the mind and body, while also allowing for reparenting. Alice uses IFS in conjunction with other trauma-focused techniques, including elements of ego states therapy. Ego states therapy supports building internal skills and nurture towards yourself as you work towards reparenting. If you would like to learn more about Alice, please click here. If you would like to work with Alice, please click here to schedule your free consult call today.