Reiki and Inner Child Work: Transforming Trauma with Love

There is a child within all of us who once greeted life with pure curiosity, joy, and openness. That child may have been hurt by a single glance, or left feeling alone due to a lack of love. This child is still with us; listening to them and reconnecting with them can bring profound transformation to our lives.

I still remember the emotions I felt during my first inner child work with reiki… It was as if the child within me was speaking directly to me—asking for help, but at the same time radiating wisdom and strength. The help she needed was simply to be seen, acknowledged, and heard. She actually had so much to share with me that day, just to help me. The gifts, advice, and playful messages she offered have remained some of the most powerful sources that continue to support me today.

What Is the Inner Child?

The inner child is the energetic reflection of the memories, emotions, and core needs we carry from childhood within our subconscious. It’s the part of us where feelings like love, acceptance, and trust take root—and this part often shows up in adulthood in suppressed or hidden ways.

If you find yourself repeating emotional cycles in relationships, being easily triggered, or experiencing inexplicable emptiness, it is often the voice of your inner child trying to be heard.

What I observe most often in my clients is that the adult version of themselves has completely forgotten about their inner child. And yet, this child is constantly trying to connect and help us rediscover our authentic joy. We need to reflect on why we are repeatedly unhappy in the same relationship patterns, or why we choose partners who seem eerily similar.

For example, I always carried within me a child who missed her mother deeply. The people I chose in romantic relationships often had qualities that energetically reminded me of her. I realized this only after meeting my inner child. She was always trying to draw my attention back to my relationship with my mother—bringing me into similar dynamics over and over again, pointing me toward the root of the problem, and thus, toward healing.

Healing the Inner Child with Reiki

Reiki energy helps to regulate the body’s natural energy flow and supports the release of emotional and spiritual blockages. During inner child work, Reiki serves as a gentle yet powerful force that nurtures the healing of old wounds with love.

Throughout this process, the body’s energy centers—especially the heart and sacral chakras—are brought back into balance. Reiki inner child healing strengthens self-love and compassion, allowing suppressed emotions to surface and be gently released.

I’ve witnessed many clients recall childhood memories and burst into tears during Reiki sessions. These are the tears of a long-neglected inner child—tears of reunion with the self, of longing finally met, a mix of sorrow and the joy of coming home.

As Trauma Heals, the Soul Finds Freedom

Emotional traumas from childhood often show up later in life as low self-worth, anxiety, or fear of abandonment. To transform these cycles, we must first hear what the inner child truly needs.

Reiki creates a loving and safe space where the root of these traumas can be gently explored. Within this space, individuals begin to release the weight of the past and establish a loving connection with their inner child.

How are these traumas revealed? Sometimes it’s through a pattern of constantly seeking validation in relationships—an indicator of fear of abandonment. During or after a Reiki session, such patterns can come to light, offering an opportunity for transformation.

Trauma is often buried beneath painful memories that we try to forget, deny, or avoid. It’s incredibly difficult to revisit these memories alone. That’s why working with a good therapist and a healing system is incredibly valuable.

How to Reconnect with Your Inner Child

• In a quiet space, close your eyes and visualize yourself as a child. What would you like to say to them? What do they need from you? This is a practice I often include in my own inner child meditations—tears are natural. This connection may not happen immediately. Set aside time each day to try. Sometimes our inner child has felt neglected for so long, they may have “closed off.” You’ll need to gently win back their trust with patience and love, showing up each day with sincerity.

• Express your inner child through creative activities like writing, painting, or dancing. I reconnected with my creative child while painting. I had no idea I could paint until I picked up the brush. But a memory from childhood had always stayed with me, peeking out every now and then. In the public primary school I attended in Istanbul, we had no art class. Just once, a student’s mother—who was an artist—came in voluntarily to teach. She said, “Paint whatever you want.” I chose a sky and forest. As I started coloring the sky bright blue, she came over and asked, “Is blue the only color you see in the sky? There are countless hues in the sky.” She never returned after that day, but the desire to explore those hues never left me.. It wasn’t until I was 25, when I dared to face the heartbreak of an unrequited love, that I picked up a brush again. That love, I realized, was actually my longing for the colors of the sky. I allowed the brush and paints to transform my pain and become keys to a magical door within me.

• Give yourself a small but meaningful joy each day. A favorite song, a walk, or even a moment in the sun. My playful journey with my inner child, which began through color, eventually led to a deeper bond with nature and other art forms. Today, I love playing guitar, singing, and dancing. These are the little gifts I give to myself.

• Use Reiki regularly to gently clear the memory stored in your body. I start each morning by giving myself Reiki. It keeps me connected to my inner child, helps me gently heal any stuck energy, and maintains the uninterrupted flow between me and my spirit.

Emotional Freedom Is Possible

Building a healthy connection with your inner child not only heals the past—it opens the door to a more loving and free way of being in all areas of life. Reiki is one of the kindest and most effective tools for this process, because Reiki is pure love. And that’s exactly what inner children need most.

My intention is to contribute to a world where everyone embraces their inner child with love. Our healed, playful, creative inner children—unafraid to express themselves and grow with joy—will become the adults who bring this world into harmony, love, and unity.