Healing the Inner Child Through Parts Work: How to Break Generational and Complex Trauma
When talk therapy isn’t enough, and you still find yourself reacting from old wounds or repeating painful patterns, it may be time to look deeper; within the parts of yourself that are asking to be seen, heard, and healed.
In this episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast, host Dr. Lydia Luna, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Moon Collective Sanctuary, welcomes back Briana Perlson, LCSW, a trauma therapist specializing in inner child healing, parts work, and complex trauma. Together, they explore how understanding and working with our “parts” (the many inner voices, wounded selves, and protective mechanisms within) can transform the way we relate to ourselves, our past, and others.
What Is Parts Work and How Does It Heal the Inner Child?
Parts work, or Internal Family Systems (IFS), is a therapeutic approach that helps us connect with and heal the fragmented parts of ourselves that carry unprocessed pain. As Briana explains, “These are the wounded inner children that still live within us — the parts that learned to hide, fight, or please to stay safe.”
Through guided visualization, somatic awareness, and compassionate dialogue, clients learn to identify and nurture these inner parts, integrating them into a state of harmony rather than suppression. This process helps us respond to life’s challenges from our highest, healthiest self, rather than from old emotional wounds.
“When we feel triggered or overreact, that’s often not our adult self showing up — it’s the 5-year-old, or the 13-year-old, still needing to be seen and comforted.” – Briana Perlson, LCSW
Recognizing When Your Inner Child Is Running the Show
Many of us unknowingly carry emotional imprints from our childhood — moments when our needs weren’t met, or when we felt unseen or unsafe. These experiences can manifest in adulthood as people-pleasing, perfectionism, emotional shutdown, or chronic anxiety.
Briana shares that one of the first steps in healing is awareness:
“When you find yourself reacting strongly, pause and ask, Who’s speaking right now? That’s when you begin to meet your younger self with love and curiosity, instead of judgment.”
Through parts work, we can begin to reparent ourselves, giving the compassion and validation our younger selves never received.
Breaking Generational Trauma
Unhealed pain doesn’t just disappear — it often passes from one generation to the next. Patterns of emotional neglect, codependency, addiction, or abuse can unconsciously repeat through family systems.
As Briana explains, “We subconsciously repeat what feels familiar. Even if it’s painful, our nervous system confuses the familiar with safety.”
Healing begins when we bring mindfulness to these patterns and consciously choose new ways of being. Whether through therapy, somatic practices, or spiritual work, the goal is to interrupt the cycle — not just for ourselves, but for future generations.
“We can’t change what we don’t acknowledge. But once we see it, we have the power to heal it — and to do life differently.” – Dr. Lydia Luna
Complex Trauma and the Path to Integration
The conversation also dives into complex trauma (C-PTSD) — long-term trauma resulting from chronic emotional neglect, instability, or abuse. Unlike a single traumatic event, complex trauma develops over time, deeply impacting one’s sense of safety and self.
Briana emphasizes that healing complex trauma requires more than talk therapy. It involves integrating the mind, body, and spirit through modalities like EMDR, somatic therapy, breathwork, and energy work.
“Each person needs an individualized path to healing,” she shares. “We need to work through the body, not just the mind. Healing happens when we integrate it all — when we feel it, not just talk about it.”
Self-Compassion: The Key to Inner Child Healing
True healing begins with self-compassion. Through practices like Dr. Tara Brach’s RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture), individuals can gently meet their emotions and inner parts with love rather than resistance.
Briana also suggests tangible ways to reconnect with one’s inner child:
Look at old childhood photos with kindness.
Revisit favorite activities or places from childhood.
Speak to yourself as you would to a small child — with patience, curiosity, and warmth.
As Lydia reflects, “We often wait for the world to validate us, but real healing happens when we give that love to ourselves first.”
Final Thoughts: Healing Is Possible
Even when the journey feels long or overwhelming, Briana reminds listeners that transformation is always possible:
“Finding the right therapist is like dating — it takes time. But when you find someone who meets you with compassion, depth, and curiosity, the healing that follows can be profound.”
If you’ve tried therapy before and still feel stuck, this conversation offers a fresh, empowering perspective on what it truly means to heal from within.
🎧 Listen Now:
Tune in to The Moon Collective Sanctuary Podcast to hear the full conversation with Dr. Lydia Luna and Briana Perlson, LCSW, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Explore More:
Visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com to explore trauma-informed healing sessions, upcoming events, and holistic mental health offerings. Be sure to find us and follow on social media @mooncollectivesanctuary for helpful resources.
