Thank you earthmama, pegasus, sannah,

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Basically, I just ask "little me" what she wants and I try to give it to her.

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This is really brave earthmama. Yes, the self care is very difficult for me as well. I think it is because we never learned it from our mothers. We don't feel worthy of it is one way to perceive it, and I feel that way often. But another way to look at the dilemma is that we became neurologically wired for the painful experience of not having our needs met. And that is the pattern we repeat through negative, self harming behaviors, etc. I'm with you in this dilemma.

For me, the "working through" is knowing it is okay to listen to my own needs, the needs of my body. I don't really know that yet, but I am trying a bit at a time. So, for example, if I begin to feel that nervousness in the pit of my belly, maybe I can try to notice it before it turns into full blown anxiety and panic where I wind up dissociating and hurting myself in some way. I can do this by grounding myself in the here and now. (Easier said than done--I'm trying to convince myself here.)

It is so interesting to see how different each of our experiences are and how diverse the ideas of acknowledging, embracing, accepting the inner child is, call it what you will.

Again, I think this all depends on our early experiences with (or without) our mothers. Saying something is one thing--that's the intellect at work. Knowing something is another--ya gotta feel it, methinks.

Peaceout