"I’m Feeling Like My 8-Year-Old Self Right Now"

How one sentence reshaped my healing and my closest relationships.

14-week Rewired Healing Series- Week 4

By: Kristin Francis

📚 Summary

In this personal reflection, I share how learning to recognize my inner child became a turning point in my healing from Complex PTSD. Through Parts Work (sometimes called Internal Family Systems or IFS) and moments of real-time awareness, I began to notice when a younger version of me was reacting from fear, shame, or overwhelm. This post explores what that shift looked like, how it changed my relationship with myself and others, and why becoming the safe place my younger self never had has been one of the most healing things I’ve ever done.

In the beginning of my healing, my therapist introduced me to something called ‘parts work.’

At first, I’ll be honest — I thought it was kind of weird.

The idea that I had “parts” inside me — younger versions of myself that still held specific emotions, memories, or protective roles — felt a little out there. I wasn’t sure ‘parts work’ was something I could get on board with.

But the more I learned, the more it started to make sense.

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Parts work (Internal Family Systems or IFS) is based on a simple, compassionate idea:

Think of your inner world like a family system — or a team — made up of many different parts.
Some parts try to protect you.
Some carry pain from the past.
And some are still stuck in the roles they took on to help you survive.

At the center of it all is your core Self — the calm, compassionate part of you that can lead with clarity and care.

Parts Work (IFS) helps you gently build a relationship with each part, so instead of being overwhelmed by them, you can listen, support, and lead them from a place of understanding.

We all have different versions of ourselves that show up in response to pain, protection, and survival. These parts aren’t bad or broken — they’re doing their best to help us cope with what we’ve been through.

There’s the people-pleaser part who jumps in to avoid conflict.
The perfectionist who tries to keep everything under control.
The little one who still believes everything was her fault.

And then there’s the part of me that still feels like a small child — scared, small, and convinced she has to be the strong one or everything will fall apart.

Once I started noticing these parts, I couldn’t unsee them.
They weren’t just thoughts or moods — they were younger parts of me that never stopped trying to keep me safe.

And here’s the thing: instead of pushing them away, I started getting curious.
What were they afraid of?
What did they need from me now?

And that’s when the real healing began.

When I reflect now, I’m still amazed at how my younger parts led so much of my life —without my awareness.

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💛 Want to explore this in your own life?
In the second half of this post, I’m sharing:
✨ The biggest breakthroughs I’ve had through Parts Work
🧠 What helped me recognize my emotional flashbacks faster
💛 And the moment I’m most proud of in my healing

This week, I’m gifting a Free Full Access 30-day pass to anyone who needs extra support right now.

👉 Click here to start your free month — available through July 7.
👇 Then keep reading - Guided Reflection at the end.