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At some point, most of us hit a moment where we realise: “Oh, I’m still carrying this.”
Maybe it’s a reaction that feels way too big for the situation, a voice in your head that won’t stop nitpicking, or just a vague sense that something from your past is still lingering in the background.
That gentle nudge? That’s usually your inner child trying to get your attention.
Shadow work, inspired by the psychology of Carl Jung, is all about looking at the parts of ourselves we’ve learned to hide—the ones we were told were “too much,” “not enough,” or just inconvenient.
When you mix that with inner child healing, the process gets deeper, softer, and yes, sometimes a little more emotional. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s about creating a safe space to meet those younger parts of you with honesty and care.
That’s where shadow work journaling comes in.
A shadow work journal helps bring shape to all the thoughts, memories, and feelings that don’t always make sense out loud. With the right journal prompts, you give yourself a chance to understand not just what happened, but how it shaped you—and how you want to move forward now.
Below are 50 shadow work prompts designed to support your inner child healing. These aren’t “one size fits all” questions.
They’re invitations—a way to gently unpack your childhood experiences, rewrite outdated narratives, and get curious about how your past might still be shaping your present.
You can work through them in order, choose what resonates, or save them for moments when something in you needs softening.
Before You Begin: A Note on the Inner Child
The term “inner child” gets used a lot—but it isn’t just about revisiting your seven-year-old self.
According to psychologist Roberto Assagioli, our inner child is a kind of psychosynthesis: a layering of ALL our ages, from early childhood through adulthood and beyond. Nothing is left behind. Each stage becomes a thread in the fabric of who we are.
The work, then, isn’t about going back. It’s about reconnecting with the most vital parts of each stage—curiosity, wonder, honesty, even vulnerability—and learning how to carry them forward with you.
Shadow work helps you notice where those parts may have been silenced or shut down, and journaling gives them a voice again.
50 Inner Child Shadow Work Prompts
- What is one thing your inner child needed to hear more often?
- When was the last time you felt truly safe? What made that moment feel different?
- Write a letter to yourself at age seven.
- What childhood experience still lives in your body?
- Who made you feel small as a child, and how does that show up in your adult life?
- What are your earliest memories of not feeling “enough”?
- How do you typically respond to criticism? Where might that pattern come from?
- Which limiting beliefs did you absorb early on?
- What parts of yourself did you learn to hide to feel accepted?
- When did you first feel responsible for the emotions of others?
- In what ways do you recreate your childhood dynamics in relationships now?
- What did “love” look like growing up?
- What messages did you receive about anger, and how do you express it now?
- Who made you feel safe? What did they do or say that helped?
- Describe a moment in your childhood when you felt truly free.
- What did you dream about becoming, and what happened to that version of you?
- How did your family handle emotional expression?
- What does your inner child want you to remember?
- What unmet needs from childhood still feel tender today?
- What does “home” feel like to you now?
- When do you notice your inner critic becoming loudest?
- How do you self-soothe, and where did you learn that?
- What fears from childhood are still influencing your decisions?
- What does your inner child need from you today?
- What was your role in your family growing up (peacemaker, achiever, etc.)?
- Where do you still seek validation?
- What’s one boundary you wish had been honoured as a child?
- How do you respond when others disappoint you?
- What memory feels like a turning point in your self-worth?
- What did you believe about work and success growing up?
- What were you praised for, and what did you have to suppress?
- How do you feel about needing help?
- What are your relationships teaching you about your past?
- How do you show love to others, and how do you receive it?
- Where do you still hold resentment, and what would forgiveness look like?
- What do you still long to hear from a parent or caregiver?
- What triggers a strong emotional response in you, and why?
- What stories about yourself are you ready to let go of?
- What role does perfectionism play in your life?
- How does your body react to emotional discomfort?
- Where have you abandoned yourself to keep the peace?
- When do you feel most connected to your authentic self?
- What’s your relationship with rest and doing “nothing”?
- What parts of you are still waiting to be chosen?
- Who in your life now makes your inner child feel safe?
- What would it look like to love yourself without conditions?
- What messages would you like to rewrite about your worth?
- Where do you see signs of your personal growth?
- What part of your childhood self still shows up in beautiful ways?
- What does healing mean to you right now?
Final Thought
You don’t need to answer every prompt in one sitting. This is slow, sacred work. Let your journaling practice be a companion, not a task.
Revisit questions when they feel relevant. Skip the ones that don’t. And above all, treat your inner child not as a version of you to fix, but as someone you’re learning to love again.
If you’re building a shadow work journal or just beginning to explore inner child journaling, these prompts can help you create a soft, nurturing rhythm in your personal growth journey.
Because healing takes time, but with a little courage, a pen, and a willingness to return to the parts of yourself that were once quiet, you’re already doing the work.