Product Description

Have you ever heard of your inner child? Well, this is the classic book that started it all.

In 1987, Charlie Whitfield's breakthrough concept of the child within—that part of us which is truly alive, energetic, creative and fulfilled—launched the inner child movement. Healing the Child Within describes how the inner child is lost to trauma and loss, and how by recovering it, we can heal the fear, confusion and unhappiness of adult life.

Eighteen years and more than a million copies sold later, Healing the Child Within is a perennial selling classic in the field of psychology. And it is even more timely today than it was in 1987. Recent brain research, particularly on the effects of trauma on the brain of developing children, has supported Whitfield's intuitive understanding as a psychiatrist.

About HCI Recovery Classics

HCI's recovery backlist contains some of the most important and best-selling works in the recovery field. These books are still sought after today, selling more than 100,000 copies per year. Our new line of branded books features expanded editions of our top recovery titles, new introductions, updates on pertinent recent developments in the field, and contemporary new covers and packaging.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7963 in Books
• Published on: 1987-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 151 pages

About the Author
Charles L. Whitfield, M.D., is a physician, psychotherapist, and internationally recognized expert on mental illness, behavioral problems, and recovery. He has been on the faculty of the Rutgers University Summer Institute of Alcohol and Drug Studies from 1978 to 2003, and in private practice of medicine and psychotherapy since 1976. He has been voted by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 1994. He lives in Atlanta, GA.

Cardwell C. Nuckols, Ph.D., is an expert on brain development and recovery who has been described as "one of the most influential clinical trainers in America." His many publications include the national best-seller, Cocaine: Dependency to Recovery. His recent DVD, "The Science Based Treatment of Addictive Disorders," provides a scientific basis for many of the ideas first addressed in Healing the Child Within.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1
Discovering Our Child Within

The concept of the Child Within has been a part of our world culture for at least two thousand years. Carl Jung called it the 'Divine Child' and Emmet Fox called it the 'Wonder Child.' Psychotherapists Alice Miller and Donald Winnicott refer to it as the 'true self.' Many in the field of alcoholism and other chemical dependence call it the 'inner child.'

The Child Within refers to that part of each of us which is ultimately alive, energetic, creative and fulfilled; it is our Real Self—who we truly are.
With our parents' unknowing help and society's assistance, most of us deny our Inner Child. When this Child Within is not nurtured or allowed freedom of expression, a false or co-dependent self emerges. We begin to live our lives from a victim stance, and experience difficulties in resolving emotional traumas. The gradual accumulation of unfinished mental and emotional business can lead to chronic anxiety, fear, confusion, emptiness and unhappiness.

Denial of the Child Within and the subsequent emergence of a false self or negative ego are particularly common among children and adults who grew up in troubled families, such as those where chronic physical or mental illness, rigidity, coldness or lack of nurturing were common.

Yet, there is a way out. There is a way to discover and to heal our Child Within and to break free of the bondage and suffering from relying on our false self. That is what this book is about.

©2008. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Healing the Child Within by Charles L. Whitfield. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street , Deerfield Beach , FL 33442.

Customer Reviews

If you really want to uncover some thruths about yourself,
I suggest you read this book. I often felt isolated and "different", not knowing why. Just reading through this book uncovered and healed much of my pain that I denied having for so long. This book has been a gift to me, helping me to understand myself and others much more, which is what I always really wanted. I felt so stuck, and this book along with a few other materials was a real lifechanger. It put into words what I didn't want to know, only to free me of the shame through acknowledgement. Truly a springboard to a better life!

Healing The Child Within
The book was easy to read and understand. I found it very thought provoking and partly useful in dealing with some long standing issues from my childhood. I felt the author could have provided more help to me rather than trying to get me to see a "professional" in the field. All though that may be necessary at some point I will look for other books that provide more direction to me to help myself.

Relived the pain & learned to survive
I was told to read this book while attending a beginning actors class at UCLA. At first this seemed odd, but after reading the book I started to finally take my life more seriously. I learned that from now on if I want to be strong and happy I have to take steps to heal. I do come from a family of abuse and denial about the abuse. My dad and my brother abused me. My mom was verbally abusive but still very sheltering and protective of me from a very early age. My mom left my dad the day she found out he was abusing me. I was only four years old. This was important for me. But I guess I felt I had to soldier on and never complain about my feelings and what had happened to me. I felt I had to be the good kid the family turned to for help. This book gave me a sense of freedom to be okay with myself, and that I can act out once in awhile. I deserve to be happy and I do not deserve anyone in my life that cannot give me love and support. I am going to give this book to my sister and I hope she can begin to heal too. I hope people can read it and cry, but its okay to cry, it cleanses you and helps you realize you can survive and get stronger. Give yourself time and be gentle with yourself.