Inner child healing with Zykuria Zimmeran
When you talk to yourself, remember your inner child is listening — so kindness is key.
Zykuria Zimmeran is a certified holistic health coach, specializing in inner child healing and embodiment. She uses her bachelor’s degree in biology, background in herbalism, and personal wisdom to inform her holistic approach to helping clients.
Photography Ardeja Cherice (Ardeja Griffin-Nimako)
"This was always a dream of mine — a dream that I once believed would never become fully realized in a world that profits on and praises 'hustle and bustle' and facades."
In 2020 during what she now calls "the catalyst" to her personal transformation, she was faced with her limiting beliefs and was forced to challenge everything she thought she knew and wanted in life.
"I was faced with childhood traumas that had risen to the surface and demanded to be seen," says Zykuria. "I reconnected with the things that once brought me child-like joy. I learned to validate my emotions and dared to come face-to-face with wounds I didn't know I had."
Through her inner work, she rekindled her creativity and newfound passion for using her personal wisdom to help others do the same, which led her to complete a holistic coaching certification in December 2022.
She dedicates her coaching practice to holding space for others to heal their childhood traumas, meet their wounds with curiosity and re-write their limiting beliefs.
Photography Ardeja Cherice (Ardeja Griffin-Nimako)
Below, she explains the process of inner child healing and why it's essential.
Q. What is inner child healing and why is it important?
A. The inner child is the part of ourselves frozen in childhood and with it, the emotions, memories, and belief systems we developed at that time.
Positive or negative, those experiences lay the foundation of our internal programming. Most, if not all, of our interactions, triggers, and core beliefs are based on the way our needs were met as a child. In adulthood, this might show up as:
People-pleasing
Hyper-independence
Anxiety
And more
This makes inner child work so vital because it gives us permission to “reparent” your inner child, or create those safe spaces we may have lacked in our younger years. It gets to the root of those limiting beliefs and triggers and offers a variety of benefits, like:
Improved emotional regulation
Enhanced creativity, self-awareness, and self-esteem
Photography Ardeja Cherice (Ardeja Griffin-Nimako)
Q. How does inner child healing help creativity?
A. “Creative living is a life where your decisions are based more strongly on your curiosity than your fear. To be creative is simply to be curious." This is a definition that I often use in my approach in working with clients.
A healthy relationship with your inner child brings more curiosity, joy, and playfulness to your life, enriching your experiences and relationships. As we learn to navigate our inner world with grace and understanding, we create a deeper sense of empathy and compassion for ourselves first and foremost, which extends to the relationships we form with others.
Q. If someone is interested in healing their inner child, where should they begin?
A. The first step to inner child healing is by viewing your childhood experiences with adult eyes. Journaling is a great and beginner-friendly way to start this, paying extra attention to the moments or memories that cause any immediate emotional responses.
The inner child often communicates to us through our emotions and “either-or” thinking, so taking note of these moments is also a great way to help us discover our wounds or limiting beliefs. For those looking to reconnect with their inner child, I highly recommend inner child dates in which you re-create hobbies or activities that you enjoyed when you were younger.
I’ve also created a free resource called Feel to Heal: The Beginner’s guide to Feel Your Feelings, which includes a few beginner-friendly journal prompts and interactive activities to help those looking to connect with their inner child.