Ethical Boundaries: Treating Childhood Sexual Trauma

Unlike the other tracks, this track is an excerpt from the book "The Invisible Wound" by Wayne Kritsberg and is intended as a client exercise. You may want to use this exercise in a group or individual session. In order to get the most from this inner vision experience, you might repeat the process several times.

Begin this inner child visualization . . . by finding a comfortable position and if possible, lowering the room lights.

Become aware of your breath . . . Relax . . . Let your breath move freely in and out of your body . . . Use your breath as a way to focus your attention on your body . . . With each inhalation become aware of your lungs filling with life-giving air . . . With each exhalation let your lungs empty . . . Let go and relax . . . Now focus on your breath for the next minute or so.

Imagine yourself in the middle of a forest . . . You are surrounded by towering trees . . . Feel the wisdom of these large old trees . . . Become aware that you are standing on a pathway . . . You are wearing the same clothes you're wearing right now . . . Begin to walk along this pathway . . . As you walk, become aware that you are moving deeper and deeper into the forest . . . As you continue walking you realize that, off to each side of the pathway, there are scenes from your past . . . The farther down the path you go, the earlier the scenes from your life become . . . If you wish, you may leave the path and enter any period of your life.

Move deeper and deeper into the forest . . . Go farther down the pathway until you are at a time of your life when you were a young child . . . Look into your past and see yourself as a young child . . . Notice what you, as a young child, are wearing . . . Notice what your younger self is doing . . . Become aware of what this child, your inner child, is feeling . . . Step off of the path and go to the child.

Introduce yourself to the child . . . Begin to walk with your child, explaining who you are and that you won't hurt the child . . . Hold the child's hand . . . Feel the warmth and experience the trust of this little child . . . Pick the child up and hold the child to your chest . . . Tell your inner child they never have to be alone again . . . Tell them that you will be there whenever they need you . . . Tell your inner child that you will not abandon them. Ever.

Walk with your inner child . . . Feel the clear and simple love of this wonderful little being . . . Using the power of your imagination, look up and see a sky full of bright stars . . . Show the stars to the child . . . Now reach up and gently touch one of these shimmering stars . - . Hold the star in your hand . . . Bring down the star and give it to your inner child . . . Feel the healing warmth of the star . . . Experience the healing glow of this magical star . . - Tell the child that this magical star will never burn out . . . Tell the child this is their star . . . The child will always have its light of healing and hope to carry with them . . . No one can ever take this gift from them . . . Tell your child that, no matter what happens to them, the light from the magical star will always be there for them . . . Tell your child that the star's light will light the darkness and the shadows . . . and that you and the magical star will always be there for them.

You are holding your inner child . . . and the child is holding the healing star . . . See the glow and feel the warmth from the star . . . As the child holds the star to their chest, the star begins to melt into the child's heart . . . healing and warming your inner child . . . Carrying your child, you walk back toward the path . . . You step onto the path and begin walking back in the direction that you came from . . . Holding your inner child, you once again reaffirm that you will never abandon them.

Returning up the pathway, holding your child, you feel the little child melting into your heart . . . You continue along the path, passing the early scenes of your life . . . You are aware of the truth that you and your inner child are one and the same . . . that you truly will not abandon your child . . . that together you will both heal and give each other love and understanding . . . The healing light of the magical star is for you, and for your inner child . . . You will always have it to light the way through your recovery.

Walking farther up the path, you become more and more aware of your breath . . . You begin to focus on your breath . . . You are aware of the flow of your breath . . . You are aware of the movement of your breath as it flows in and out of your body . . . You become aware of your body and of your surroundings . . . You are aware of being at the same place where you began this journey . . . When you are ready, slowly and gently allow your eyes to open.

If you are playing this track for continuing education purposes, consider making a tape or having your client make a tape of the above reading. As you know, keeping your voice soft and your tone gentle will enhance the relaxing affect when listening to it later.

Online Continuing Education QUESTION 11
What are steps one might use to prepare for a guided visualization? To select and enter your answer go to CEU Answer Booklet.