Inner Bonding: Becoming a Loving Adult to Your Inner Child [Paperback]

Margaret Paul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 1992

Inner bonding is the process of connecting our adult thoughts with our instinctual, gut feelings -- the feelings of the "inner child" -- so that we can minimize painful conflict within ourselves. Free of inner conflict, we feel peaceful, open to joy, and open to giving and receiving love.

Margaret Paul, coauthor of Healing Your Aloneness, explores how abandonment of the inner child leads to increasingly negative and destructive feelings of low self-worth, codepenclence, addiction, shame, powerlessness, and withdrawal from relationships. Her breakthrough inner bonding process teaches us to heal past wounds through reparenting and clearly demonstrates how we can learn to parent in the present. Real-life examples illustrate the dynamics of the healing process and show the benefits we can expect in every facet of our lives and in all our relationships.

Inner Bonding provides the tools we need to forge and maintain the inner unity that makes our family, sexual, work, and social relationships productive, honest, and joyful.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This work teaches us to connect our inner adult (logical conscious mind) with our inner child (instinctual or gut feelings) so that we may live conflict-free lives. Paul has worked extensively with this form of psychotherapy, which she calls inner bonding, and is the author of several books on the subject. Through loving behavior and acknowledgment of that "voice" within ourselves, the author claims that we can satisfy our own needs and not be totally dependent on others for happiness. She gives examples through her counseling work with those who want better family, marital, social, and work relationships and encourages outside help for special problems such as alcoholism, sex addiction, and codependency. This is a very helpful book for both individuals and couples who want to learn how to acknowledge their inner needs and address fears and false beliefs that often stem from childhood. Recommended for large self-help and therapy collections.
- Demetria A. Harvin, "Hospital Medicine," New York
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A surprisingly powerful process! It teaches us to meet our innermost needs." GERALD G. JAMPOLSKY, M.D., author of Love Is Letting Go of Fear

"The system .... discussed in this book will supply you with the most loving, dependable, supportive friend youll ever haveyourself. What a joy to know youre not alone anymore." LINDSAY WAGNER, actress and co-author of The High Road to Health

"A wake-up call to the most exciting miracle of the universe: your life." PETER AND LYNDA GUBER, film producers

"Inner Bonding is a powerful book for anyone interested in quality relationships. It offers practical tools, not just theory, to help us reach inside and heal those deep problems and addictions that have held us back for so many years." THOMAS CRUM, author of The Magic of Conflict

"Inner Bonding is a welcome addition...... It gives us a pragmatic, solution-oriented framework for resolving inner conflict." -STEPHANIE COVINGTON, PH.D., clinical consultant and author of Awakening Your Sexuality -- Endorsements

"Margaret Paul offers us a simple and very effective tool for healing our inner upsets and quieting the confusion in our minds. I recommend that you use this valuable tool daily on your path to wholeness." SUSAN JEFFERS, PH.D., Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, and Dare to Connect

"This special book will be deeply appreciated by anyone wishing to heal, love, and grow. Every page has valuable insights and strategies to enrich your life and all your relationships. Reading this book is a healing experience." -HAROLD H. BLOOMFIELD, M.D., author of Making Peace with Your Parents and Making Peace with Yourself -- Endorsements

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1 edition (June 5, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062507109
• ISBN-13: 978-0062507105
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Self-Help > Inner Child

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Suprised That It Was Possible......................, May 30, 2005

By 

C. Lancaster - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inner Bonding: Becoming a Loving Adult to Your Inner Child (Paperback)

I actually stumbled across these ladies on the internet while frantically searching for information on self esteem. I had found myself, once again, very confused and lost with how to even look at myself anymore. I am not religous and had judgements on self help that were less than savory. I honestly wanted someone to talk to, but the prospect of paying for someone to listen felt cheap and almost disgusting. All I felt I needed was a guide, some understanding, and some tools. I can't understand why tools for love and success should cost anyway when the outcome of not having them is so damaging and expensive in all aspects. Anyway, on their website is a PDF file of 40 pages that explains in outstanding clarity and power the 6 steps of inner bonding. It was free. I then spent the next 3-4 hours crying in relief and amazment that I could relate, understand, put to work, and actually FEEL what they were writing about. No, it is not a quick fix, but relief was in sight and could now be actually attained for good. Reading about inner bonding and the whole process was the sweetest and most intimate 3-4 hours that I have had in a very long time. I had not felt that close to myself before. If you are jaded, believe that nothing can fix you, are picky about how you deal with what you know is a never ending destructive cycle, and don't want to pay a dime (yet); read the PDF file from their website. Hopefully, you'll have an open heart, and surrender (the good kind of surrender) enough to let it reach you a little. It doesn't take much. If nothing has worked for you, it's probably because it wasn't realistic, thorough, or relative (or maybe you could always pick it apart). These processes that they explain will relate and you won't be able to help the feeling that your tools have been attained and that with some work (very sweet and true work) your healing will begin and you'll feel free from self destructive cycles, addictions, blame, deppression etc. You owe it to yourself. HIGHLY RECCOMENDED

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning to Play with My Inner Child, June 10, 2001

By 

Sharon E. Cathcart "Why, yes, I am an author" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Inner Bonding: Becoming a Loving Adult to Your Inner Child (Paperback)

I have to say from the outset that I used to think the whole "inner child" thing was a bunch of psychobabble nonsense. Then, I was confronted with some issues in my life that proved me wrong. As is my wont, I immediately began to research "inner child work" and to do some. This book was the most helpful of all that I read. The author talks about the importance of integrating the "child" inside all of us with the "adult" -- bringing the emotional side of our lives into contact with the rational side. I can honestly say that following this author's suggestions has had a huge, positive impact on my life.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a book about blame or woe is me!, February 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Inner Bonding: Becoming a Loving Adult to Your Inner Child (Paperback)

A very balanced view for working with our inner child so that we can take responsiblity for where we are in the present and where we want to be in the future. It does not focus on the "poor baby" syndrome and assign blame to others. It helps to identify reasons why we are where we are, but then strongly encourages self responsibility. An excellent book for anyone wanting to grow and take charge of their own life!