Compassionate inquiry is an inquiry method to help people connect to the truth within themselves in the present moment. This technique allows people to become free from self-generated suffering as well as gain insight, clarity, and choice in their behavior.

Addiction, anxiety, depression, and ADHD can be traced to childhood trauma and a sense of disconnect from yourself. Inner child work is very effective in healing the wounded child and to completely integrate all parts of yourself. 

In my practice, I have incorporated Dr. Gabor Mate’s method of compassionate inquiry to focus on compassionately listening and targeting past wounds so that a person can approach their childhood trauma with deeper caring and understanding. While taking a course with Dr. Mate, I was reminded how simple it is to listen and show compassion without judging or overanalyzing and diagnosing. Treating others with respect and encouraging them to be compassionate with the parts of themselves that are most vulnerable, untethered, or even frightening is very healing. These parts can unconsciously impact your thoughts, behaviors, decisions, and choices without your being aware. 

Some of the signs that you have parts that you have separated from are:

• Being strongly affected by certain sounds, words, behaviors, or memories of yourself or others. 
• Feeling an emotion or thinking a thought and then unconsciously repeating the same dysfunctional pattern without understanding why. This can range from addictive behaviors and self-sabotaging to disease and/or self-destructive behaviors.

How does compassionate inquiry help you? You are approached with intuitive questioning and encouraged to explore within, which requires self-reflection, self-discipline, and a commitment to the process of healing. As I observe your physical, emotional, and verbal responses, you are guided by my compassionate inquiry and listening.

What is not allowing you to connect to yourself? What caused you to disconnect and how does it show up in the present? This invitation to go deep within yourself to find your truth – and to see it and validate it – is where healing can occur. This is done when a safe space is established within our work together. The heart and body hold traumatic fears, worries, memories, and beliefs but the heart allows for deep healing when accessed with compassionate inquiry. Therapeutic resolve can occur within a brief period of time.

If you are interested in your deepest thoughts and feelings, compassionate inquiry is a powerful catalyst for opening up and accessing life-changing insights. Let’s explore them together.