Healing the Inner Child: How Reparenting Transforms the Way We Raise Our Kids

  By Leanne Tran | Psychologist | Parent Like a Psychologist

In a powerful episode of Parent Like a Psychologist, transformational coach and children’s author Lisa Watson shares her deeply personal journey and her mission to help parents break harmful generational cycles through the practice of reparenting.

Lisa’s message is rooted in her own experience of overcoming a difficult childhood and a controlling, narcissistic relationship. These early life challenges propelled her into a path of healing and self-discovery. What she found along the way not only transformed her life—it reshaped how she viewed parenting.

What is Reparenting?

Reparenting is the practice of nurturing and healing the parts of ourselves that were hurt or neglected during our own childhoods. Lisa emphasizes that unresolved emotional wounds often show up in our parenting—sometimes without us even realizing it. The automatic reactions we have in moments of stress often stem from deeply ingrained patterns formed in our early years.

By becoming aware of these patterns, Lisa says, we can shift from reactive to conscious parenting. This means recognizing when our inner child is triggered and responding with compassion rather than frustration or blame—both toward ourselves and our children.

The Impact of Childhood Beliefs

Lisa explains that children absorb beliefs about themselves and the world during their formative years—often without a filter. Whether a child is raised in a nurturing or toxic environment can significantly shape their sense of worth and emotional resilience. "No child is more deserving than another," she says. "It’s the beliefs they absorb that shape their lives."

Her work as a coach and upcoming author of Reparent Yourself focuses on helping adults unpack those beliefs, identify their emotional triggers, and begin the work of healing—so they can show up more fully and compassionately for their own children.

Modeling Emotional Intelligence

One of Lisa’s key insights is that children learn more from what we model than what we say. When we take responsibility for our emotions and regulate ourselves, we teach our children how to do the same. This creates a home environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and heard.

Rather than seeing children’s big emotions as misbehavior, Lisa encourages parents to validate their child’s feelings—even when setting boundaries. For example, a parent can say “no” to a cookie while still acknowledging their child’s disappointment. This teaches children that their emotions are valid and manageable, which is critical for emotional development.

The Power of Storytelling

Lisa also shares her passion for children’s books as tools for emotional learning. Her Awaken the One series—beginning with Courage Finds His Breath—introduces mindfulness and self-regulation to children through gentle stories and watercolor illustrations. Her second book, Courage Finds His Calm, launches on August 5, 2025, with a Kickstarter campaign running from May 16 to June 20 to support the series.

These books are not just bedtime stories—they are entry points into deeper conversations between parents and children about feelings, courage, and self-worth. Lisa’s goal is to publish 39 books across 13 series, each one contributing to the emotional literacy of the next generation.

Conscious Parenting for All Families

The podcast also addresses the unique challenges faced by parents of neurodivergent children, highlighting the need for flexible, understanding approaches that honor each child’s individuality. Regardless of parenting style or circumstance, the core message remains: children deserve to be accepted for who they are.

Lisa underscores that conscious parenting is a lifelong journey, not a checklist. It's about choosing love and connection over control and fear, even when it's hard. Her approach is compassionate, practical, and deeply hopeful.

A Future Without Cycles of Pain

As the conversation wraps up, Lisa leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: healing is possible, and we don’t have to pass our pain onto the next generation. By doing the inner work, we can raise emotionally strong, self-aware, and deeply connected children.

Parenting, she says, is not a burden—it’s an opportunity to heal, grow, and live our life’s purpose with intention and love.

Want to support Lisa’s mission?
Preorder Courage Finds His Calm or support the Kickstarter campaign from May 16 to June 20. Learn more about her upcoming book Reparent Yourself and explore free resources for conscious parenting at [https://learn.leannetran.com.au/chaostocalm].