Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them

by Nicole LePera

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Do the Work and How to Be the Love You Seek comes a groundbreaking guide to healing our childhood wounds and rediscovering our full potential

As adults, we often fall into patterns that feel irrational or out of character—shutting down, lashing out, people-pleasing, or self-sabotaging. Beneath those reactions lies our inner child, a younger part of us still trying to get its needs met the only way it knows how.

We all carry the imprint of our earliest years. Childhood is brief, yet its impact is lifelong. Some parts of us were met with love while other parts were met with silence, criticism, or disapproval. To survive, we learned to adapt—learning to over perform, to hide, or stay small. Most of us made it through with a mix of love and lack. And many of us still protect the parts of ourselves that once felt unsafe.

While we can’t change what happened, we can change how it lives within us and impacts our lives today. Reparenting the Inner Child offers a clear, compassionate path to self-integration, combining practical exercises, somatic tools, and guided reflections to help us create the safety, love, and boundaries we've always needed. Through her holistic framework that models individual development, Dr. LePera explains how we can cultivate the emotional maturity and regulation to respond calmly instead of reacting, to embrace desire instead of shame, and to question the stories we've long believed about who we have to be.

Enlightening, empowering, and clarifying, Reparenting the Inner Child is a book that will stand the test of time as a comprehensive guide for personal development and healing, and a resource that will forever change the way we understand ourselves.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology, Parenting, Mental Health, Audiobook, Personal Development

384 pages, Hardcover

Published March 24, 2026

About the author

Dr. Nicole LePera is a Holistic Psychologist who believes that mental wellness is for everyone. She evolved her more traditional training from Cornell University and The New School to one that acknowledges the connection between the mind and body.

Dr. LePera views mental and physical struggles from a whole person perspective and works to identify the underlying physical and emotional causes. She understands that balance is an integral part of wellness and empowers individuals to heal themselves, supporting them on their wellness journeys.

Dr. LePera founded the Mindful Healing Center in Center City Philadelphia. She recently expanded her work online creating a platform for teaching these often overlooked components of mental wellness to individuals and practitioners around the world.

Reviews

[.ೃ࿔⋆ weeps ⋆.ೃ࿔]

I wrote a lengthy review, but have since deleted it. Someone reached out and enlightened me about the controversy surrounding this author. After further research of my own, I see that she has reframed others' discoveries and claims that it's *new science.

The book’s subtitle refers to “the new science of our oldest wounds.” After looking further into the ideas presented, many of the concepts stem from research that has circulated for decades. It would have been received better if it hadn't been packaged this way. While many practitioners use methods and ideologies that came before them, it's important to acknowledge them.

I do believe in the benefits of doing internal work. The material in this book isn't inherently damaging (acknowledging stress patterns, epigenetics, post-trauma growth, attachment styles, etc).

Additionally, I appreciated the workbook in practice, but I do not agree with self-care advocates who oversimplify complex traumas and systemic oppression.

I would like to highlight some of the original researchers before this publication

Mary Main ~ the study of classifying disorganized attachments and the Adult Attachment Interview

John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth ~ on the study of attunement and secure attachment for survival

Bessel van der Kolk
~ on the study of traumatic memory and stress disorder

Judith Lewis Herman ~ development of the diagnosis Complex PTSD; linking survivors of domestic and political violence. "Arguing that recovery requires safety, remembrance, and reconnection."

for more social critiques see this article by VICE

[Emily (emsalwaysreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #25 of 2026!

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced listening copy!

What to expect in this book:

-Self-help/psyhology
-Exercises and interventions
-Detailed and helpful
-Empowering and enlightening

Thoughts

After reading Nicole's book "How to Do the Work" and recommending it to countless clients within my therapy practice, I knew her newest book would be nothing short of informative and encouraging to readers seeking to better understand themselves and the path that their own unique childhoods have had on their current expressions of their own patterns of behavior. Reparenting is a concept that I discuss with client frequently. We do not often have the appropriate tools from our parents and other care givers to meet our needs at a young age and enter into adulthood with wounds that have gone unattended. Through the lens of attachment, internal-family systems, and somatic therapy, Nicole allows readers a glance (through empirical research and data, as well as her own practice as a therapist) into the process of healing those wounds and reconnecting with the inner child in ourselves.

This book was extremely informative and covered so much ground. I was very impressed by the writer's ability to convey psychological research and data over many different therapeutic approaches and backgrounds into an interconnected narrative of self-discovery and reparenting. I found myself immediately adding this book to cart even just halfway through. While there is a lot of information here and it will certainly not apply to every reader, I believe those who are self-aware, introspective, and have a desire to learn and become more integrated within themselves with wholly benefit from this book as they seek to be more compassionate and kind to themselves. I certainly learned a bit about myself and found myself screen recording parts of this book to come back to and to highlight when I get the physical book.

If you love non-fiction, psychology and self-help books, be sure to add this to your list! As a therapist and fellow human being, I highly recommend! This will be on shelves in late March.

[Tamara Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received the audiobook from NetGalley as an ALC. I was barely halfway when I KNEW I had to buy this book. So much information. So validating. She even explores the link between childhood trauma and MCAS and autoimmune diseases. Me! All meeee! Needless to say I found the book validating and I learned a lot. I’m going to do the exercises once I get the physical copy! 5 stars!!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy! The narrator also did a great job.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Reparenting the Inner Child as an audiobook overall. Nicole LePera’s voice is warm and engaging, and her delivery makes the material feel accessible and compassionate — which is especially important given the emotional depth of the topic. The pacing is steady and thoughtful, allowing time to reflect on the concepts without feeling rushed. I also appreciated the clear pronunciation and consistent tone throughout, which made it easy to stay focused even during the longer sections.

Overall, the production quality is solid, and this audiobook made a complex topic feel approachable. I’m giving it four stars because while the narration is strong and comforting, a bit more vocal dynamism could have made the listening experience even better.

[Max Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Everyone should read this book, whether you had a great childhood or one marked with abuse, pain and trauma. This book is for you, the practices are life changing and can be used for any and every stage of life. This book has giving me language to name feelings I’ve held for years and comprehension of my past. This read was life changing.

[Christine B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful nonfiction read! There was so much to unpack from this book. Reparenting your inner child is about healing yourself from past trauma you may or may not be aware of. I really enjoyed listening to all the ways we could have been affected throughout our lives and how it can impact us to this day with mental heath issues. The author gives much hope for healing with plenty of groundwork exercises one can do to heal. I found the entire book to have helpful advice and great knowledge. I will definitely be recommending and talking about this book! I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

[Ari (ariannasreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second book by this author and I’ve become a big fan of her work. This is an excellent book that resonated strongly with me. So much so, that by the time I reached 60%, I had already pre-ordered a physical copy. I can’t wait for it to arrive as it’s the kind of book that begs for sticky notes, highlighters, and journaling alongside each chapter. The exercises are thoughtfully designed and will certainly evoke some big emotions if you’re willing to take the time to work through them.

[Isabela · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.5. I think we should all read this book. Even if our parents were amazing, as little kids we formed precipitated conclusions about life and ourselves that affect us more than we sometimes realize. This book was enlightening and inspiring, and serves as a starting point to understand, heal and support our adult selves with compassion and responsibility.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better as a workbook than audiobook, Id imagine. Solid read for someone new to the subject but heavy at times, which makes sense.

[Natalie Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Lots of good info and small, easy ways to become aware and start to shift things in real-time.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful guide for anyone on an inner healing journey. I found the sections on attachment styles especially illuminating — they helped me understand long-standing patterns in myself and offered language for personal growth. The exercises and prompts invited deep self-reflection and felt both grounding and empowering. I would highly recommend this to introverts, journalers, and anyone seeking deeper self-awareness and emotional understanding.

[Andi_loves_2_read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Nicole LePera is a psychologist who uses a holistic approach to help the mind and body heal from traumas. I have read and benefited from her previous books and very much looked forward to this one! Reparenting the Inner Child focuses on identifying wounds that have carried over from childhood, providing practical exercises at the end of chapters that will help you understand and heal.
I learned so much from this book - life changing things that will help me heal parts of myself and better my relationships with others. I especially liked that not only does this book help me understand myself better, it helps me understand my parents and other loved ones better too - which helps to heal wounds that have been festering.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Marylovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of *Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them*
by Nicole LePera
Narrated by Courtney Patterson & Nicole LePera
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5⭐️)

This book is packed with valuable information, delivered in a way that kept me engaged, interested, and motivated throughout. While many of the concepts themselves aren’t entirely new, they are organized and presented in a way that makes consistent practice feel accessible and achievable.

Nicole LePera breaks down complex emotional and psychological patterns into practical, understandable steps, making this a powerful resource for anyone interested in personal growth and healing.

I cannot recommend this book enough — I believe it will stand alongside some of the top titles in the psychological self-help genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

[Jillian]

"The work you do to reparent yourself doesn't end with you; it ripples outward. The goal here is awareness because awareness creates choice, and choice is what empowers us to break cycles."

"Reparenting isn't about erasing the past but about learning to hold it with compassion while ending cycles that were never yours to keep. And you don't have to have all the answers to begin. What matters is that you're listening, with your body, your heart, and your soul. The past shaped you. But you are the one who gets to decide what comes next. When you meet inherited burdens with understanding, you free yourself from the roles you never chose. Letting go is an act of remembrance. It's honoring what came before while choosing a path that is lighter, truer, and fully your own. In doing so, your nervous system learns to associate rest and ease with safety."

"Beginning when we are infants, our brain assesses how each part of our body feels, especially during emotional moments. If you tensed your shoulders every time you felt afraid or curled into yourself when you were sad, those patterns became part of your body's emotional memory. Over time, your brain links physical sensations to emotional cues, shaping how you move, feel, and respond to the world. In this way, our inner child lives not just in our thoughts but in our muscles, breath, posture, and gut instincts."

"Thankfully, through safety, movement, and new emotional experiences, we can rewire our relationship with our body, teaching it, over time, that we are safe now. When you choose a new action and repeat it, you start forming a new trail in the forest. At first, it's clumsy, awkward, and even uncomfortable, but over time, it becomes your new go-to path. And the old trail? Without regular use, it will fade back into the wild, overtaken by weeds. In the same way, your brain forms new pathways while gradually pruning the ones you no longer use, making room for the connections you're actively reinforcing.
Your brain is always listening and always watching. It learns not through what you intend but through what you repeat. This is the power of neuroplasticity: Your brain changes based on how you use it. So, when you start showing up in new ways--speaking your truth, setting boundaries, regulating your nervous system--you're not just "trying" to change. You're literally rewiring the neural pathways that control the action. And the more you practice behaviors that align with who you want to be, the more natural they become."

"Below are five core practices that support the reparenting process. These are ongoing habits that nurture your healing and emotional stability over time:
1. Acknowledge and Accept the Past. We can't rewire what happened, but we can stop abandoning or betraying ourselves because of it. Acceptance means making space for the truth of what hurt and what was missing. This is how we begin to meet the needs that went unmet, on our terms, in our time.
2. Quiet Your Inner Critic. The critical voice that shames or belittles you often echoes what you once heard or felt in childhood. Instead of arguing with it, begin to notice it and practice redirecting your attention toward a kinder response. Choose one phrase of compassion--"I'm learning" or "I'm safe now"--and repeat it. Each time you do, you build an inner dialogue rooted in care.
3. Validate Your Experience. Your feelings are real, even if someone else once dismissed them. Practice naming your emotions, when you can, without judgment. "I feel sad." I feel overwhelmed." "This was hard for me." Validation signals to your nervous system, I matter and am worth listening to, making us feel seen, which is the foundation of safety.
4. Practice Compassion and Patience. Self-compassion is essential. It calms our nervous system, releases oxytocin, and helps us feel safe in our own skin. Patience means honoring your pace even and especially when it's messy because healing is about presence, not perfection.
5. Nurture Yourself. Nurturing yourself teaches your nervous system that care is safe to receive. Peter Levine, a pioneering trauma therapist, identifies several forms of nurturance essential to healing. These small, consistent acts in each area help rewire your sense of worth:
– Physical Nurturance: Adequate rest, nourishment, and joyful movement
– Emotional Nurturance: Tenderness, empathy, and permission to feel
– Verbal Nurturance: Encouraging inner dialogue, reading, storytelling
– Spiritual Nurturance: Creative expression, awe, connection to something greater
Reparenting is about returning to yourself with more safety and care than you once had. Each choice to pause, soothe, or honor your needs is a step toward rewriting the hold story. And just like any skill, reparenting grows stronger with practice."

"There's a common expression, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." And when we've been through something really hard, that can feel frustrating if not infuriating to hear. Our pain is deep and real, and many of us have gone through things we wish never happened. But they did, so the question becomes: What do we do with it now? When we heal from traumatic events, our goal isn't to minimize the pain or to deny the difficult aspects. Rather, we want to reframe the meaning in our lives and integrate these experiences into a future that we choose for ourselves."

"Naming what gets in the way of your growth honors your reality. The question isn't "Why haven't I healed yet?" It's "What might I need in order to take the next step?" Growth is always possible. When you begin to create safety in your body, surround yourself with people who truly see you, and soften the way you speak to yourself, something begins to shift. First subtly, then steadily, and eventually, unmistakably.
We can't be so focused on growth that we bypass pain the name of enlightenment. Because sometimes, what looks like rising above is actually just a clever way of avoiding what we don't want to see."

"As trauma researcher Janina Fisher notes, healing is not about getting rid of the past; it's about reclaiming the self we had to leave behind to survive it. And as we carry our grief forward, something in us begins to shift. We are no longer who we were before the pain, but we're not defined by the pain either. This is identity transformation."

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

REPARENTING THE INNER CHILD:
BY: DR. NICOLE LEPERA

The fact of the powerful advocate for learning how to heal by "Reparenting the Inner Child" written by Nicle Lepera is a very through, comprehensive self development book that was phenomenal for her being very accessible with her making it very basic with how you dn't need a backgrund in psychology. I have ne s fr me it was quite a bit that I already knew since I have been interested in Attachment Thery, and the material about having read about the affects from having emtinally immature parents which she touches on giving quick summary's. Most f us get some f ur needs met, which I have read the primary sources, and imagining gazing at a picture f ourselves when we were children was all very familiar to me. There's no blaming arents since most f us are adults who are res nsible fr hw we can't change the ast, and we can acquire the necessary skills which gives us agency fr hw we can learn about the way to heal ld childhood wunds that surprisingly there's not just ur minds that stres memories , but an incredible amounts f tls she rides plenty f jurnal rmts with which the nervous system is heavily focused n learning how to calm it by plenty f exercises. She goes ver new detailed instructions t help. I had already been familiar with Stehen rge's lyvagal Thery since he's mentioned which I have read his bk called "Safe and Sund." Nicle seemed to use his model for the nervous system with her explaining how with always a cmplpaul525 assinate arach making sure each person can lace their hands ver their belly and heart fr many of the tls that she laces a lot f emphasis on how you will have tins whether you close your eyes or not is u t each reader t decide whether you decide whether to close your eyes r not. I think that the material covered is most certainly ging t need a journal r ntebk at the end of each section. I noticed that Mel Rbbins is in the sub title saying "Yu need to read this bk." Mel Rbbins is a new discovery to me which has not only a favorite Podcast on Audible with interesting guests that is free, and very influential in how she is quite knowledgeable and has interesting tics with her guests that she interviews are always fascinating since they are usually experts and I need to read her bk called "Let Them." Mel Robbins is endorsing this speaks volumes to how a lot of people could benefit from this latest self development, and holistic approach written by Dr. Nicole Lepera called, "Reparenting the Inner Child." I also can't feel like a most impressive to me that Mel Robbins has a lot of impressive guests that she has interviewed on that podcast that I have only seen a few episodes, but seeing her in the subtitle and I quote her 'You need to read this book,' makes me feel that I should go back through Dr. Nicole Lepera's book with a notebook and do the self reflective journal prmpts aul525 that has exercises that have not escaped my notice as being introspective, but necessary since I remembered new ideas. I know that this has offered going to be as groundbreaking new content that she has former clients as well t help clarify the material resented which she also was kind enough t also give examples that also t clarify content included that were from her personal life experiences, and examples of clients that I feel challenged especially when it referred to concepts that I already know about like Attachment Theory, and Children with immature Parents that I read which was really nothing like I had expected since even though though the author is compassionate, and I am just being honest I that would have insightful benefits that have already impressed me while I already know would require time that would be significantly amount longer in terms of quantity that would be impossible to do them all while same require a lot more time than thers since I know is essential to fully get the most benefit from this because I remember they require remembering a lot about what your childhood experiences that are essential to learn and reinforce hw t always remind the reader that they are safe which I appreciated since the wealth f what can happen t thse wh can develop physical pain or inflammation and the section n triggers f ld childhood wunds which that are addressed, but the body that remembers trauma which is why she really focuses heavily n the nervous system, and a wealth for examples that are exercises that she even gives some ideas which each subject covered really is helpful since they were relatable and often helped remind me f how much easier it is when sample answers are provided throughout this which covers s much that really would be easy to implement such as unprocessed trauma stored in the body which this provides different choices. The Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, and a brand new to me which I hadn't ever heard of before called "Flop."

publication Date: March 24, 2026

Thank you to Net Galley, Nicole Lepera, and Flatiron Books for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#ReparentingtheInnerChild #NicoleLepera #FlatironBooks #NetGalley

[Elena Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reparenting the Inner Child arrives with the quiet authority of a book that knows exactly what it is here to do. Dr. Nicole LePera, a Cornell trained holistic psychologist and creator of the global SelfHealers movement, has built her entire body of work around the connection between mind, body, and soul, How To Academy and this book represents the fullest and most practical expression of that vision yet. Where awareness alone has left so many readers stuck, this book goes further, offering somatic tools, guided reflections, and a clear compassionate framework that actually moves people from understanding their patterns to changing them.What sets this book apart from the crowded field of inner child and self help literature is the depth of its empathy and the precision of its tools. Rather than shaming the behaviors that hold us back, Dr. LePera reframes them as adaptations, survival strategies developed by a younger version of ourselves that simply never got updated. Through the practice of reparenting, she shows readers how to give themselves the nurturance, boundaries, and care they may not have received growing up, building safety from within rather than waiting for the world to provide it. The Sunday Paper That shift in framing is both clinically grounded and deeply liberating.What lingers most after finishing this book is how it manages to be simultaneously rigorous and accessible, challenging and kind. The four pillars of loving discipline, self care, joy, and emotional regulation give the reader a structure to return to again and again, and the somatic exercises make the work feel embodied rather than purely intellectual. This is not a book that asks you to think your way to healing. It asks you to feel your way there, gently and with consistency, and it gives you everything you need to begin. Mel Robbins called it essential, and it is hard to argue with that.

[Reagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on the fence about this book. I was excited to read it but as I did so, there were little things in it that have me concerned. It's evident that this book is well researched, but it's weird to me that this book is calling reparenting a "new science" when it's been around since the 1960s. Self-reparenting has been around since the 1990s. There's isn't really any new or groundbreaking information in here that hasn't already been available.

Another thing I'm concerned about is the wording/phrasing in parts of this book. I think the messages are well-intentioned but the delivery can be harmful at times. For example, calling food an addiction and comparing it to gambling (when relationships with food are much more complex); talking about how a mother's life experiences influence the genetic development of a fetus but not really discussing how the father's genetics play a part; and implying that major mental disorders can be overcome on one's own. The messages in themselves aren't bad, especially when read in context, but the phrasing at times isn't ideal.

What this book does offer are simple, accessible exercises for personal reflection. Honestly I think a companion workbook to this book could be very useful. I feel like many of the exercises are helpful as a jumping off point for reflecting on one's inner child, but if you have complex problems or trauma in your childhood, you're probably better off in traditional therapy than using this book.

I really like that this book presents a full picture of why and how children are impacted by their upbringing, even in utero. It has an optimistic tone overall and provides plenty of examples of how you can begin taking steps to improve your life/future.

All in all, I think this book can help people but not everyone will benefit from reading it.

Thank you Flatiron for this giveaway copy!

[Amanda Mencik · Rating 1 out of 5]

The 'Dr.' on this cover is doing more work than her current credentials can support

I want to start by saying that inner child work is real and reparenting is a legitimate psychological concept. The topic of this book matters and there are a lot of people who genuinely need it. That's actually why I'm writing this review.

Nicole LePera's Pennsylvania psychology license expired in 2021 and she hasn't practiced clinically since. She now runs a multi-million dollar wellness brand with millions of followers, and this is her third book published under the title "Dr." That title is doing a lot of work on this cover, and I think readers deserve to know what it's actually backed by at this point.

There's a documented history of her presenting things that sound like science but aren't, and more importantly, actively discouraging people from relying on formal mental health treatment.

The people most likely to pick up a book like this are people who are already hurting and already skeptical that traditional therapy can help them. Telling those people they can mostly do this alone, dressed up in clinical language from someone using a doctorate as a marketing tool, is a real problem.

If you're in active treatment and your provider doesn't know you're reading this, that's worth a conversation with them before you go further.

The actual subject matter here: attachment wounds, inner child work, nervous system regulation, is covered better elsewhere. Lindsay Gibson's Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, anything by Kristin Neff, Pete Walker's work on complex trauma. All of those are better options than this.

The subject matter is worth your time. This book isn't.

[Alicia Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A follower of Dr. Nicole LePera for years, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to dive into this book! Talk about relatable!? I felt seen and completely understood over and over again as I listened. I found myself constantly taking notes on behaviors that were so familiar to me, as understanding the “why” always feels so powerful. Listening to this audiobook, I immediately knew I'd need a physical copy too, just so I can highlight important sections and have notes to easily refer back to - I bookmarked so many helpful resources throughout it.

I absolutely love the practices at the end of each chapter. They are realistic, step-by-step instructions on practices you can truly implement in your life the moment you read the book. Knowing I can walk away with something I can do TODAY was so incredibly helpful. I found myself bookmarking spot after spot, as I found so many helpful practices I want to come back to later.

This book will help you learn how your body and nervous system learned to adapt, and it will delve into study results, many of which I found to be super interesting insights. Things like understanding why stillness feels unsafe or not earned were so validating; this book truly explained SO much of my behavior as a child, and I love the feeling that comes with understanding why.

I am confident that I will be referring back to and working from this book for months, if not years to come. An understandable, relatable, holistic, practical book that made me feel seen, heard, and understood in ways that I have possibly never been before (& I’ve spent MANY years in therapy). I can not recommend this book enough!!

[Critiquing Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is surprising to realize how much of our thinking is shaped by early experiences and the reactions of others in situations we have either observed or been part of. This book does an incredible job of bringing awareness to the influences we may not have consciously recognized. Many times throughout the book, I found myself saying, “I have never thought about it that way,” or “That makes sense, I can see how that had something to do with it.”

This is not a self-help book you can finish in one sitting. It is meant to engage and challenge the reader to slow down and reflect on the questions, scenarios, and ideas presented. This thought-provoking strategy is designed to help uncover what has shaped your inner child, why you think and react the way you do, and the steps that can be taken to begin addressing those patterns.

As you move through each chapter, the book guides you on different aspects of your inner child. It introduces various methods for reshaping those patterns, such as journaling or practicing positive affirmations. These exercises question your long-held beliefs and encourage you to reconsider thoughts you may have accepted as truth.

The only element that felt missing while reading this book was an accompanying workbook. Given how interactive and reflective the exercises are, having a dedicated space to complete the activities would make the experience even more effective. That said, this by no means at all takes away from the overall effectiveness of the book; it would simply serve as an additional asset to further enhance the reader’s engagement.

[peppkorn_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, without a doubt, a book I will be returning to.
Of course, it’s impossible to heal just by reading a book once as it’s a gradual process that takes a lot of work if you’re willing to put in the effort. But in my opinion, the benefits outweigh the challenges.
All of us carry childhood wounds that affect our lives as adults. I’m fascinated by how the human brain and psychology can adapt and build new pathways and this book provides the tools to help us do that.
This book covers all the basics, along with additional information I hadn’t known before, plus practical exercises, examples, and highly relatable stories.
I found it useful not only for working through childhood trauma but also for parenting (if that’s part of your life).
I loved how the author explains feelings you might have as a result of childhood trauma, especially since they can be hard to identify if you haven’t been given the tools before.

I was fortunate to receive an advance reading and listening copy. The audiobook was narrated by Courtney Patterson, while the author, Dr. Nicole LePera, narrated the foreword and acknowledgments. The narrators were great, I really have no complaints. I do think that having a hard copy to work through the exercises and practices would be beneficial, while the audiobook is especially useful for meditation practices.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to address their childhood trauma, is seeking change, and is looking for a happier life. We’ve got this 😌

Very thankful to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Flatiron Books for the advance copies!

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reparenting the Inner Child by Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist) is a life-altering guide for anyone ready to break free from cycles of self-sabotage and emotional reactivity. While her previous work introduces the foundations of self-healing, this book dives deep into the "how" of healing our most vulnerable, younger selves.

Here is why this book is a must-read:
Actionable Roadmap: Unlike many theory-heavy psychology books, Dr. LePera provides practical tools, including somatic exercises, journal prompts, and guided reflections to move you from awareness to actual transformation.

The Four Pillars of Reparenting: She masterfully breaks down the healing process into four essential areas: Loving Discipline, Self-Care, Joy, and Emotional Regulation.

Holistic Approach: The book emphasizes that healing isn't just in the mind; it honors the body's innate wisdom and focuses on regulating the nervous system to create a genuine sense of safety.

Empowerment Over Blame: While it acknowledges childhood wounds, the core message is one of radical self-accountability. It empowers you to become the "wise, loving parent" you always needed, allowing you to rewrite your future instead of being stuck in the past.

This book is a quiet companion and a "masterclass" on why you are the way you are. It doesn't just explain your pain; it gives you the permission and the plan to finally heal at the root.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book helped me better understand how childhood experiences can shape the way we react to stress, relationships, and emotions as adults. The idea of “reparenting” really resonated with meit’s about learning to give yourself the care, patience, and emotional support you may not have received growing up. The book is insightful without being overly academic, and it helped me recognize patterns like avoiding difficult conversations or pushing through stress instead of processing it.

What I appreciated most is that the book encourages practical self-awareness, not just theory. For me, pairing these ideas with tools like the Attached App has been helpful, since it offers guided exercises and reflections that make the process of understanding attachment and emotional patterns easier to apply in everyday life. If you’re starting therapy or working on personal growth, this book is a great starting point—and using supportive tools alongside it can make the healing process feel much more manageable.

[Tanya Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great resource by Dr. Nicole LePera. I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I saw she was publishing another book. I appreciate how she always explains things in a way that is easy to understand and digest. But the star of the show are all of the exercises provided in the book, to help you get to know your inner child and how to reparent them. I admittedly haven’t done all of the exercises yet, but there is a good reason for it. LePera points out in the book that it is important to do them in your own time, when ample time and attention can be given. That is where change and growth happen. As someone who has done a considerable amount of inner child work in the past, I appreciate that I still find plenty of value and learning in this book. Beyond the exercises, I appreciated the real world examples through LePera’s own experiences as well as those of her clients.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[LizNReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, MacMillan Audio & Dr. Nicole LePera for this ALC.

This book is narrated by the author, Dr. Nicole LePera and Courtney Patterson.

How I wish I had gotten a physical ARC, or even an eARC, of this book instead of the ALC. Either way, I found it to be super easy to follow directions and recreate the homework given throughout the book, which can sometimes be hard to do when you’re listening to a book rather than reading it. I did take my time with this book because I really needed to work on my Inner Child — something I tried to do 14 years ago but failed miserably. This book is everything I needed and more.

If you had a complicated childhood, please, do yourself a favor, BUY this book and Take Your Time with it. You will save countless money and commute time by buying this book/ebook/audiobook instead of going to a therapist.

And let’s face it, if we need to work on reparenting our inner child, we more than likely also know other people who can benefit from this book. This weekend I’ll be seeing some people whom I know can benefit immensely from this book, so I will be asking them for their info so I can gift them this book in their preferred method.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Dr. LePera helps readers understand more about the science beyond specific healing practices, including reparenting our inner child(ren). Using parts language, she discusses the ways in which many of us become wounded as children, the core beliefs that formed due to the wounding, and why we react so strongly sometimes.

Various exercises are provided to help readers gently interact with their inner child(ren) and heal. The exercises are different in each chapter.

This is a book that should be read slowly and re-read as needed. As one does deeper healing work, the exercises will likely work on different levels than before. I don't see these as one-and-done. They are practices to use along the healing journey.

[Cassidy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anytime Dr. Nicole LePera writes a book. I am going to read it. When I saw the title of this one was Reparenting the Inner Child, I felt so seen. This is exactly the book I've been waiting for. Nicole gives such careful, knowledgeable and well researched advice because she has lived it, studied it and practices it in her own life, and that makes it even more meaningful. Even if you don't believe that your inner child is wounded I would highly recommend reading this book carefully and slowly because chances are you absolutely do have something within you that could be healed from the exercises and insights given in this book. She is a life changer and a healer.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book and exchange for my honest review.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Nicole LePera is a psychologist who takes a whole body, holistic approach to overcoming childhood trauma. Broken up into easy to understand sections, Dr. LePera focuses on what causes childhood trauma, how it can manifest itself and even the roots of ancestral trauma within your DNA. I found the book to be paced well and organized in an easy to follow format.

Narrated by the author, and Courtney Patterson, one of the hardest things to get right in a self help is the homework sections and I felt like the audiobook nailed it. The directions and questions were well laid out so with a paper and pencil anyone can recreate the fill in the blank sections of the physical book. Overall it is a well crafted audiobook.

Thank you to Flatiron and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Dr. LePera writes a masterclass of how to actually heal the inner child. The inner child can be an abstract thing that sounds "woo-woo" but with LePera's guidance you understand the science and neurobiology of what the inner child is. Not only will you understand it, she has personalized this book so that no matter what you've experienced you have a clear path forward.

I felt like she really "got" me and that I could see myself in those pages. I took so many notes, and honestly I got more help in the first two chapters form this book than I did in years of therapy.

Dr. LePera is one of the greats. She writes this books carefully and she is helping us all heal together. I bought a copy for my brother and my mom. You'll want to get extras for people you love.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole LePera is one of SO MANY focusing on this topic right now, yet one of very few who make it accessible. I’ve been following her for years, simply because she has a way of making her messaging both succinct and applicable.
Reparenting the Inner Child focuses on exploring the inner critic- that mean bully we all support rent-free. In explaining how and why that voice developed, she also gives practical advice on how to change that voice. Self-acceptance seems like a great idea. Getting there without support makes it just a theory. This book is gently informational and actionable. It took me awhile to consume, simply because the information is so important. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a friendlier internal life.