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Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
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.
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.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2026
About the author
Nicole LePera
21 books1,474 followersDr. 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
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March 20, 2026I 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
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
April 2, 2026
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.
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.
March 1, 2026
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.
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.
May 11, 2026
This book is nothing but a repackaging of well-established research and theories from actual credible psychologists and researchers. It’s hard to digest this when there is so much controversy surrounding the author, too.
For good self-help books, check out books by Lindsay Gibson and Pete Walker and Sherrie Campbell. Nicole LaPera is creepy as hell
For good self-help books, check out books by Lindsay Gibson and Pete Walker and Sherrie Campbell. Nicole LaPera is creepy as hell
February 18, 2026
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.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy! The narrator also did a great job.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
April 14, 2026
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!
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!
July 16, 2026
Although I understand this book is written for wider audiences, as a trained mental health provider, I couldn't help but notice how this book gives very social media-friendly notes, exercises, and explanations to things that actually go much deeper than how this book describes. It's a difficult read for someone who is faced daily with the tiktok-ification of mental health words, conditions, and treatment. I'm sure this book will help someone understand themselves better, or encourage them to work through some things they may have never thought to before; but I worry that this surface-level self-help book will only reach wider audiences that are unequipped to meaningfully understand and apply the practices that this book initiates. More work is often needed and although a book can be a good starting point, the general approach here is one I feel could do more harm than good. Caveat emptor, and please seek community or individual supports for working through childhood trauma if you choose to do so.
April 1, 2026
Where's the new science??? DNF 73%
August 8, 2026
Very similar to her first book. I thought I would get more out of it, but nothing really new here.
March 12, 2026
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In this book, the author explores how childhood experiences continue to shape our behaviours, emotional reactions, and relationship patterns well into adulthood. The core idea, learning to “reparent” the parts of ourselves that didn’t receive the safety, validation, or care they needed growing up, is presented in a compassionate and approachable way.
LePera encourages readers to reflect on patterns such as people-pleasing, emotional shutdown, or self-sabotage, and offers practices aimed at building self-awareness and emotional regulation. The tone is supportive and validating, which will likely resonate with readers beginning to explore their own healing journey.
LePera encourages readers to reflect on patterns such as people-pleasing, emotional shutdown, or self-sabotage, and offers practices aimed at building self-awareness and emotional regulation. The tone is supportive and validating, which will likely resonate with readers beginning to explore their own healing journey.
April 29, 2026
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.
March 23, 2026
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.
October 12, 2026
this was a journey & i’ll probably need to reread & reference for the rest of my life.
i think everyone should read this book. in her acknowledgements she wrote to her and our younger self that we would find —
“compassion where there was once criticism, safety where there was once fear, and belonging where there was once shame.”
and i bet you (like me) relate deeply to that. we’re readers - we are self aware enough to know.
i think everyone should read this book. in her acknowledgements she wrote to her and our younger self that we would find —
“compassion where there was once criticism, safety where there was once fear, and belonging where there was once shame.”
and i bet you (like me) relate deeply to that. we’re readers - we are self aware enough to know.
April 23, 2026
⭐️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.
June 8, 2026
I listened to this book and it made it all that more personal. I started to take note of some of the activities. It would have been good if the audio book was accompanied by a work book. As self help books go, this is definitely worth a read/listen.
July 6, 2026
I learned a lot reading this. I’ve tabbed a few sections that I plan to talk about with my therapist.
I also need to go through and complete all the activities that I want to complete but I finished reading all the content.
I also need to go through and complete all the activities that I want to complete but I finished reading all the content.
July 27, 2026
This was so good that I read it twice back to back. Lots to unpack and steps to take to help replace survival skills with tools to thrive. Just understanding the why is an extremely beneficial first step toward self understanding.
April 26, 2026
Better as a workbook than audiobook, Id imagine. Solid read for someone new to the subject but heavy at times, which makes sense.
May 23, 2026
Fantastic resource!
Did Not Finish
May 24, 2026DNF. I found it repetitive and honestly unnecessarily intense (maybe that’s my trauma speaking?)
September 27, 2026
Well written on the subject of trauma and personal growth. I have read many books on the subject and did not find much new there but still feel it was presented well, if a little elementary. I do wish that more of the content was focused on the specifics of reparenting in that 3/4th of the book looked at childhood drama from every angle and did start to be a bit repetitive and materials I have covered many times. I also concede that I believe when you are trying to reprogram how you look at your past, repetition can be helpful. There were exercises in every section to explore the subject further and necessary to form a foundation of understanding that hopefully breaks down some of the myth we told ourselves as children who did not experience the important support little guys need to feel safe and able to navigate life with grace, however, I did not get much out of them. They felt a bit basic and only an introduction to a very deep subject. However, I will say again, that descriptions were very well written. The last quarter emphasizes not creating a new person, but welcoming all the pieces parts back and seeing the perfect human that stands in your shoes. I found it a worthwhile read, but just not at the level I was hoping for.
May 2, 2026
4.5 stars. Lots of good info and small, easy ways to become aware and start to shift things in real-time.
Did Not Finish
August 10, 2026Just not a self help girlie
September 25, 2026
The author's life aside, this book echoes much of what seems to work in practice, in my limited experience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
February 24, 2026
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!
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!
February 17, 2026
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.
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.
July 1, 2026
Nothing really new or groundbreaking. All stuff I've read in other books about CEN.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews