If the phrase "inner child" makes you want to roll your eyes so hard, you're not alone. Internet wellness culture has turned inner child work into a very earnest, slightly painful aesthetic. You picture a softly lit room, a teddy bear, someone crying about a childhood playground rejection while talking to themselves in a baby voice. It can feel sentimental, unscientific, and honestly, a bit much. But strip away the self-help jargon, and there's a real truth underneath it. You