Eve Ensler gave a talk at the TED conference in 2009 about embracing one’s inner girl, which she has written a book about. One of my amazing patients recently brought it to my attention. I have always known about and respected Eve Ensler so it was fun to see what her latest work has been about. In the book she suggests that men and women alike reject what it means to be a girl-vulnerable, emotional, curious, passionate and often to take things personally. Ensler believes that it is the silencing of one’s inner girl that has caused so much devastation both locally and globally.
I would have to agree that by not embracing one’s emotional life and vulnerability, it can certainly cause a lot of damage. I personally was taught to be tough and carry on and though it has served me well in many ways, it takes years to undo that kind of training. As a therapist I can see the freedom of movement that happens in relationships when one feels safe to express what they truly feel. I can conversely see the pain and damage that results when one feels shut down and shut out by another person. I believe in Eve Ensler’s efforts for all of us to embrace “our inner girl”.