inner child dolls

Maria Adriana Contreras

A Hove resident is making 'inner child' dolls to support sufferers of anxiety ahead of World Mental Health Day (10 October). In Psychology, the term ‘inner child' refers to the child we once were - and if that child experiences great trauma, this part becomes compromised and affects adulthood. Maria Adriana Contreras, 46, exclusively revealed to The Brighton Argus that her father was one of Chile's disappeared victims (published 5 September 2020 read article here). Now, she has spoken out about the lifelong impact of her loss on her 'inner child'. 

She said: “When my depression was at its worst, I asked myself: 'What can I do about this?' and an answer came from a very young part of me: ‘I want a doll’. So I made myself a little cloth doll and it was the most comforting thing I’ve ever done. The need for self-comforting tools is greater than ever in the context of the pandemic."

The dolls are handmade from cotton calico fabric and faces drawn by hand by Maria. They can be personalised to look like you or a loved one and a special piece of fabric can be used for the clothing. Order yours at the web shop here.

​Maria Adriana Contreras began Maria's Doll School in 2014. 

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