Parts work
Parts work is a therapeutic lens that views the mind as made up of different “parts” or subpersonalities, each representing distinct feelings, roles, or memories. Each of these parts has unique needs, wants, and beliefs and may be consciously or unconsciously helping or harming us as we move through our days encountering different situations, triggers, and scenarios.
This therapeutic approach helps individuals explore, understand, and heal these parts, often focusing on wounded or traumatized aspects of the self, or order to integrate them and create inner harmony.
KEY Concepts
In Parts Work, it’s believed that our psyche isn’t a single, unified entity. Instead, it's made up of distinct parts that represent different aspects of ourselves. These include:
Exiles: These are parts that carry painful memories, emotions, or traumas, often pushed away or "exiled" because they are too overwhelming to face.
Managers: These parts try to keep the system in control and prevent painful feelings or exiled parts from surfacing, often through perfectionism or overworking.
Firefighters: These parts act when the exiles break through, using reactive or impulsive strategies (e.g., substance abuse, self-harm) to suppress the pain.
Through parts work, clients connect with their core "Self" to heal and integrate these parts, fostering self-compassion, emotional regulation, and trauma recovery.
Who is it for?
Parts work is beneficial for individuals dealing with:
Parts work offers a way to bring unity to the different aspects of a person’s psyche, fostering greater self-understanding and emotional balance.
