Internal Systems
Parts Work Therapy for Trauma
We all contain parts, the inner critic, the people-pleaser, the one who shuts down. Parts work helps you meet each with curiosity instead of conflict.
At times, it can feel as though different parts of you are pulling in different directions. One part may want to move forward while another feels stuck. One part longs for connection while another feels the need to withdraw. Perhaps one part carries anger while another holds shame, or one part hopes for change while another fears what change might bring. These internal conflicts are often understandable responses to difficult life experiences rather than signs that something is wrong with you.
Through parts-oriented therapy, we’ll work to understand these different aspects of your experience with curiosity and compassion, recognizing the role each has played in helping you adapt and survive. As your Adult Self becomes more grounded and able to understand these experiences, many people find greater cooperation among their different parts, less internal conflict, and a growing sense of integration. The goal isn’t to get rid of parts of yourself—it’s to help them work together so you can move through life with greater clarity, flexibility, and self-trust.
Who this helps
You might recognize yourself here.
- Internal conflict and feeling “at war” with yourself
- A harsh inner critic or relentless perfectionism
- Protective patterns rooted in trauma
- Trauma-related dissociation and disconnection
- Shame and parts that carry old pain
Meeting your protectors
The inner critic, the perfectionist, the part that numbs out or lashes out, these are protectors. They formed for good reasons, often long ago. When we approach them with understanding rather than trying to silence them, they can begin to relax and trust that they no longer have to work so hard.
Underneath the protectors are often younger, more vulnerable parts still carrying the pain, fear, or shame of what happened. Parts work lets us reach them safely, so they can finally unburden.
Why this heals
When your parts stop fighting each other and start trusting your core self, internal conflict eases. You feel more whole, more grounded, and more able to lead your own life, with all of your parts on the same team.
Common questions
Parts Work, answered.
Is parts work the same as Internal Family Systems (IFS)?+
Parts work is an umbrella that includes IFS and other approaches. My work is IFS-informed and integrates structural understandings of trauma and dissociation. The shared idea: your mind is made of parts, and healing comes from relating to them with compassion.
Does having “parts” mean something is seriously wrong with me?+
Not at all. Having parts is universal and healthy, it’s how minds are organized. Trauma simply pushes some parts into more extreme roles. The goal isn’t to get rid of any part, but to help them all feel safe and work together.
Related ways to work together
A gentle first step
Begin exactly where you are.
You don’t need to have the words figured out. A first conversation is simply a place to start, no pressure, no commitment.