Parts work therapy seeks to incorporate the splintered parts of the self, parts which occur because of trauma, disrupted personal development or developmental psychology.
Parts work therapy, also known as parts therapy or inner child work, is a therapeutic approach that focuses on understanding and healing the different “parts” or sub-personalities that exist within an individual. It is based on the idea that our personalities are not monolithic but rather comprised of various internal parts, each with its own thoughts, feelings, motivations, and even memories.
These parts can develop from different life experiences, especially during childhood, and they can sometimes conflict with each other, leading to internal struggles, emotional distress, and maladaptive behaviors. Parts work therapy aims to identify, understand, and harmonize these different parts to promote healing and integration.
Key Concepts in Parts Work Therapy:
- The Self: Parts work recognizes a core “Self” that is distinct from the various parts. The Self is often described as the true essence of a person, characterized by qualities like compassion, curiosity, and acceptance.
- Parts: These are the sub-personalities within an individual, each with its own unique perspective and function. Parts can be protective, wounded, or even destructive.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): One of the most well-known models of parts work therapy, IFS views the internal system as an “internal family” with different members playing various roles.
- Exiles, Managers, and Firefighters: IFS often categorizes parts into these roles:
- Exiles: These are wounded parts that carry the pain of past trauma or difficult experiences.
- Managers: These parts try to protect the individual from pain by controlling emotions or situations.
- Firefighters: These parts react strongly to emotional distress, often through impulsive or destructive behaviors.
Techniques Used in Parts Work Therapy:
- Dialogue with Parts: The therapist facilitates communication between the Self and the different parts, often through visualization, role-playing, or direct dialogue.
- Unburdening Exiles: Helping exiled parts release the pain and trauma they hold.
- Re-Parenting: Providing the wounded parts with the love, support, and validation they may have lacked in childhood.
- Negotiation and Integration: Helping the different parts work together harmoniously and integrate into a cohesive sense of self.
What Parts Work Therapy Can Help With:
Parts work therapy can be beneficial for a wide range of issues, including:
- Trauma: Healing the effects of childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect.
- Anxiety and Depression: Addressing the underlying emotional conflicts and beliefs that contribute to these conditions.
- Relationship Issues: Understanding and changing patterns of relating that stem from wounded parts.
- Addiction: Working with parts that drive addictive behaviors.
- Self-Esteem and Identity Issues: Developing a more integrated and positive sense of self.
Benefits of Parts Work Therapy:
- Increased Self-Awareness: Provides a deeper understanding of one’s internal world and the different parts that influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Emotional Healing: Helps individuals process and release painful emotions and experiences stored in exiled parts.
- Improved Self-Regulation: Develops skills to manage emotions and reactions more effectively.
- Greater Self-Acceptance: Fosters compassion and acceptance for all parts of oneself, even the wounded or challenging ones.
- Enhanced Relationships: Improves the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships by understanding and addressing internal conflicts that may be impacting interactions with others
Parts work within psychoanalysis
In psychoanalysis it is common to work with the client through different parts of their lives, looking for how the client may have been splintered into different parts. The objective is to open a conversation, understanding and eventually combination and healing between the different parts.
Parts work in Analytical Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapists trained in analytic, regression and inner child hypnosis often use parts work and seek to return to different stages / parts and open the conversation in an altered / relaxed state. This might be a full formal trance, or just a light relaxed and focused state (as in informal or conversational hypnosis). In conversational hypnosis the process will often weave in and out of psychoanalysis – hypnoanalysis without obvious pause or boundary.
Parts Work for Trauma, Disassociation and Developmental issues
The classic reasons for using parts work is to have a healing effect on trauma, complex PTSD trauma, dysfunctional development, post abuse survival healing and other life stories where there have been significant patterns or events that have left a mark or imprint on the now. In that sense it is very similar, and indeed has a lot of overlap with Gestalt therapy.
Who provides Parts work Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Hypnotherapy
Stuart is a CNHC registered clinical hypnotherapist (a PSA AR and voluntary regulator for CAMS) specialising in analytical hypnotherapy. Stuart is also a NACHP accredited psychotherapist and psychoanalyst. Stuart is multimodal and is also a registered practitioner in mindfulness, counselling, NLP, life coaching and a range of other therapies. Stuart has been trained in multiple parts work modals including Internal Family Systems. For more information see the competencies page.
Stuart specialises in addressing clinical issues with therapy programmes built around NICE recommended and research evidenced core methods. PTSD, trauma and Complex PTSD are specialist areas Stuart focuses on. Sub areas include domestic violence, childhood trauma, psychological abuse, gas lighting, LGBT+ related trauma.

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