What is “Parts Work” in Therapy?
What is “Parts Work” in Therapy?
Have you ever noticed an internal tug-of-war—like part of you wants to make a change, while another part feels afraid to let go? That inner conflict is at the heart of what therapists often refer to as Parts Work.
Parts Work is a therapeutic approach that helps you explore and heal different aspects of your internal world. These “parts” can be thought of as subpersonalities or inner voices—each with its own feelings, needs, and role in your life. Some may hold pain from the past, while others have taken on protective roles to help you survive difficult experiences.
Two of the most well-known approaches to Parts Work are Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Ego State Therapy. These modalities provide powerful frameworks for understanding yourself with more compassion and clarity—and when integrated with EMDR therapy, they can be especially effective for healing trauma.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems, developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, is a non-pathologizing, evidence-based model of psychotherapy that views the mind as made up of multiple parts, all organized around a core Self—your inner source of calm, curiosity, and compassion.
In IFS, parts are categorized into three main roles:
Exiles: Carry wounds from past trauma or emotional pain.
Managers: Try to prevent you from being hurt again by proactively managing day-to-day life and avoiding anything that could trigger exiles.
Firefighters: Act reactively to pain when exiles are triggered and seek to “put out the fire” in various ways.
IFS helps you develop a relationship with each part, understand its role, and invite healing through the compassionate presence of the Self. Rather than trying to eliminate parts, IFS honors them and helps transform their burdens and find more adaptive ways to carry out their roles and functions.
Ego State Therapy
Ego State Therapy, developed by John and Helen Watkins, is another form of Parts Work rooted in psychodynamic and clinical hypnosis traditions. It focuses on helping you access and communicate with ego states—parts of the personality that have become dissociated or fragmented, often as a result of trauma.
Some ego states may be child-like, others may be protectors or even critics. By building communication and cooperation among these states, you can integrate these parts into a more unified sense of self.
Ego State Therapy is particularly useful when working with trauma survivors, as it allows you to access deeper emotional material in a safe, structured way.
How Parts Work Can Enhance EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful trauma therapy that helps you reprocess distressing memories and reduce emotional reactivity. When combined with IFS or Ego State Therapy, EMDR becomes even more attuned to the complexity of your internal system.
Here’s how they can work together:
Identifying Protective Parts Before EMDR: Parts Work helps identify parts of you that may be fearful or resistant to trauma processing, ensuring all parts feel safe before proceeding.
Working with “Blocked” EMDR Processing: If EMDR memory reprocessing becomes stuck, integrating Parts Work can reveal which part of self may be holding back and why.
Separating Past from Present: IFS and Ego State Therapy help clients identify the present day “Self” that can nurture younger parts and bring attention to the differences between the past and the present.
Healing Dissociation and Internal Conflict: Ego State interventions can help integrate dissociated parts and prepare them for EMDR reprocessing.
This integrative approach respects the wisdom of your internal system, reduces overwhelm, and deepens the healing process—especially for those with complex trauma, C-PTSD, or long-standing emotional wounds.
Is Parts Work Right for You?
If you’ve ever felt like different “sides” of you are in conflict—or like you intellectually understand something but still feel stuck—Parts Work may help bridge those gaps. When combined with EMDR therapy, it allows you to access and heal core wounds with greater care and clarity.
Whether you're dealing with anxiety, grief, trauma, or relationship struggles, this integrated approach supports deep, lasting change by working with all parts of you—not just the surface symptoms.
Want to Learn More or Get Started?
If you’re curious about how EMDR and Parts Work could support your healing, I offer online therapy sessions for residents of Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts. Reach out for a free consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
