💬 What is it?
Parts Work is a therapeutic and self-awareness framework based on the idea that our mind is made up of distinct “parts” — inner voices, roles, or sub-personalities — each with its own needs, emotions, and beliefs. These parts form an internal system, and healing happens when we understand and harmonise their roles, rather than reject or silence them.
This practice is best known through models like:
Internal Family Systems (IFS) by Richard Schwartz
Ego-State Therapy
Inner Dialogue or Voice Dialogue models
And overlaps with Inner Child Work, Shadow Work, and Jungian Archetypes
Rather than seeing emotions like anger, fear, or perfectionism as problems, Parts Work helps us see them as protectors — often young or wounded parts of ourselves trying to keep us safe.
At its heart, Parts Work is a journey of inner compassion, integration, and wholeness.

🧠 How does it work?
In everyday life, we often say things like:
“Part of me wants to do this, but part of me is terrified.”
“There’s a side of me that always sabotages things.”
“I know better, but I keep doing it anyway.”
These “parts” are more than metaphors — they represent inner systems that can carry trauma, beliefs, roles, or unprocessed emotions from our past. Some parts may be loud and reactive (like a critical inner voice), while others are hidden or suppressed (like grief, shame, or playfulness).
Parts Work gives us a map to explore these dynamics. The process involves:
Identifying and acknowledging different parts
Understanding their roles, fears, or burdens
Developing a relationship with them
Inviting a wise, calm, grounded “Self” (sometimes called the Core Self) to lead
When these parts are seen, heard, and unburdened, inner harmony becomes possible — and behaviours that once felt confusing or self-sabotaging begin to soften and shift.

🧪 The Science Behind It
Parts Work aligns closely with neuroscience, trauma theory, and systems thinking.
🧠 Neural Networks & Subpersonalities:
Brain imaging and trauma research support the idea that our brains operate through multiple interconnected neural pathways, which can form distinct internal states or “modes.” These parts can become dominant under stress, especially when connected to past trauma or attachment wounds. IFS and Ego State Therapy suggest that healing involves accessing the Core Self — a state of calm, clarity, and compassion — to help regulate and re-integrate these fragmented systems.
🧬 Polyvagal Theory:
Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory supports the idea that different parts of us activate in response to perceived safety or threat. Protective parts (like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses) arise when the nervous system senses danger. Parts Work helps calm the autonomic nervous system by offering safety and connection within, allowing the brain to shift from survival mode into healing mode.
🧠 Memory & Emotion Storage:
Trauma can lead to emotional memories being stored in isolated brain circuits, disconnected from verbal reasoning or awareness (this is why some parts feel so “young” or irrational). Parts Work gently bridges that gap, using curiosity and compassion to reintegrate emotional experiences rather than suppressing or bypassing them.
🧘‍♀️ IFS has been shown in clinical studies to reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression by helping individuals develop a more compassionate inner relationship.

🌱 What is it good for?
Parts Work can help you:
Understand and heal self-sabotaging patterns
Navigate internal conflict with clarity and compassion
Explore root causes of anxiety, shame, or emotional reactivity
Heal trauma and attachment wounds
Build self-trust, confidence, and inner peace
Cultivate a wise, centered, and grounded Core Self
It’s particularly helpful for people who feel “torn,” stuck in cycles, or overwhelmed by inner critics, doubt, or fear.

🪞How to use it
Try this simple introduction to Parts Work:
Name the part
When you notice a strong emotion or pattern, ask: “What part of me is showing up right now?”
Get curious, not critical
Gently ask: “What does this part want me to know?” or “What is it protecting me from?”
Find the Core Self
Imagine a calm, compassionate part of you (even if small) witnessing this experience without judgment.
Build a relationship
Let the part know you see it, you’re listening, and you’re here to support—not fight—it.
Unburden when ready
Over time, explore what burdens this part carries (e.g., fear, shame, pressure) and offer it a new role or rest.

🧘 Try this: Reflection Prompts
What recurring emotion or behaviour feels like a “part” of me?
If I were to describe this part as a character, how would it look, sound, or act?
What does this part need — love, safety, permission, rest?
What’s one way I can show compassion toward this part today?
What might my Core Self say to this part?

🌼 Who is this helpful for?
Parts Work is especially valuable for:
People healing from trauma, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm
Anyone who feels conflicted or self-critical
Coaches, therapists, and clients exploring personal growth
Those doing Inner Child Work or Shadow Work
Individuals seeking more self-compassion, integration, and peace
People with a strong inner critic or sabotaging voice

🤝 Combine it with…
Parts Work blends well with:
Inner Child Work – for exploring young or wounded parts
Mindfulness – to slow down and witness parts without judgment
Somatic Therapies – to connect body sensations with emotional parts
Journaling Techniques – to dialogue with inner voices
Self-Compassion Theory – to reduce shame and self-judgment

📌 Final Thought
You are not too much. You are not broken.
You are a beautiful system of parts — some trying to protect you, some still healing, all worthy of love.
When you listen inward with curiosity instead of judgment, you create the space for transformation.
Because healing doesn’t mean erasing parts of you — it means embracing them. 💛

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