Parts Work & Somatic Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Healing Trauma & Self-Integration
“Parts work” is a powerful therapeutic approach that can be used to invite integration and wholeness of the multifaceted aspects of being human. Parts work weaves itself into a variety of therapeutic modalities, perhaps one of the most common being that of the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) founded by Richard Schwartz. You may also find parts work facilitated in others such as Gestalt, Hakomi, archetypal work, art therapy, spiritual traditions and more.
Parts work is the recognition that there are many aspects of the self that exist - each with its own “personality” holding perspectives, emotion and needs. Parts work is a process-oriented modality that finds healing in the practice of getting to know and understand the parts that have been rejected, suppressed or disavowed. Through working with one’s parts, we strengthen the ability to hold spacious awareness for tensions within, skillfully navigate the complexity of the human experience and reclaim forgotten aspects of the self.
Somatics is an intentional process of change that honors the importance of the body as an essential site of transformation. The word “Soma” comes from the Greek root meaning “the living organism in its wholeness,” and often holds a connotation of related to or involving the body as an active participant in healing. Somatic therapy and parts work both complement each other and both acknowledge that healing happens through integration (including that of mind-body-spirit). Often in somatic oriented parts work, we use the body as a path to understanding parts (for example, noticing felt sense, holding patterns, or listening to the language of the body can all be an avenue for connecting with a part of oneself.) We also work with to resource the nervous system and bolster self-regulation, in doing so widening one’s window of tolerance to hold complexity and or discomfort. Because parts work involves trauma resolution and building the capacity to skillfully navigate the tensions that exist within us, working with the nervous system regulation is a key ally in the process.
What are the “Parts” in Parts Work?
Parts vary from individual to individual. Some are protectors, that keep us safe from emotional pain, others acts like firefighters responding to states of emergency when one is out of their emotional window of tolerance or in a stress response. One might have wounded or exiled parts that often related to one’s inner child or unresolved trauma; these parts hold deep emotional wounding and are often hidden to protect oneself from (re)experiencing pain. Other parts may relate to social conditioning, personal beliefs and values, while others may be shaped by societal or cultural influences. We also have parts that are wise, creative, intuitive and hold the capacity of growth and healing.
You can dive deeper into the most common parts here.
How Parts Work Can Help You Heal
1. Improves self understanding
Parts work expands self-awareness and helps one understand the inner landscape of the psyche. This means getting to know the wants, needs and fears of each part. In doing so we not only better understand the self, but build skills to effectively communicate with those around us and heal relational wounding.
2. Facilitates Trauma Healing
Often trauma leaves one in a state of fragmentation, holding wounded parts that are stuck in survival or protection patterning. By learning how to care for and tend to our wounded parts alongside somatic self-regulation practices, parts work can help us find integration and heal trauma.
3. Liberates oneself from draining patterns
When we break out of the old survival patterning or limited beliefs that keep one stuck in the same cycle, we free ourselves from feeling drained or constantly resisting the thing that will persist. We can think of this like an energetic snowball effect: when we free ourselves from what drains us, we have greater capacity to step into the life we want to live.
3. Increases self-compassion & equanimity
The process of getting to know each part can lead to perspective shifts in self-judgement and understanding of parts explored. In doing so, one has a greater capacity for acceptance and self-love.
4. Reduces internal conflict
Inner conflict tends to reveal the parts of our life in which we feel stuck. Through understanding and developing compassion for each part, we are able to better navigate the polarities that exist within us. We can learn how to encourage collaboration and cooperation of parts rather than suppressing or avoiding the parts that bring up discomfort.
5. Strengthens connection to inner wisdom and the core Self
In the IFS model of parts work, the core self is the wise and compassionate essence of who you are. It is calm, curious, confident and can bear witness to all parts of the self with nonjudgement and love. When we connect with the core self, we reduce reactive patterning and strengthen innate resilience.
These are just a few of the benefits of working with parts in any therapeutic process. Below you will find resources to dive deeper.
Resources
If you are interested in diving deeper into parts work, here are a few resources you might explore:
Reads
No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Dr. Richard
The Internal Family Systems Model Outline via IFS Institute
Meditations