Parts of us

Using Parts Work in Therapy: Helping Children and Adults Heal from the Inside Out

When we experience overwhelming events—especially in childhood—our minds do something incredibly adaptive: they protect us. Sometimes that protection looks like creating different “parts” inside us, each holding a feeling, a role, or a memory. Parts work is a gentle therapeutic approach that helps us understand these inner experiences with compassion, rather than fear or shame.

What Is Parts Work?

Parts work recognises that every person has multiple internal “parts,” each with its own emotions, needs, and perspectives. These parts aren’t signs of dysfunction—they’re survival strategies formed during moments when we needed support, safety, or protection.

In therapy, parts work helps clients:

• Identify the different parts of themselves (for example, the scared part, the angry part, the protector, the playful part)

• Understand why each part developed

• Build internal communication and cooperation

• Move toward a more grounded, integrated sense of self

It’s a powerful process for anyone, but especially for children and adults affected by trauma, change, or disrupted family relationships.

Why Parts Work Helps

Parts form because something mattered. A child who wasn’t safe may create a protector part who stays hyper-alert. A young person who felt criticised may develop a perfectionist part who tries to keep them from being hurt again. When these parts get stuck in survival mode, they can cause behaviours that seem confusing from the outside.

Parts work allows us to:

• Bring curiosity instead of judgment

• Reduce shame around emotional reactions

• Understand the function behind the behaviour

• Gently heal the unmet needs that the part is carrying

• Help the nervous system feel more regulated and safer

For children in particular, this approach can be transformational. They naturally think in stories and characters, so parts work gives them a simple and safe language to explore complex feelings.

What Does Parts Work Look Like in a Session?

A parts-informed session might include:

• Using drawing or play to show what different parts look like

• Helping the child or adult name their feelings as “parts” rather than the whole self

• Exploring what each part is trying to protect

• Supporting the client to develop a calm, compassionate “core self” they can return to

• Using EMDR, storytelling, or somatic tools to help those parts release trauma that’s stuck

It’s not about getting rid of any part. It’s about helping each part feel safe, supported, and updated so it no longer has to operate from old, painful experiences.

How Parts Work Supports Trauma Processing

When trauma happens, parts often get frozen in time—holding the overwhelm, fear, or confusion of that moment. Parts work, especially when paired with EMDR or Life Story work, helps clients process those memories while also helping the younger parts feel seen and cared for.

This creates:

• Greater emotional regulation

• More confidence and self-understanding

• Reduced triggers and reactivity

• A stronger sense of identity and personal narrative

Why I Use Parts Work in My Practice

Parts work creates a safe, respectful way to explore trauma. Children and adults don’t feel like something is “wrong” with them—they understand that their behaviours had a purpose. With support, those inner parts can finally rest.

In my practice, I use parts work alongside EMDR, child-centred approaches, and Life Story therapy to help clients integrate their past, feel more grounded in the present, and move forward with clarity and connection.