All About Parts Work Therapy for Trauma
By: Jordan Kurtz, MA, LPCC, Denver Trauma Therapist
No matter our familiarity with therapy, we have likely heard phrases like “inner child” or “younger self” in the mix of the self-help world. Perhaps we already have introspective practices in place that create dialogue with past versions of ourselves, like New Year’s reflections.
This article is here to shed light on what Parts Work is within a therapy context, debunk myths about how it operates, and illuminate its role in healing trauma.
Be sure to explore the other parts of our ‘parts work therapy’ series:
Part One: What is Parts Work in Therapy and How Can it Help Me
Part Three: How Parts Work Therapy Helps People with Anxiety
Full disclosure: before I became a trauma therapist, I had skepticism about Parts Work! Now it is fully embedded in my work with all clients, regardless of their presenting concern. Hopefully this baseline introduction will help move you through the doubt or confusion that once stood in my way of embracing its potential for empowerment and self-compassion.
An Overview of Parts Work Therapy
Parts Work is an umbrella term for an approach to healing that:
Recognizes self-perception is fluid: our self-concept and worldviews can shift depending on our mood, physical environment, physiological wellbeing, social influences, and the onset of trauma
Recognizes the “self” is multidimensional: there are infinitesimal ways we perceive and characterize ourselves. Most often, we identify through our roles (i.e. sister, wife, brother, husband, daughter, son, grandparent, professional title, etc), our belief systems and identities ( i.e. I am atheist, cisgender, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, Republican, Democratic, etc) or stamps of time (i.e. younger me, my childhood self, me as a teenager, me prior to college, etc)
The degree to which we embrace or reject/shame/criticize certain parts of ourselves plays a role in our wellbeing: assigning total significance, truth, or meaning to parts of ourselves that are unkind, guilt-inducing, or harbor lots of pain can create a sense of disconnect from ourselves and within our relationships.
Parts work therapy is helpful for people experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, or struggles with forming close relationships. When we’ve been through difficult circumstances in life, it can feel like different parts of us are all over the place, each with its own feelings and ways of coping. This can be very disruptive and cause us to feel disconnected from ourselves and others. Parts work therapy helps us make sense of these different parts, the roles they play, and bring them together, ultimately helping us move through past hurts and experience healing. Trauma therapy in Denver, CO with an emphasis on parts work therapy can be a safe container to do this work.
How does parts work therapy for trauma work?
Attuning to self-dialogue, emotions, and body sensations that arise in response to triggers
This helps bring awareness to the conflicting, co-existing, or confusing reactions we hold with certain stimuli. When patterns of response emerge, we begin to understand these as parts.
Understanding the motives, origins needs, and functions of each part
Parts exist for many reasons, and often times they are modeled to us by others or develop as a form of protection. Understanding where parts came from and why parts are present – even if we don’t like them- creates room for more validation and self-acceptance or neutrality.
Learning to move aside, nurture, and tend to certain parts
Once we become familiar with our parts and their needs we can engage with them in different ways. With understanding of why they arise and what they desire, we can create different self-talk and self-regulate in ways that are more adaptive. We also have the power to identify harmful or critical parts and recognize them without granting them power or control.
Who is parts work therapy a good fit for?
Teens, adults, and couples.
Individuals grappling with trauma.
Those experiencing persistent anxiety and/or depression.
Individuals facing challenges in forming secure attachments.
People navigating inner conflicts and competing emotions.
Individuals seeking personal growth and self-discovery.
Clients open to introspection and inner exploration.
What can parts work therapy help with?
Trauma
Anxiety (learn more about parts work therapy for anxiety)
Depression
Attachment Healing/Building Healthy Relationships
Identity Formation
Body Image and Self Esteem
OCD
Dissociation
More on Parts Work Therapy for Trauma
Trauma brain tells us the past is our present, we are our shame or pain, and that things will always remain the same. Parts work affords us the space to connect with who we are and always have been prior to the disruptive force of trauma, as well as a future self that holds more hope, trust, confidence, and freedom from guilt. Parts work always promotes compassion, permission for coexisting emotions, as well as autonomy, which trauma robs us of because it creates black and white thinking and/or operation in survival mode.
Through parts work therapy, we first experience reprieve from fight or flight, and in later stages of healing, access warmth and connection with the self who endured the trauma, the present self embodying resilience by moving through day to day, and the future self who recognizes self-worth, deservingness, and safety.
Common Questions About Parts Work Therapy
Working with my “younger self” sounds cheesy, painful, or non-sensical. Is that all Parts Work is?
No! The essence of parts work is in its title: parts. There are many different ways we conceptualize ourselves, including but not limited to: “old me versus new me”, “me before my trauma/marriage/divorce/children/career/etc and me after …”, “younger self and current self”, “older, wiser self and past self”, “compassionate self versus critical self”, “my lawyer brain versus my husband brain”, “my mom brain versus my sister brain”, and “my confident self versus my anxious self”. Parts work therapy allows us the opportunity to identify the many roles and identities we belong to and how they complement or conflict with our past and present experiences. If connecting with younger you does not make sense emotionally or logically, your therapist will uncover with you different parts that feel more authentic.
Is Parts Work Therapy the same as “reparenting” or “inner-child” work?
These are components or iterations of Parts Work that therapists often utilize. “Reparenting” and “inner child work” encompass interventions and exercises that help clients offer their younger selves affection, directives, structure, affirmations or needs that were not met by their early caregivers. This can be done through visualizations, journal prompts, pretend dialogue, and more.
Is Parts Work the only type of therapy that the Denver trauma therapists at CZTG use?
At CZTG, our trauma therapists use a variety of trauma-informed modalities for trauma therapy in Denver, CO, and parts work is just one branch. If you do not resonate with parts work, your trauma therapist has several other tools and lenses they can bring to your space to make you feel seen, safe, and understood.
Parts Work-Focused Trauma Therapy in Denver, CO.
If you’re hoping to explore parts work therapy for trauma or other mental health concerns, a Denver trauma therapist on our team would love to support you! Follow these three steps to get started:
1. Schedule a free 20-minute consult call to see if Denver therapy at CZTG is right for you.
2. Connect with the Denver trauma therapist of your choice via a phone consult.
3. Begin your path towards healing!
Meet The Writer: Jordan Kurtz, Trauma Therapist in Denver, CO.
Jordan Kurtz (she/her) is a Denver trauma therapist, couples counselor, and staff writer at CZTG. Jordan focuses on therapy for trauma, grief, adolescence, and relationships. Her approach is authentic, warm, and affirming, which she interweaves throughout her use of advanced evidence-based modalities, including EMDR therapy in Denver, CO, Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT), and somatic therapy. She provides EMDR and general trauma therapy in Denver, CO and virtually throughout the state of Colorado. If you’d like to work with Jordan, feel free to reach out to schedule a consultation call.