What Does doing “Parts Work” Really Mean?
I wanted to write a little bit about the framework of parts work because of how intrinsic it is starting to become to the work I do with my clients. You may have heard the term parts work before but are unsure what it means exactly.
To start, here is an easy example that we can all relate to. You might be having inner conflict about a decision to make, and the internal dialogue may be something like “part of me feels this way, but another part of me feels differently.” Without realizing the full picture, we often have various separate parts of our ego that chime in on a regular basis about what they think we should do next or how to respond to a particular situation. These parts may have very opposing agendas, such as the part of you that wants to relax on the couch on a Saturday afternoon vs. the part that thinks you should get outside and make the most of your day.
This is of course a very rough, simplistic way to begin to understand your parts, but going a bit deeper, think about the modes you can get into that may even feel very strong at times. According to Richard Schwartz, PhD., founder of Internal Family Systems Therapy, there are two main types of parts which both function as a way to protect the self from experiencing emotional pain: Managers and Firefighters .
An example of a manager could be a part that can become very focused on accomplishing tasks, checking off the lists and being organized. This part of you might even become very anxious when things don’t get done, or something out of your control derails your day. A firefighter part is one that comes out when extreme emotions become activated such as anger, or shame. This kind of part may show up in a way that can be even unhealthy at times such as intense rage or engaging in numbing behaviors. The function of the part is to do whatever it takes (often in an extreme mannner) to keep the self from feeling whatever painful emotions have just been activated.
Both manager and firefighter parts are protecting a younger, exiled part or Exile that has not been able to share their story of something painful they experienced. The Self may not even be aware anymore of the pain this part is holding onto.
So how does this work happen in therapy? The goal is to help you get to know all of your parts and be able to unblend from them. When we unblend and can differentiate when a part is trying to take over and get in the driver’s seat, we can teach these parts to allow the Self to operate from a grounded, clear and calmer place. "
“IFS can be seen as attachment theory taken inside, in the sense that the client’s Self becomes the good attachment figure to their insecure or avoidant parts.” - No Bad Parts, by Richard Schwartz PhD
For more, check out this meditation with Richard Schwartz on YouTube to practice getting to know your parts.
