Ego State Therapy/Parts Work
No One is One-Dimensional
Every human being, whether they realize it or not, speaks in "parts language." For example, in the morning, one part of you wants to get up and start the day while another part wants to stay in bed. A part of you may want to go out with friends in the evening while another part wants to curl up on the couch and binge-watch Netflix. To say that we are one-dimensional as humans is to miss a HUGE part of who we are. We are all multidimensional with many different thoughts, emotions, and ways of being.
Bridging The Gap
Ego State Therapy helps bridge the gap between our healthy selves and the parts of self that may be stuck in "trauma time" and have, subsequently developed maladaptive behaviors to cope and remain safe. A good example of this is when someone develops an angry part to serve as a protective mechanism, perhaps to keep people from getting too close or because they feel safer when things are chaotic. They might sabotage a situation or pick a fight due to a childhood spent in an angry environment and angry eruptions are all they know—what is familiar feels safe—even if it's dysfunctional. With Ego State Therapy, we reorient those traumatized parts to present day and give them new roles that are healthier and more adaptive.