Healing: Parts Work
I am an eclectic therapist, meaning I use a variety of techniques in my work with clients, but one theory I really enjoy is “parts” work otherwise known as Internal Family Systems (IFS). IFS is a theory developed by Richard Schwartz in the 1980s. Schwartz’s model relies on the principle of a system or many systems that work together. To understand the idea of systems theory let us use the metaphor of cogs in a wheel. Each cog, no matter how small, is critical to the operation of the wheel turning. When we broaden that to an individual, each cog or part of the larger Self is an important unit in the overall operation of the Self. IFS states that as individuals we have many “parts” of Self that have all been created to operate as an overall system. Sometimes that system runs like a well-oiled machine and other times it’s clear the system needs a tune-up.
When we work to identify parts, it allows my clients to work on elements of themselves rather than being overwhelmed by the larger whole. In IFS it is encouraged to gently hold all the parts with the understanding that all parts were created in order to serve the overall Self. There are no “bad” parts. If we can come to the exploration of our parts with curiosity and compassion, we will be able to heal the parts that are acting out in unhealthy ways.
There is no greater example of parts work than the Pixar movie “Inside Out” which featured the characters Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear. This movie follows the story of Riley an 11-year-old Midwesterner who has to move to San Francisco with her parents. We get to witness the control booth in Riley’s mind, as well as the one in Mom’s and Dad’s, to see how they navigate through this tough transition for Riley. The culmination of the plot line and IFS theory is the parts learn how to work together, really understanding the benefits of each part and how important it is for them to work in unison.
While the movie depicts the parts as individual emotions, IFS looks at the parts as emotional states not just emotions. So rather than looking at fear and sadness, we look at the expression of these emotions, perhaps avoidance or numbing out.
PARTS EXERCISE:
I’m going to run through an example of Parts work utilizing the emotional expression of numbing out and then encourage you to identify one of your parts that is creating havoc in your system. A client and I identify they spend hours binge-watching shows and scrolling social media which in turn creates procrastination of things they need to do and sometimes results in failure to do assigned tasks altogether. Rather than beating themselves up for the procrastination, I encourage the client to look at the act of “numbing out.” How does it serve them? Why was “numbing out” created? Is there something we need to understand about its presence? It’s even better if we can name “numbing out” and create a character to identify this part.
For this example let me introduce you to the explored version of Ned, the numbed-out small elephant that enjoys moving slowly, being calm, and has some fear about growing up and being responsible for its own actions. For this client, Ned was created in his childhood as a way to avoid the chaos in his family system. This part of self shows up during times of overwhelm and self-doubt. Ned is comforting but also creates avoidance which isn’t helpful. The client and I work with Ned when he shows up to thank him for being there to offer his service, but also ask Ned to not run the console for hours maybe only 20 minutes as a break.
Similarly, I want you to describe, picture, name, and maybe even draw one of your parts that is not currently as helpful as you would like. You can describe these parts of Self like cartoon characters or fantasy players. Do they have superpowers or vulnerabilities? When do they show up the most? What do they consider the most important in their “work”? Examples of parts are people-pleasing, perfectionism, eating disorders, addictions, shyness, angry outbursts, and over-analyzation to name a few. Once identified and flushed out, see if you can move toward kindness, compassion, and integration of this part in a way that is healthier to the overall Self.
Parts work and IFS are beautiful theories that allow us to move our wounded parts of self into more integration.