What Is Parts Work Therapy?
Have you ever said something and immediately thought, why did I just say that?
Or reacted in a way that didn’t feel like you, only to realise after, I didn’t actually want to act like that?
These moments can feel confusing, like you’ve gone against yourself or lost control. But from a parts work perspective, this isn’t a flaw, it’s a glimpse into your inner world. This conflict with various aspects of ourselves is the reality of having an inner world made up of many different parts.
Parts work therapy understands the psyche not as one fixed self, but as made up of different parts, each with their own beliefs, emotions, and protective roles. At times, certain parts can take over, especially when something feels triggering or dysregulating, leading you to act in ways that don’t always align with how you consciously want to show up. Rather than seeing this as ‘self-sabotage’, parts work offers a more compassionate understanding: different parts of you are trying to help, even if their strategies don’t always feel supportive now (Schwartz & Sweezy, 2020).
Where Parts Work in Therapy Comes From
The most well-known model is Internal Family Systems, or IFS, developed by psychotherapist Richard Schwartz in the 1980s. Schwartz noticed that his clients naturally described their inner experiences in parts language, "part of me wants to move forward, but another part is terrified", and found that working with those parts directly was profoundly effective (Schwartz, 1995). Voice Dialogue, ego state therapy, and Gestalt approaches all hold a similar understanding: that we are not a single, fixed self, but are made of many parts.
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy also works with parts, though often in a more implicit way, by using mindfulness and body awareness to gently access and study the different aspects of experience as they arise. Rather than labelling parts directly, Hakomi supports a curious, experiential exploration of the beliefs, emotions, and patterns held within them.
No Bad Parts
One of the most grounding principles in parts work in therapy is that there are no bad parts. Every part, no matter how confusing or disruptive its behaviour may seem, developed for a reason (Schwartz & Sweezy, 2020). Rather than seeing these patterns as problems, we begin to understand them as adaptive responses to experiences that once felt overwhelming.
In this model, parts are often understood as either exiles or protectors.
Exiles are the more tender, vulnerable parts that carry past pain, shame, or grief. These parts are often formed in earlier experiences and pushed out of awareness because what they hold (unprocessed emotions & unresolved trauma) feel too much to stay connected to.
Protectors organise around keeping these exiled parts hidden and the system functioning. Some protectors, known as manager parts, work proactively to maintain control and prevent those deeper feelings from being activated. This can look like the inner critic, perfectionism, or people-pleasing, all working to keep things together, to keep a sense of control and to avoid vulnerability.
Other protectors, known as firefighter parts (soothers), are more reactive. When something triggers the underlying pain of an exile, these parts step in quickly to soothe or numb what feels overwhelming. This might show up as shutting down, distracting, overworking, or reaching for anything (like substances, food) that helps you not feel what’s happening underneath.
From a parts work lens, none of these parts of you are the problem. Each one developed for a reason, often to help you survive and stay safe in moments where you didn’t feel safe. Even if their strategies feel unhelpful now, they are still operating from that same protective intention. These parts haven’t yet been updated that your circumstances may be different now, so they continue to respond as though the same level of protection is still needed.
The Role of Self
A distinctive feature of Internal Family Systems is the concept of Self , which is not another part, but the calm, curious, compassionate presence at the centre of who you are. Self is always there; it just needs space and felt safety to access. As we build a relationship with our parts, helping them feel seen rather than suppressed, our Self naturally begins to lead. And from that place, healing happens differently (Schwartz, 1995).
What Parts Work Therapy Actually Looks Like
Parts work therapy is relational and experiential and deeply non-pathologising. Rather than analysing or judging yourself, this work is about gently turning towards the inner parts of you that have been trying to help you navigate life. In session, we’re not asking “what’s wrong with me?” but instead getting curious about how your parts show up, especially in moments where you feel stuck, resistant, in conflict, or disconnected from yourself. These moments are often where parts are most active and trying to get your attention.
We bring in body (somatic) awareness to connect with the felt sense of a part, because parts don’t just live in the mind, they are experienced through the body. This might look like noticing a tightness in the chest, heaviness in the shoulders, or an urge to withdraw. Rather than pushing this away, we slow things down and gently stay with what is arising.
From here, we begin building a relationship with our part/s, getting to know why it’s here, what it’s trying to do for you, and what it might be afraid would happen if it didn’t do that job for you. This process allows deeper layers, such as underlying emotions, memories, and beliefs, to emerge to be seen & support in a way that feels safe to you. This is where the work becomes transformative, not through fixing or forcing change, but through understanding, connection, and creating space for something new to unfold.
Who Can Benefit From Parts Work Therapy?
Parts work therapy suits almost anyone doing inner work, and can be especially meaningful for people navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, low self-worth, or grief.
Parts work is equally valuable for anyone simply wanting a deeper understanding of themselves and the quiet motivations behind the choices they make and what makes up who they are.
Parts Work Therapy at Temenos Psychotherapy
At Temenos Psychotherapy, parts work therapy is woven through everything I do and is held within an approach that tends to the mental, emotional, somatic, and relational dimensions of who you are. If something in this article stirred a quiet curiosity, that is enough of a reason to reach out. You can find out more and enquire about working together at https://www.temenospsychotherapy.com.au.
Hello! I am Sophia.
I am an Adelaide PACFA Registered Psychotherapist and Counsellor. Temenos Psychotherapy is my private psychotherapy and counselling practice in Walkerville, Adelaide, South Australia. Over the past 9 years, I have supported the social and emotional wellbeing of 100s of children, young people and adults. I am deeply passionate in providing a holistic and non-pathologising approach to therapy. Truly all of you is welcome here.
References:
IFS Institute. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://ifs-institute.com
IFS Institute. (n.d.). Internal family systems model outline. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/internal-family-systems-model-outline
Gestalt Therapy Australia. (n.d.). What is gestalt, and how is it different from other approaches? Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://www.gestalttherapyaustralia.com.au/our-program/what-is-gestalt-and-how-is-it-different-from-other-approaches
Schwartz, R. C. (1995). Internal family systems therapy. Guilford Press.
Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2020). Internal family systems therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Niedra, A. (n.d.). What is voice dialogue? Voice Dialogue International. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://www.voicedialogue.com/what-is-voice-dialogue/
Watkins, H. H. (1993). Ego-state therapy: An overview. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 35(4), 232–240. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1993.10403014
