Parts Work or Ego State Therapy

What is Parts Work or Ego State Therapy?

Parts work or Ego State Therapy is a compassionate therapeutic approach that helps clients explore, understand, and heal the different “parts” or “states” within themselves. Each of these parts develops over time, often as a natural way of coping with experiences, managing emotions, or protecting us from pain. Some parts may carry memories, emotions, or beliefs from earlier life experiences that continue to influence how we feel and respond in the present.
By identifying and getting to know these parts for example, understanding when and why they developed, and what role they have played in our lives, we can build deeper self-awareness and compassion.

Sometimes, especially in complex trauma, these parts can become fragmented or disconnected from one another, leading to inner conflict, confusion, or emotional distress. Through Ego State Therapy, we gently work to help these parts communicate and cooperate more effectively, fostering a sense of internal harmony and integration.

The ultimate aim is to help the self feel more whole, balanced, and in control — with all parts working together toward healing and wellbeing.

How I might use Ego State Therapy

I use the Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (DNMS), a compassionate, parts-based approach designed to help heal unmet emotional needs from childhood. DNMS focuses on identifying and nurturing wounded parts with the care, safety, and validation they needed but may not have received at the time. This gentle process helps to meet those early needs in the present, allowing for emotional repair and strengthening the healthy adult self. Over time, clients often feel more grounded, resilient, and connected to their inner resources.

My work is also IFS-informed, drawing from the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. IFS views the mind as made up of multiple inner parts, each with its own emotions, beliefs, and motivations. This approach supports clients in getting to know their internal world with curiosity, respect, and compassion rather than judgment. By connecting with the Self - the calm, wise, and centered aspect of who we are - clients can help their parts feel understood and supported, allowing for deeper healing and integration.

In sessions, these approaches are woven together in a way that feels safe and paced to your needs. The aim is to create a sense of cooperation among your parts, helping you build greater inner harmony, self-compassion, and emotional stability. Through this process, clients often find that the parts of them which once felt in conflict begin to work together with understanding and balance.

Combining Parts work with EMDR

Parts work or Ego State Therapy is often combined with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to support trauma healing in a safe and balanced way. EMDR helps the brain naturally process distressing memories, reducing their emotional intensity and the impact they have on daily life. Parts work therapy complements this process by ensuring that all inner parts feel safe, respected, and ready to engage in healing.

By using Parts work alongside EMDR, we can gently prepare the system before trauma processing begins, helping to stabilise emotions and build inner resources. This makes it possible to work with even deeply rooted or complex trauma without becoming overwhelmed.

When combined, both approaches form a powerful, integrative framework for healing. Together they support clients in safely accessing and processing memories, understanding inner conflicts, and fostering connection and compassion between parts. The result is greater self-awareness, emotional stability, and an increased sense of internal harmony.