Selves. Plural. Like the brain, the psyche is a complex entity, made up of several parts. And like the brain, these parts don’t always agree on the best course of action. Often we feel conflicted or push-pulled in multiple directions to our great distress. Conflicting parts of the psyche can add up to a mess, as in the following examples. […]

According to Internal Family Systems, our internal parts have roles. Some are managers who attempt to steer our thoughts and behavior away from perceived pain. They manage their way through it, trying to avoid trouble. Then there are firefighters. When the managers fail to avoid pain, firefighters come to the rescue. As adults, we typically don’t appreciate the depth and […]

Part of me is traumatized. It screams: I didn’t do anything wrong! Why is this happening? It’s not my fault! I don’t know what to call this part of my psyche. A howling child. The devasted part of me. It’s a bundle of pain that is trapped beneath the surface. When it comes out, I feel that pain – as […]