Most trauma victims spend their lives trying to run away from their Parts instead of getting to know them, learn about them, and sympathize with them. But all that running away does is make matters worse, and the individual never gets to experience any true healing.
It may feel like the prospect of getting to know a Part is pretty scary. But please know that while it may seem that way, once you begin the process, you’ll see how beneficial it truly is.
Getting to Know a Part – An Exercise
Take a few moments and try this exercise. The goal is to get to know a Part. You will not be doing anything with the Part except trying to understand it in this exercise. Follow these steps:
- Make sure you have enough time and find a private space where you are comfortable and alone.
- Choose one of your emotions, thought patterns or inner voices that you would like to get to know. It might work well to choose one that does not cause you to have extreme feelings.
- Once you have chosen a Part, focus on the feeling, thought or voice that you experience. Try to figure out where in your body it is coming from.
- Pay close attention to how you feel toward the part of you the Part is coming from. If you notice feelings that are anything other than acceptance, compassion or curiosity (for example, anger or fear), ask those Parts to take a step back and trust you as you explore the Part you are focusing on.
- Continue to focus on that Part and try to “hear” what it might be trying to tell you.
Once you have finished with the exercise, it might be helpful for you to record your findings in a journal. Remember, it is not your job to try and convince that part of anything. You should not argue with it. This is a time to just listen.
What Can be Learned from the Parts?
Once you finish this exercise, the hope is that you have learned something valuable that not only gives you more information about the Part, but that also helps the Part feel more understood. As Parts feel understood, they tend to take a step back because the message they wanted to deliver has been heard.
There is much to be learned from our Parts. Here are just a few examples:
- If you listen to a Part that is more scared and childlike, you may learn that the Part is scared that it won’t be properly cared for.
- A Part that is angry may be trying to get justice.
- A Part that desires isolation may simply be fearful of something terrible happening in the future.
Trauma Therapy Can Help You Listen to the Parts
It can become more difficult to listen and understand the Parts as time goes on and they become scarier. But this is not something you need to do on your own. Trauma therapy can help and it can make a big difference.
Would you like to get started with trauma therapy? Please contact me for an appointment.
