Parts Work Therapy in Annapolis, MD
Rich Doyle, LCSW-C | Parts Work Therapist
We can hold different feelings, beliefs, needs, and ways of responding at the same time—even when they seem to contradict one another.
Part of us may want closeness while another part keeps some distance. We may know we're safe while something in us remains on guard. We may want to move forward while another part hesitates or pulls us back.
Parts work is a way of working directly with these different aspects of ourselves. Rather than trying to push them away, reason with them, or decide which one is right, we can slow down, turn toward them, and become curious about what is happening.
These different parts of ourselves are sometimes referred to as ego states. They may carry their own emotions, beliefs, memories, expectations, needs, and ways of responding.
In therapy, we can explore what a part is experiencing, what it may be responding to, and what happens when we relate to it in a new way. We don't have to know ahead of time where the process will lead—we can follow what emerges.
Parts work can stand on its own or blend naturally with other experiential approaches I use, including EMDR, Brainspotting, and somatic therapy.
Our parts make sense in context
We are shaped by what we experience. Over time, different parts of us can develop their own ways of understanding what is happening, what to expect, and how to respond.
A part that learned to stay alert may continue scanning for what could go wrong. A part that learned closeness could lead to hurt may keep some distance. A part that learned mistakes came with consequences may work very hard to get everything right.
These responses often made sense in the context in which they developed. They helped us adapt to what was happening then. The challenge is that they can continue showing up in much the same way even when our circumstances have changed.
One part of us may know that we're safe now, while another continues to brace for what might happen. We may know that we're capable, while another part still expects to fail. We may understand that a relationship is different from ones we've had before, while something in us continues to respond as though the old rules still apply.
Parts work invites us to become curious about these differences. Instead of asking, “Why am I still doing this?” we might begin to wonder, “What has this part experienced or learned that makes this response make sense?”
From there, the work isn't simply about getting a part to stop doing what it's doing. We can begin to explore what happens when the part encounters something different—something that may help it recognize that what was necessary then may not be necessary in the same way now.
What does parts work look like in therapy?
A part doesn't always show up with a clear voice or an obvious sense of “this is a part of me.” It might first appear as an emotion, a sensation in the body, an image, a thought or belief, an impulse to move toward or away, a memory, or simply a sense that something inside is responding.
Rather than immediately trying to understand or change what is happening, we can slow down and give the experience some attention.
We might become curious about what the part is feeling, what it seems to know or expect, what it wants to do, or what it may want you to understand. We might notice how you feel toward the part and what happens when you begin to respond to it differently.
This can develop into a kind of dialogue, but that dialogue doesn't have to happen through words. The back-and-forth may unfold through emotion, sensation, imagery, movement, memory, or impulses.
There isn't a particular response we're trying to create or a place you need to get to. We can stay curious, follow what emerges, and see where the experience leads.
Parts work can blend with other ways of working
Parts work can stand on its own, but it also blends naturally with many of the other experiential approaches I use.
A part may emerge while processing a memory with EMDR. Holding a brainspot may bring forward a particular emotion, sensation, image, or state that we begin to interact with more directly. In somatic work, we might become curious about a sensation, image, movement, or impulse in much the same way we would become curious about a part.
Parts work can also become especially useful when processing feels stuck or begins to loop. Rather than trying to push through, we can become curious about whether another part of you has concerns about continuing. It may be afraid of what will happen, unsure that it's safe to go further, or have another reason for wanting things to slow down. Giving that part space and attention can help us understand what is getting in the way and what may be needed before processing continues.
At times, the boundaries between these approaches can become less important than what is actually happening in the moment. We might begin in one way of working and naturally move into another as the experience unfolds.
Rather than needing to stay within one particular method, we can follow what emerges and use the approaches that seem most helpful for the work in front of us.
What can parts work help with?
Parts work can be useful when some aspect of your experience feels difficult to understand, change, or reconcile with what another part of you knows or wants.
It may be helpful for working with:
Long-standing patterns or reactions that keep showing up
Anxiety, fear, or a sense of needing to stay on guard
Self-criticism, shame, or beliefs about not being good enough
Relationship and attachment patterns
Inner conflict or feeling pulled in different directions
Difficult or traumatic experiences from the past
Responses that make sense intellectually but still feel difficult to change
Parts of yourself that feel disconnected, hidden, or difficult to access
Parts work can also help us connect with parts that carry strengths, capacities, perspectives, or ways of being that may be harder to access at other times.
The goal isn't to eliminate certain parts or make every part of us feel the same way. It's to create more understanding, connection, and flexibility within ourselves so that old responses don't have to keep determining what happens next.
Frequently asked questions about Parts Work
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Yes. We all have different aspects of ourselves that can feel, believe, want, or respond differently depending on the situation. Parts work gives us a way to notice and work more directly with these different experiences, particularly when they seem to be in conflict or are creating challenges in our lives.
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No. While parts work can be helpful for working with traumatic or difficult experiences, it can also be used with long-standing patterns, anxiety, self-criticism, relationship difficulties, inner conflict, or other experiences where different aspects of ourselves seem to feel, believe, or want different things.
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That's okay. Parts don't always feel immediately accessible, and we don't need to force a connection. We can begin with what you do notice—even if that's a sense of distance, numbness, uncertainty, or not knowing—and become curious about that experience. Sometimes simply noticing what happens when we turn our attention toward a part is where the work begins.
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That part is welcome in therapy too. Rather than trying to push past it, we can become curious about what it's experiencing and what concerns it may have about moving forward. It may be unsure whether it's safe, worried about what could happen if things change, or have another reason for wanting to slow things down. Making room for those concerns can be an important part of the work itself.
Parts work for adults in Annapolis, Maryland
I offer parts work for adults in Annapolis, Maryland, as part of traditional sessions, extended sessions, and therapy intensives.
You don't need to know whether parts work—or any particular approach—is what you're looking for before reaching out. We can start with a free consultation to talk about what's bringing you to therapy, what you're looking for, and whether working together feels like a good fit.