Inner Parts Work is a self-awareness method that helps you connect with the different inner parts living within your personality — so you can understand what they are trying to protect or achieve, and find a path where they no longer fight each other but begin to cooperate within you.
These internal parts are like members of an inner family — each with its own personality, voice, and intention. Sometimes our behavior, emotions, or ways of thinking change so much from one day to the next, it can feel like we’re not even the same person. But in reality, we are one person made up of many inner parts — or ego states. Each part has its own strengths, fears, logic, and sensitivities.
One day a lighter, more playful part may come to the foreground, another day a more anxious, angry, or overly adaptive part may take over. When we say, “Part of me wants this, but another part doesn’t,” we’re actually describing an internal dialogue between our parts. And when we feel, “I’m at peace with myself,” it often means: our inner parts have come to agreement, and the internal tension has settled.
As Rumi beautifully wrote:
"The soul is a guesthouse. Every morning a new arrival… Welcome and entertain them all."
Every inner part is like one of these “guests” — not here to disturb you, but to show you something. They don’t need to be pushed away; they need to be understood.
If we learn to notice which part is currently present, we can also learn how to move from a painful, withdrawn part into a stronger, more confident state. And in doing so, we create an opportunity to gently approach those parts that carry pain and support them in releasing what they hold.
Because the variety of our inner parts is not a problem — it’s a resource. And if we learn to integrate them, our life can become richer, more authentic, and more free.
How could my self-destructive part possibly be helpful to me?
Parts that appear self-destructive are often not enemies, but old protective mechanisms developed for survival — using strategies that once helped us but now tend to hinder us. Procrastination, isolation, harsh self-criticism, self-harm, or destructive relationships can all be desperate attempts by an inner part to protect you from deeper pain.
As Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS), says:
"All parts are welcome. Every part has good intentions — they just sometimes use extreme methods."
These parts don’t want to destroy you — they want to protect, survive, control. They just never learned a better way. This method helps you recognize that these parts are not broken — they simply need support in finding healthier, more constructive ways of being.
How does the process work?
This is a quiet, attentive process of internal connection. In our sessions — held in a safe, supportive space — I guide you with gentle questions, presence, and focused attention to help you consciously sense which inner part is active around the issue you're currently facing.
We explore how this part feels, what it needs, when it was formed, what it's afraid of, what its purpose is, and how it relates to your other parts. Sometimes this takes the form of an inner dialogue; other times, it emerges through feelings, images, or body sensations. The goal is not to “fix” the part, but to truly hear and understand what it is trying to avoid or achieve — so it has the chance to shift into a less painful way of operating.
For example, during a session, an anxious part might show up — one that learned in childhood that making mistakes leads to rejection or shame. Instead of analyzing it, we give it attention: we ask how it feels, what it's afraid of, and what it truly needs right now. You may sense only a body sensation, a mood, or an old phrase rising up in you.
When this part is acknowledged and listened to, it often begins to soften — and if given the chance to relate to you in a new way, it may find a healthier, more supportive role in your internal system. We don’t rush or “fix” it — we simply stay present and listen. And that attention, in itself, can be deeply transformative.
This is a gentle yet profound process. It fosters inner cooperation — not through suppression, but through alignment. A core aspect of the work is creating harmonious communication and collaboration between your inner parts. When they begin to connect with one another, you may experience a turning point that feels like: “I’m no longer at war with myself.”.
Who is this process for?
This inner work is for those who:
• Often feel they are in internal conflict, like they’re “arguing with themselves”
• Struggle with harsh self-criticism and find self-acceptance difficult
• Feel stuck in recurring behavioral or relational patterns
• Tend to procrastinate, overextend themselves, or over-adapt to others
• Carry childhood wounds, emotional neglect, or unmet needs
• Experience anxiety, tension, or unexplainable emotional states
• Feel like “many parts” live within them and want to understand these more clearly
• Long to connect with their inner world and develop a more compassionate, cooperative relationship with themselves
This method is not about labeling — it’s rooted in the deep belief that every part within us is valuable and simply wants to be heard.
Not uniform — but integrated personality
The goal of this work is not to create a rigid, uniform self, but rather an inner system in which all parts are accepted, respected, and come together as an integrated, harmonious whole.
Every part within you carries a story — and if you learn how to connect with them, you won’t just understand yourself more deeply, but you’ll also begin to reassemble the wholeness of who you truly are.
If you feel it's time to finally listen to what you've been suppressing — and you're seeking guidance in that process — I warmly welcome you. This work is gentle, safe, and deep — just like your inner world.
Literature Used
RUMI - A vendégház
EMMERSON, G. (2007) Ego State Therapy. Crown House Publishing Ltd.
DAUBNER B., DAUBNER E. (2015) Integratív pszichoterápia – integratív hipnoterápia.
