Saturday, November 26, 2011

Strategies for daily work with parts

Hi all, I am back, and wanting to connect with other people who work with parts of themselves. Since I've been trained in this inner parts work- first in Psychosynthesis and later in Inner Family Systems- I've felt a yearning to share these concepts with others. I've been greatly helped by knowing that I have different parts inside with sometimes contradictory needs, and that I can help these parts (and thereby my whole self) through working with and healing them. So I want to share this huge discovery with others. But more than that, I feel kind of lonely because these concepts are so completely different from how most people think about things. A friend of mine learned about parts and then told me there should be a 900 number for people who want to talk in this new way and not be thrown into an institution. He said that company would make lots of money! I've come up with several questions that I'd like to discuss. I will post 1 each week. I will also share one thing I have learned about that question for my life, and one challenge I would like help with. If you feel so called, please respond with suggestions of your own. I am a perennial student, with lots of room to grow. Question: What daily strategies or practices help you deal with your different parts? What helps you make it through the day in a healthy manner? My best strategy; I am learning to notice when I feel panic somewhere in my body. This is usually a cue that there is a part that is worried about something- and I have no concious idea what it is. I try to take a few minutes as soon as possible to ask what that part is scared will happen, and then to respond as a parent would in reassuring a child. For example, I suddenly was nervous about insurance this morning- I have a policy that might expire soon. I realize that part of me is worried that I made a BIG MISTAKE, and that it might harm my children. These are 2 vulnerable areas for me (mistakes, hurting children). I thanked the part for sharing, and promised to look into this issue today. That's all it took to loosen the anxiety - for now. My question: I am facing a pretty impossible workload on my job. There aren't enough hours in the day to finish all the things I feel I need to do. What are some strategies people have used to work with parts and deal with problems like this? Thanks and blessings! Karen