If people are in situations where they are being ill-treated, e.g. physical, sexual or other abuse, bullying, ostracisation or vicious workplace politics, then their parts’ protective reactions are needed to keep them safe. In such instances, we work with the person and his/her parts to address the safety issues first. Only when the person is safe from the present danger do we start working with the parts in extreme roles and parts carrying deep pain. Before a safe environment can be achieved, the protective parts’ extreme reactions and hiding of the hurt little child parts can be the only way to keep the person safe. 

#abuse #internalfamilysystemstherapy #ifstherapy #partswork