We enter into this world as a whole soul. Unfortunately, sometimes life can get ahold of us and we find ourselves surviving traumatic experiences. These traumatic experiences fragment the psyche into multiple sub-personalities known as parts. This is not to be confused with having multiple personalities. We all have parts! You many hear this in common language when someone says "A part of me wants tacos for dinner but a part of me says I should probably eat a salad instead". This is a minor example of an inner conflict that most people experience. However, parts that bear the burden of trauma tend to be split into specific categories and have specific functions. The 8 C's of SELF empower us to heal these parts bringing them into alignment and integration with our Highest Self.
The part that holds onto the pain of the trauma and is burdened with shame, guilt, and vulnerability is usually referred to as an EXILE. Exiles are so painful that our mind places them into a fortress in order to contain their pain. However, the pain is so strong that these parts break out their jail cells and can create wreckage. In an effort to prevent this from happening other parts are developed. These PROTECTOR parts play the role of a manager (keeps us in alignment with societal standards), or Inner Critic (beats us up for not aligning with societal standards), or Judge / Jury (punishes the exile and sentences it into a lifetime of isolation). When these parts are at odds it creates a psychological and neurological fire storm inside. In an effort to calm this fire other parts known as FIREFIGHTERS come along to douse the flames and calm things down. Fire Fighters are usually addictive behaviors like the use of drugs and alcohol or maladaptive ways of coping.
Through the use of Internal Family Systems therapy we teach you how to access the 8 C's of SELF to unburden, rearrange, and integrate all these parts into wholeness. The 8 C's of self represent: connection, curiosity, compassion, calmness, clarity, creativity, confidence, and courage. These higher levels of thought and belief systems help to nurture and re-parent parts. The parts learn to step back and soften creating space for SELF leadership. Many people begin to feel empowered in just a few sessions! At Noble Path Counseling we specialize in healing trauma through a variety of modalities and IFS is one that we use regularly.
Comments