What is Ego-State Therapy?
Ego-State Therapy has many names and variations. Other names used are parts work, IFS (Internal Family Systems), covert-ego states, and chair work. They all have similar processes as described below.
- Utilizes Gestalt techniques where you interpret and reshuffle preexisting attitudes about yourself
- Treats all parts of the individual
- Uncovers and resolves “hidden” issues
- Used with covert, hidden, disassociated, or disconnected ego-states
- Works on sub personalities
- Involves energy therapies for quick resolution of the issues
- Key to resolving trauma and depression
Defining covert, hidden, disassociated, or disconnected ego-states (sub-personalities)?
- Parts of an individual that are partially or totally split off
- They usually exist out of our awareness
- Created during threatening or traumatic events at an early age
- They show up to help and have specific jobs
- Created because we don’t have the tools to deal with the threatening situation in the moment
- They exist for survival and protection
- Their engage in very primitive, critical, judgmental, narrow, black and white, over adapted and contaminated thinking and behaviors
- They need new jobs or a purpose for existence
- MPD/DID are the extreme cases of this phenomena
- Can be “retrained” or decontaminated quickly with energy therapies like EFT & TAT
