Why Parts Work and EMDR Work Better Together
Two Powerful Tools, One Transformative Approach
Trauma work is rarely a straight line.
Clients may begin EMDR therapy with a clear target memory in mind, but find themselves flooded by resistance, unexpected emotional intensity, or confusion about what’s even “real.” This is where the integration of *parts work* with EMDR becomes a game-changer.
Both modalities are powerful on their own, but together, they offer a way to work with trauma that is not only effective, but profoundly attuned to the complex inner systems our clients carry.
Why Combine EMDR with Parts Work?
At its core, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps clients reprocess distressing or traumatic memories so they can be stored in the brain more adaptively. But for many clients—especially those with chronic or developmental trauma—the presence of multiple internal "parts" can make reprocessing more complicated.
That’s where parts work comes in.
It Deepens Self-Awareness
Parts work invites clients to identify who is showing up internally at any given moment. Is the activated response coming from a protective part? A younger part holding the trauma? A skeptical part questioning the process?
Bringing this level of self-awareness into EMDR helps both therapist and client get clarity on:
- Which part is ready to do the work
- Which part is feeling hesitant, overwhelmed, or blocked
- How the overall system feels about reprocessing a specific memory
This awareness fosters cooperation, not confusion.
It Enables Targeted, Attuned Processing
EMDR targets specific memories for desensitization and reprocessing. But when parts hold different pieces of a memory—or when protectors push back against accessing it—EMDR can stall or destabilize.
By integrating parts work, together we can:
- Build trust with protective parts
- Explore the function and fear behind resistance
- Help resource or stabilize parts *before* opening up vulnerable material
Rather than forcing access to a traumatic memory, we invite the system to collaborate—allowing healing to unfold at the right pace.
It Supports Emotional Regulation
When we recognize which parts are feeling activated, we can bring them into relationship with your adult Self and use resourcing strategies to help parts co-regulate.
This reduces the likelihood of:
- Emotional flooding during reprocessing
- Sessions derailing from unexpected protector responses
- Post-session dysregulation or dissociation
When you feel internally supported, we can move through EMDR with more safety, confidence, and clarity.
It Builds Long-Term Integration
One of the risks of focusing purely on symptom relief is that deeper, structural wounds can remain unacknowledged. Parts work ensures that healing isn’t just about reducing distress—it’s about integration.
We don’t just “process the memory.” We come to understand how it shaped your inner world, what roles your parts have played in surviving it, and what healing means for each part moving forward.
You’ve Been “Adulting” for a While Now…
Many people in their 30s - 40s are navigating a complex web of past trauma, current responsibilities, and a desire for deeper change. Maybe you’re wondering if this whole “adulting” thing ever gets any easier… You don’t just want symptom relief, you want understanding, agency, and transformation.
By integrating EMDR with parts work, we offer a path that honors both the speed of EMDR and the depth of parts work. It’s a relational, adaptive, and deeply human approach to healing.
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Next in the Series: The Meeting Place: Where Healing Conversations Begin