We all
have parts. I’m not referring to body parts here but parts
of our personality. Have you ever said to someone, “a part
of me really wants to take that new job but another part is
afraid to make the change?” Or, “a part of me really wants
to lose weight but another part says that it’s just too much
work.” This is a normal occurrence because we all have parts
of our personality that have split off and keep us
struggling to make decisions. Just as with any team effort,
life flows more smoothly when our parts are working
together. In the following case history, Renee brings
several parts into agreement creating a life that feels
lighter and easier.
Renee
has been working on weight reduction in previous sessions so
we began by discussing her progress. At the time of her
first session she weighed 385 pounds. Before she started
losing weight she used hypnotherapy to regain a sense of
control, improve self confidence, release judgments of
herself and others, she became more comfortable with who she
is and she relates to others more easily. Renee also learned
that she had choices and released some old guilt.
From
previous session with Renee I know that she exhibits a
playful exuberance about life. Her life goes much better
when she stays in touch with her playful nature. While her
ultimate goals is to normalize her weight, her goal for this
session is to recapture that whole sense of creativity,
sense of fun and play, that she’s been missing. Renee feel
as if there’s an element of creativity and imagination that
she has lost. She wants to get back that creative spark,
which will increase her energy levels reminding her that,
“This [exercise, movement] is play, this isn’t work. I can
go, do, walk around and go shopping and this is playtime.”
She has realized that part of the reason that she doesn’t
exercise it’s just “one more thing to do.” Bringing the
creativity back in will balance many different aspects of
her life.
Renee’s
journey starts in her sanctuary. She describes it as “this
huge room, with very, very tall windows, almost two stories
tall. Almost a wall of windows outside. There’s books all
around and comfy chairs, tables and just comfortable places
to sit and read and relax.” She feels excited and yet
comfortable there.
I asked
Renee to invite in a creative Part... a Part that is
creative and imaginative. Renee describes this part as very
looking like a pixie. The part is wearing overalls on that
are covered in paint. Her hair is short and spiky. This
creative part likes to be called Amy.
Renee
asks her creative part to “help me try new things and see
things with a sense of wonder and understand all the
possibilities that are out there.”
As she
shifts to Amy’s perspective she reports missing Renee. The
two agree to work together. In fact, Renee asks Amy to be
with her all the time, to integrate with her so that she can
“see the world with new eyes. And understand that fun can be
anywhere even at work. And that I can use creativity
everywhere.”
Amy is
delighted at being asked to integrate. Although Amy reports
being 9 years younger than Renee, both agree that it works
better to integrate the two parts without asking Amy to grow
up. Before asking the two parts to integrate I checked to
see if there’s another part that would prefer to keep the
status quo. This is when an ageless part called “Protection”
entered the picture. Naturally, protection’s job is to see
the Renee doesn’t get hurt. This part worries that once
Renee and Amy integrate that she’ll be too different and
could lose her job.
Renee
and Protection dialog and negotiate a compromise.
“Protection” offers to help protect the creative side by
buffering the negative thoughts away. “Amy” is also happy
with this help.
Another
part wishes to be heard in this process, Love. The part
called love has come in to be supportive and is ready to
integrate with Renee. As these parts integrate Renee reports
feeling bubbly and energized. Next, Renee imagines taking
her newly integrated self to work. She finds that “it’s
easier to approach. It’s easier to see different things that
can be done, in different ways. Things don’t feel as
burdensome.” she also imagines herself in her personal life,
“out driving around and being able to see fun things as we
go around, rather than it’s something boring to do.”
Everything in life is becoming fun again. After re-alerting
Renee she reported feeling lighter and that it would be
“easier to try things, easier to see things and not judge
myself as much.”
Parts
therapy is, and continues to be, a powerful tool that I use
to assist clients in changing their lives. These parts are
very real to the hypnotized client. Recognizing the parts'
desires and negotiating a change that is agreeable to both
allows him/her to end the constant ambivalence. We have all
experience it. Haven't you said to yourself, "a part of me
wants to get out more and another part just wants to
stay at home and hibernate." I am sure that you change
the words in italics with the struggles of your own parts.
Bringing these parts into alignment creates a more peaceful
existence. And who wouldn't benefit from that?
