Aimee Ford

The realization that even the parts of ourselves that cause us the most distress, disturbance, and guilt have a positive and protective intention quickly begins to foster increased self-compassion and reduce shame. From an IFS perspective, these parts have been forced into extreme (burdened) roles as the result of traumatic experiences and in their roles, make every attempt to protect us from being harmed again. Embracing the protective function and positive intention of our parts offers a new understanding of our current circumstances and ways in which we can begin to promote self-led change.

The overall goal of IFS is to unburden these “protector” parts from their extreme roles, heal the “exiled” parts (the parts of us that have experienced trauma), and offer all parts the opportunity to choose new and more adaptive ways of functioning. IFS is a non-pathologizing modality, meaning that it addresses symptoms and many mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, substance use, eating disorders, and more as parts that are attempting to protect us rather than labeling them as a one-size-fits-all diagnosis.

When we experience trauma, it can change our outlook on not only the world but also shape our core beliefs about ourselves. From an EMDR perspective, traumatic memories that form negative core beliefs (cognitions) generally fall into 4 different categories: safety, responsibility, control, and choice. EMDR addresses these negative cognitions that become attached to traumatic memories through an 8-phase protocol. The result of each fully completed EMDR protocol is desensitization of the overwhelming disturbance of the traumatic memory, installation of a positive cognition to replace the original negative cognition, and “clearing” traumatic memories held in the body.

There are a wide variety of different ways to use EMDR outside of the standard 8-phase protocol that I utilize to further tailor treatment to each person’s unique needs. One example of this is the Early Trauma Protocol, which is particularly useful for adoptees or those who have suffered in-utero, birth, or very early trauma. Additionally, I use IFS-informed EMDR which is an integration of IFS and parts work to standard EMDR. Finally, some of us carry Negative Cognitions without being able to pinpoint a specific associated memory to its origin. Often this feels like and is described as a cognition that has “always been there,” in this case standard EMDR without a chosen image/memory is incredibly useful.

When addressing dissociative disorders such as OSDD and DID, I use the Phase Oriented Treatment of Structural Dissociation model. Dissociative disorder treatment involves communication and collaboration, both within the system and the therapeutic relationship. With the knowledge that every system is highly unique, I use the phase-oriented approach as a general guideline to treatment while focusing on collaborative treatment planning by hearing the wants, goals, fears, and needs of each part of the system.