Meeting Our Parts
As we walk through our days, we often meet different parts of ourselves reflected back to us. Whether it be grief, joy, shame, meanness, hardness, or another part entirely, they are all parts of ourselves wanting to be known, even just for a moment.
It’s so easy to want to bring in judgment for our different parts, with some being more desirable than others, some being met with a sense of pride, and others with a sense of discomfort and a wish they would disappear.
What if we could say hello to each part with warmth and care?
Let’s look at shame for a moment. It’s a feeling that many of us know, some more expertly than others. But what would happen to shame if met with love and kindness?
As Brené Brown says, “…If you put shame in a Petri dish and douse it with empathy, shame looses its power and begins to wither…”
Said another way, shame, when met with a sense of love and welcoming, begins to dissolve.
This way of meeting our parts can change the way we feel about ourselves.
As Rumi shares in his poem The Guest House,
This being human is a guest house,
Every morning, a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honourably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing.
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Learning to notice and make friends with the different parts of ourselves is one of the tools I often use in holistic psychotherapy. Within each of us there can be many inner parts, perhaps a part that pushes us to keep going, a part that feels anxious or protective, and another that longs for rest, connection, or change.
I can help you gently uncover these parts, understand what they might be trying to protect or communicate, and create space for them to be heard with compassion rather than judgement.
As we become more familiar with our inner world, it often becomes easier to respond to ourselves with kindness and clarity instead of feeling pulled in many directions. This is something you can begin to explore on your own, or we can explore together with guidance and support in a safe and curious way.
If this is something that you feel drawn to, please reach out to book a session. I am available on Tuesdays from 8:30am to 1:30pm - face to face at Live Well or by telehealth.
Angie XX
