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Resource Therapy is an advanced parts work model based on the idea that our personality is made up of different “Resources” or parts of...

About Me Hello there! I’m an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, yoga teacher, and therapist, offering embodied trauma support and...

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is a term used to describe an intense emotional reaction to perceived or actual rejection, criticism, or judgement. It is frequently reported among people with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence. Although research is still emerging, clinical experience and self-report suggest it is both widespread and impactful. RSD can influence personal relationships, workplace interactions, and creative or professional expression. It can present as

Working with Unclear Memories in Resource Therapy and EMDR: Feelings, Sensations, and Finding the Right Part Many people assume trauma therapy requires clear, factual memories. In reality, this is not how the brain stores overwhelming experiences. Traumatic material is often encoded in sensory fragments, body sensations, emotions, impulses, and states of being. It may not contain coherent narrative memory at all. It is also common for our early life experiences that impact us

When I first began practicing parts work (and in fact EMDR therapy), I was amazed at how quickly and effectively these approaches work. But when I was asked how these seemingly odd (at times) approaches actually made change, I found it hard to articulate beyond an intuitive pull to them, and plenty of clinical breakthroughs for my clients. The Theoretical Underpinnings Francine Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model in EMDR therapy offers a coherent framework f

You do not need to wait for a therapy session to begin developing a relationship with your inner world, or supporting emotional distress. Here is a simple reflective practice you can use any time a strong emotion arises. Ask yourself: • Which part of me is feeling this? • How old does this part feel? • What might this part need? If these questions are hard to answer, try: • If this were a young child or scared animal in front of me, how would I respond? Then, find a practice

Before any parts-based processing session, I typically begin with several orienting questions. These are not formalities. They play an important role in shaping the session and supporting the Adaptive Information Processing model. I ask: -What are you willing to change today? -How do you want to act? -How do you want to feel? These questions are usually in response to what a client is bringing into the session, like a painful or overwhelming situation they recently experienc

More Than 'Just Talking'   Clients often comment that the reason they are hesitant to start therapy is that ‘talking about it won’t help’. Some people find talk-based therapy useful to process their feelings or emotional responses out loud, but others feel they get that experience enough with friends or family. It is important however to note that therapy is rarely one single technique that creates change. Instead, it is a layered process that integrates multiple strategies t

Many of my clients are surprised when I encourage them to journal about both pleasurable experiences and the more challenging moments, such as triggers, overwhelm, or emotional discomfort. Journalling is not fluff; it is a clinically meaningful practice that supports integration, emotional processing, and insight. Journalling as a Therapeutic Tool Research shows that expressive writing can support emotional regulation, reduce symptoms of anxiety, and help integrate stressful

In my last blog post, I noted that many people come to therapy after years of trying to understand or change themselves through reasoning, talking, or willpower. Often this has not been effective, because they have not accessed the right part of them- the inner state represented by a patterned neural pathway that developed early in life in response to their environment. When Parts Show Up If you have ever noticed a part of yourself shows up that you dislike (because of its ac

Many people come to therapy after years of trying to understand or change themselves through reasoning, talking, or willpower. When insight alone has not created the shift you hoped for, it can feel discouraging. This does not mean you have failed or that your therapist has missed something. It often means your system holds deeper layers that have not yet been accessed. The Inner Landscape When we show up to therapy, we are usually ‘struggling’ with something that led us to b

At the heart of our safety as humans is connection to others. From birth we cry out for connection (literally), and from infancy we do all we can to preserve our attachments. Many people come to therapy saying: “I only feel good when I please others.” “I panic if I disappoint someone.” “If people really knew me, they wouldn’t like me.” “I just feel unlovable”. From a Resource Therapy (advanced parts work) perspective, these are the voices of parts (or States) ‘Vaded’ in Rejec

Following on from Part 1- The Gentle Revolution in Trauma Therapy, I wanted to continue on my series about Relational-Integrative EMDR (RI-EMDR) When you hear the term “therapy model,” it might conjure something formal, abstract, or overly academic. But RI-EMDR- the Relational Integrative EMDR approach developed by Michele Bowes and Amy English is grounded in something very human. It is the kind of work that grows from long conversations in the kitchen, from shared supervisi

Anxiety rarely feels rational. It can be a racing heart while driving across a bridge. A sense of dread in the checkout line. Panic that seems to appear “out of nowhere.” From a Resource Therapy perspective, these experiences make perfect sense. Anxiety isn’t a flaw in who you are. It’s a sign that one part of you, a  State overwelmed with Fear , is still carrying the imprint of past experiences. When that State comes into the driver’s seat of consciousness, the nervous syste

If you're a therapist, a curious client, or someone with parts who are feeling wary at the mention of “processing,” you're not alone. I fell even more in love with EMDR therapy when I discovered Relational Integrative (RI) EMDR- a gentle, flexible, and spiritually attuned approach to trauma work that brings together evidence-based practice and deep human wisdom. I had already been playing with integrating parts work and somatic awareness into my EMDR practice, especially with

Parts Work is a great choice for trauma therapy   Choosing a trauma therapy can feel overwhelming . If you are looking for support with...

Reflections on Parts Work in today's landscape, with some wisdom sprinkled in from EMDR queen Caroline Burrows

Through the last few seasons, I found myself reflecting on the ease and deep safety that comes from having a predictable roadmap in my...

For most of my life, I pushed myself to maintain the same pace every day, every week, every month. I believed I should be productive and...