Ego State Therapy
Ego State Therapy (EST) is an approach that recognizes that each of us is made up of many different parts or ego states. Our lifetime experiences include both positive and negative or wounding events that lead to the development of these states. These ego states can contain various feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.
Together they make up who we uniquely are. At times different parts of us may be in conflict and create distress to our overall sense of well-being. Wounded or hurt parts are particularly vulnerable when we are under stress and can take over the whole self in an attempt to cope. Sometimes these wounded parts help us in difficult times, but at other times wounded parts can be over-reactive and respond intensely when an intense response is not needed. The goal of EST is to help heal distressed or over-reactive parts and to support all states in working together in an integrated and cohesive way.
How Does Ego State Therapy Work?
When we face challenges in life an ego state can develop that attempts to cope with the pain and hurt experienced. While this state can be helpful initially, sometimes it becomes activated when it is not needed. For example, you may be very distressed when a normally available partner has less time to spend with you due to increased work demands. If there is a wounded part of you that did not receive appropriate attention at some point in your life, that state may get activated and respond significantly to your partner’s absence (maybe through arguments or intense feelings of depression). Most often the logical part of us can see this emotional response as too intense given the situation; however, emotionally we may feel very distressed and react in ways that feel out of our control. EST works to help you come in contact with those hurt and activated parts in you and work with those parts to soothe and care for them so that they may be less reactive and more able to cope and work through stressful situations. The hope is that the caring and wise parts of you can support the parts that have been more wounded in your life, so that all of you can live with internal harmony and peace.