Blog

Trauma can be understood as a relational violation – or, put another way - a violation of connection (Frank Anderson). Seen through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), trauma creates a chasm between our Core Self and parts of our psyche. These parts come into being at the origin of a relational violation/violation of connection. Many of them are protective and try to mitigate - in proactive and reactive ways - the pain that is held by deeper exiled parts in our systems. In this sense, parts can be viewed as adaptive vs. defective and bad. Such a non-stigmatizing approach can help parts soften (i.e. turn down in intensity), and release the burdens (e.g. shamefulness) that they carry as a result of trauma.