Parts Work in ACT Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Inner Healing

Aug 14

As a therapist specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I often help clients navigate inner conflict, emotional stuckness, and self-judgment. One powerful tool I use is Parts Work—a method that helps people recognize and relate differently to the different “parts” of themselves.

In this post, I’ll explore how integrating Parts Work within an ACT framework can help you build self-compassion, reduce internal struggle, and move toward a more meaningful, values-driven life.

What Is Parts Work?

Parts Work is an approach rooted in the idea that our inner world is made up of multiple subpersonalities, or “parts,” each with its own thoughts, feelings, and intentions. You might recognize voices in your mind like:

The Inner Critic
The People-Pleaser
The Perfectionist
The Wounded Child
The Avoider

These parts aren’t signs that something is wrong—they are protective mechanisms shaped by life experiences. Parts Work helps us explore these inner voices with curiosity rather than shame.

How ACT Therapy and Parts Work Complement Each Other

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) helps clients become more psychologically flexible by teaching them to observe thoughts and emotions without judgment, clarify personal values, and take action based on those values.

When we combine Parts Work with ACT, we can help clients:

✅ Recognize Inner Conflict

Instead of viewing anxiety, anger, or self-sabotage as problems to eliminate, we look at them as messages from a part that’s trying to help—even if it’s using outdated or unhelpful strategies.

✅ Create Space for All Parts

ACT teaches acceptance and mindfulness. Through Parts Work, we deepen this by welcoming every part with compassion—even the ones that feel ashamed, angry, or afraid.

✅ Defuse from Limiting Self-Stories

Using ACT’s cognitive defusion techniques, clients can unhook from rigid identities (like “I’m broken” or “I’m not good enough”) and begin to see those beliefs as thoughts coming from specific parts—not the whole self.

✅ Reconnect with the Self-as-Context

ACT emphasizes a mindful, observing self—what we call “Self-as-Context.” This aligns beautifully with the idea in Parts Work that there is a compassionate, wise self capable of holding all parts without becoming overwhelmed.

Example: Using ACT and Parts Work in Therapy

A client might come to therapy saying, “I feel stuck—I want to make a career change, but something in me keeps holding me back.”

With Parts Work, we might explore this as a protective part—perhaps a fearful part that learned early on that failure isn’t safe. Through ACT, we’d acknowledge that part with compassion, make space for its fear, and then help the client take values-based action toward a fulfilling career despite that inner fear.

This integrative approach allows for both emotional healing and forward momentum.

Benefits of Combining ACT Therapy with Parts Work

Increased emotional awareness and self-compassion
Better understanding of inner conflict and self-sabotage
Reduced shame and internal criticism
Empowerment to make values-aligned choices
Deeper integration and healing of trauma-based patterns

Is This Work Right for You?

If you often feel like you’re “fighting with yourself,” stuck in patterns you don’t understand, or overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, this approach can help you feel more whole and empowered.

You don’t have to “get rid of” parts of yourself to heal. You just have to learn how to listen—and ACT can give you the tools to do it.

Work With a Therapist Who Uses ACT and Parts Work

As a therapist trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and integrative Parts Work, I help clients build deeper self-understanding, reduce emotional distress, and reconnect with their core values. Whether you're navigating anxiety, trauma, or major life transitions, this approach offers a compassionate path forward.

👉 Schedule a free consultation to explore how ACT and Parts Work can support your healing journey.

Sabrina Anderson