Ego State Therapy & Structural Dissociation

Ego State Therapy works with “states” or parts that carry different roles and memories. Structural Dissociation Theory explains how trauma can split functioning between:

• ANP (Apparently Normal Part): handles daily life; avoids traumatic material.

• EP (Emotional Part): holds trauma memories and intense emotions.

You don’t need these terms to heal, but they help normalize experiences like “I’m fine at work and then suddenly I’m flooded.”

How therapy helps:

• Mapping & meeting place: We identify key parts/states and create a safe inner “meeting room” where they can communicate without overwhelm.

• Skills first: Grounding, containment, co-consciousness (staying present while noticing a part).

• Bridging: Over time, states share information, soften phobias of one another, and collaborate.

What this is not:
It’s not pathologizing your inner world. Many people have parts; trauma just makes them more polarized. We honor your strengths while gently healing what’s stuck.

Good fits:
Complex trauma, chronic shame, medical trauma, dissociation, and people who say, “A part of me wants to heal - and a part of me is scared.” This framework aligns well with IFS and prepares the system for EMDR when appropriate.

Bottom line: Ego state work offers a respectful roadmap to bring your inner system into cooperation, reducing amnesia, reactivity, and self-conflict.