I see you understand that I can make general comments, rather than case specific comments, so what follows may or may not apply in the case you mention.

An ego state therapist is happy to work with parts of self, understanding that eventually the goal is integration. Integration doesn't mean no parts; we all have parts. If we didn't have parts, all our state specific learning would be in one heap, like a pile in a warehouse, without differentiation. No, parts are normal.

What's not normal is for parts to either have amnesia, lives of their own with conflict with other parts of self (e.g., No, we aren't wearing a pinafore! We are wearing overalls and galoshes!). It is also not normal to hold unresolved trauma in compartments without eventually getting the compartments vacuumed out, as I'm fond of saying. EMDR is a great way to vacuum.

The latter, that is, holding unresolved trauma in compartments, is very common so in that sense it is "normal." But its not normal in the sense that it isn't healthy and causes suffering. Many psychological symptoms are the direct result of unresolved trauma leaking out, or are the results of putting on the brakes continuously so the trauma doesn't leak out. At the same time, its all many people CAN do, so its "normal" to continue it until another solution becomes available.

Even an ego state therapist can't rush in and Voila! resolve the divisions without planful work over time (more or less time depending on the complexity of the self).

Some therapists are reluctant to speak to parts, often fearing it encourages separateness and therefore would be in the opposite direction of integration. Ego state therapists believe that to talk to only the front part of self that presents for treatment is like looking at only the porch of a house. You have to get in the front door and understands the rooms and floor plan to be dealing with the whole house. I believe that when one does that, work with the parts directly, one is increasing the integration of the whole person by increasing interpart communication and overall awareness of the total self and its conflicts.

Remember that its not "parts" or "no parts." Everyone has parts, and on the far left end of a continuum there is a smooth running system of parts. On the far right end of the same dissociative continuum is complex dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality). There are as many shades of gray in the middle as you can imagine. All are normal in the sense that they came to be to handle particular functions, including for many, holding trauma and doing life at the same time.

So hats off to all the people with parts of self that are waiting patiently to be heard, for their chance with the microphone. Hats off to all the parts of self that protect by holding traumatic experience in compartments. And hats off to all the clients whose systems want to work well as a team, and to all those therapists who use methods to help divided selves integrate.

EMDR works great for those on the left half or two thirds of the continuum. For the right side, ego state work is vital to prepare for EMDR, as are other containment, stabilization and fractionation methods. Its about safety.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Celebratory Seasons to all!