Human beings can be described as a system of parts - parts that we're born with and parts that develop over time. When life is good enough, our internal system may develop in such a way that all parts of self are able to work together naturally and intuitively, with no major internal conflict. All too often, people have experiences that disrupt this natural tendency toward internal cohesion and collaboration. Parts work is a way to help people come to know their whole selves, work through internal, often unconscious barriers, and achieve a sense of peace and wholeness within themselves. Ego State Therapy (my preference) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) are two approaches to parts work in which I have formal training, but I'm not a clinician who latches onto any single approach to understand the human experience.