Soul vs. Self

One of my favorite therapeutic modalities is Parts Work. In fact, I was just telling a colleague the other day, I don't even remember how I did therapy before I learned this model - it's become that integral into my therapeutic process. Parts Work is a holistic therapeutic approach that views individuals as complex systems made up of various parts. Each part plays an important role in protecting, guiding, or expressing different aspects of our inner world and experiences. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a well-known and popular model of Parts Work, developed by Richard Schwartz. After completing a 6 month online IFS training, I fell in love with this model because it not only works to help my clients process and integrate trauma, but it does so through the tool of compassion.

In the IFS model, compassion must be present before any one of our parts can experience healing. Compassion is a quality of what Schwartz calls Self Energy. IFS identifies the qualities of Self Energy with an alliteration - the 8 C's: compassion, creativity, connectedness, confidence, calm, clarity, courage, and curiosity.

Although it doesn't start with a "C," another word I use to describe Self Energy is Soul. Self Energy is the essence of who we were before we developed parts to help us cope and survive our harsh world. Similarly, the Soul is often described as the core of a person's being - their spirit.

It is common for people to feel as though they leave their bodies during a traumatic experience. This phenomenon, which is a form of dissociation, is our system's way of protecting what is most precious in us - our Soul. Our bodies are left behind to bear the trauma while our Soul is safely harbored elsewhere (where is a discussion for another time). This is why healing from trauma usually begins in the body, as this is where trauma is stored. The quintessential trauma book, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk explores the body's role in holding trauma, in detail. Schwartz and the IFS model first find Parts through the body, then utilize Self Energy (and the 8 C's) to help recover and integrate our "lost" Soul.

So, what's the difference between Self Energy and Soul? Well, in general, Self Energy in IFS is considered a psychological state or inner resource that must be present for our parts to heal. In contrast, the Soul is often viewed as an eternal, spiritual essence that transcends individual psychology, representing the deeper part of our being. However, there is much overlap in that both Self Energy and Soul at the core of who we are. "The Self resides within each of us, offering the power to heal and guide our inner parts towards harmony," says Schwartz.

No matter your spiritual beliefs, whether you call it Self or Soul, I’m here to help you reconnect with your true essence using evidence-based Parts Work models to guide you on your healing path.

If you'd like to learn more during a free 15 minute consultation or try Parts Work in a session, please contact me.