There are two versions of you. There's the you that knows you're safe, worthy, and capable of healthy relationships—calm, grounded, and wise. Then there's the you that panics when your partner doesn't text back, abandons yourself to keep others happy, or shuts down the moment conflict arises. Traditional therapy treats both versions like they're the same person. IFS knows better. Your trauma responses aren't character flaws—they're protective parts trying to keep you safe. Here's why parts work changes everything for trauma survivors...

I'm tired of the bullshit.

You sit in therapy talking about your anxiety, your relationship patterns, your work stress. But you can't mention that you felt your grandmother's presence after she died. You can't talk about the dream that felt like a message. You definitely can't say that you just "know" things sometimes.

Because you've learned that therapists either look at you like you're having a psychotic break or they change the subject real quick.

So you split yourself in half. Psychology over here, spirituality over there. Never the two shall meet.

Talk therapy gives you insight—but ritual creates embodied transformation. In this post, trauma therapist and coach Bethany Russell, LPC, shares why healing through ritual is essential for trauma survivors, sensitive souls, and anyone seeking to move beyond just understanding their patterns. Discover how integrating parts work, nervous system regulation, and sacred ceremony creates deep, lasting change where traditional therapy alone can’t reach.