No Bad Parts

It is no overstatement to say that this book can be life-changing. Starting as a family therapist in the 80s, Richard Schwartz has developed a new model of therapy over 40 years of practice. As his clients started talking about different parts in themselves, he became curious and discovered he had parts too. As these parts are described as having relationships, he called this model of the mind Internal Family Systems (IFS). Parts are inner beings naturally present in everyone, whose sole objective is to keep us safe. But following trauma, parts can be forced into roles that can be harmful, and they will carry burdens and often be stuck in the past. The dominant mono-mind paradigm usually results in us fighting, hiding, ignoring or disciplining thoughts and emotions in us we don’t like, which only makes them stronger.

By addressing our parts with love and compassion, we can help them heal, unburden and transform by assuming new, beneficial roles. Also present in everyone is a calm, wise centre which he calls the Self, which is who we really are. This can be obscured, but never damaged, and it never disappears. One goal of IFS is that instead of having burdened parts control our life, our Self becomes the leader. As he explored the Self with his clients, Dr Schwartz compiled a list of qualities present in all of them, the 8 Cs: curiosity, calm, confidence, compassion, creativity, clarity, courage, connectedness. The Self is naturally drawn to spiritual paths that enhance connection, harmony and healing, for their parts, other people and the Earth. As we become more Self-led, we get a better sense of our purpose in life, and we remember our connectedness to Source Consciousness. “No Bad Parts” means that, contrary to the dominant view, human nature is inherently good, loving, compassionate and interconnected. The book contains a number of exercises and examples of sessions. It is a much-needed tool for every person, humanity as a whole, and all life on the planet.