Parts and Self-State Responses in EMDR Preparation
Clinicians working from different therapeutic approaches may use different language for internal experiences that feel distinct from one another. In ego state therapy, clinicians may describe these experiences in terms of self-states, while Internal Family Systems (IFS) uses the language of parts. Because these concepts come from different therapeutic models, they are not technically interchangeable, but both may become relevant to what a clinician observes during EMDR preparation. Throughout this article, I’ll use parts when referring specifically to IFS language, self-states when referring to ego state concepts, and parts or self-states when the clinical observation may be understood from either approach.
When I refer to internal cooperation, I’m describing how these parts or self-states relate to one another during preparation. For example, can different internal perspectives be recognized and discussed, or does one response strongly oppose another? Can protective concerns be expressed while the client remains present, and can the client continue accessing grounding or other preparation resources when internal conflict increases?
These questions often become more visible as EMDR preparation progresses. A client may report that one part wants to begin trauma processing while another part strongly objects, or a clinician working from an ego state perspective may notice a shift in self-state as trauma-related material becomes more active. Another client may access a resource successfully and then experience a different internal response that does not trust the resource or no longer has the same access to it.
The presence of parts or self-states does not by itself indicate clinically significant dissociation. People can experience different internal perspectives or states while maintaining continuity of awareness, memory, and present orientation. During EMDR preparation, the clinician can assess how these experiences function and whether they affect internal cooperation, resource access, dual attention, pacing, or other capacities the client may need during trauma processing.
For example, a client may notice a protective part that does not trust a peaceful place exercise while remaining fully aware of the internal disagreement and able to discuss it with the therapist. Another client may shift into a different self-state and have difficulty recalling what was discussed, staying connected with the therapist, or accessing a grounding strategy that was available a few minutes earlier. Those presentations raise different clinical questions even though both involve changes in internal experience.
What Should Clinicians Assess When Parts or Self-States Emerge?
When parts or self-state responses appear during preparation, clinicians can assess how the client functions as those responses become active. This includes observing changes in awareness, communication among internal perspectives, present orientation, access to resources, and the ability to remain engaged with the therapist. These observations can help identify which preparation capacities are available and which may need further development before reprocessing.
A client may describe internal conflict directly, while another may notice a sudden change in emotion, body sensation, perspective, or willingness to continue. In other situations, the clinician may first notice that a resource becomes unavailable or that the client's connection with the present changes as the discussion moves closer to trauma processing.
Looking at what accompanies the shift helps clarify what needs further assessment:
If different parts or self-states are present and can communicate or participate in preparation → Assess whether internal cooperation and access to preparation resources remain available as activation changes.
If a protective part or self-state becomes more active when trauma processing is discussed → Explore the concern and what the response may be attempting to prevent before proceeding toward reprocessing.
If grounding or resource access changes substantially when different parts or self-states are present → Assess whether those preparation capacities remain accessible when activation increases.
If self-state shifts occur with memory gaps, reduced awareness, or difficulty remaining oriented → Consider whether further dissociation assessment and additional preparation are indicated.
If internal conflict increases when the client approaches trauma-related material → Assess how the interaction among parts or self-states affects present orientation, dual attention, pacing, and readiness before proceeding
Parts, Self-States, and Dissociation in EMDR Preparation
Experiencing different internal perspectives does not necessarily indicate clinically significant dissociation. People can experience different emotions, roles, coping responses, or internal perspectives while maintaining continuity of awareness and memory. Closer assessment may be indicated when shifts are associated with gaps in awareness or memory, reduced control, pronounced discontinuity, or difficulty with communication and cooperation among internal states.
For example, a client may describe a protective part that strongly objects to approaching a memory while remaining fully oriented and aware of the internal conflict. Another client may shift states and subsequently have limited awareness of what occurred during the shift. Those observations raise different clinical questions even though both clients may use parts language to describe their experiences.
When state shifts occur alongside memory disruption, depersonalization, derealization, loss of time, or difficulty maintaining present orientation, Assessing Dissociation Before EMDR Trauma Processing reviews dissociation assessment in greater depth. That assessment can help clarify whether the responses appearing during preparation are part of a broader dissociative pattern. The clinician can then consider how the identified pattern needs to inform preparation and readiness.
Assessing Internal Cooperation Before EMDR Reprocessing
Internal cooperation among parts and self states can become especially relevant when trauma processing is being considered. A client may consciously want to begin reprocessing while simultaneously experiencing fear, avoidance, anger, or another internal response that strongly opposes approaching the memory. Exploring that response can provide information about concerns that have not yet been addressed during preparation.
For example, a client might say, "Part of me knows I'm ready, but another part keeps telling me this is dangerous." The clinician can explore what feels dangerous, what the protective response expects will happen, and whether the client can remain oriented while noticing both perspectives. The discussion can also clarify whether the concern is specific to a particular target, to trauma processing more generally, or to what the client expects will happen if the protective response becomes less active.
Clinicians can observe whether protective reactions can be discussed without substantial escalation or disconnection. Internal disagreement about trauma processing may indicate that additional preparation is needed before reprocessing begins. When a protective part or self-state remains strongly opposed to processing, it may interrupt reprocessing, restrict access to traumatic material, or shift the client away from the state that initially agreed to proceed. Preparation can therefore include identifying protective concerns, supporting communication among parts or self-states, and developing sufficient internal cooperation before moving into reprocessing.
The Dissociation Pattern Tracker & Clinical Guide can help clinicians organize these observations across sessions. It distinguishes intrusion, disconnection, and parts or self-state patterns and includes observations related to memory continuity, awareness, internal conflict, orientation, and cooperation. Tracking these responses over time can help clarify whether a parts or self-state response is occurring within otherwise stable preparation or alongside dissociative difficulties that need further assessment.
→ Dissociation Pattern Tracker & Clinical Guide
When Parts or Self-States Affect Access to EMDR Resources
Resource access can provide additional information about how parts and self-states are functioning during preparation. A client may initially develop a peaceful place or another resource without difficulty and later report that a different internal perspective does not feel safe there. Another client may access a nurturing or protective resource during low activation but lose access to it when trauma-related material becomes more immediate.
The clinician can explore these responses without treating the preparation exercise as either successful or unsuccessful. We can ask what changed when the resource became difficult to access, whether another internal perspective became more active, and whether the client remained connected with the present. The answers may point toward an internal concern, increased activation, a dissociative shift, or another reason the resource is not consistently available.
A resource that is available during a calm conversation may function differently when the client becomes distressed or approaches a trauma memory. Preparation gives us opportunities to observe whether grounding, orientation, or other stabilization strategies remain accessible under different levels of activation. Changes in access can help identify which preparation capacities need additional attention.
Some protective responses may also have concerns about the resource itself. A peaceful place may not feel safe or believable to every internal perspective, a nurturing resource may activate attachment-related concerns, or imagery intended to increase a sense of safety may create discomfort. Exploring that response gives the clinician information that can be used to adapt preparation instead of repeatedly asking the client to use a strategy that continues to produce difficulty.
Parts, Self-States, and Dual Attention in EMDR
Dual attention involves maintaining enough awareness of both trauma-related material and the current environment for the client to remain connected with the present while approaching past experience. Parts or self-state responses become relevant to dual attention when shifts in internal experience interfere with that capacity. The clinician can observe whether the client continues to recognize where they are, communicate what is happening internally, and respond to present-focused prompts.
A client may notice a part becoming frightened while still knowing that they are sitting in the therapist's office. Another client may shift into an internal state and become less aware of the therapist, room, body, or passage of time. These presentations call for different preparation decisions even though both clients may describe what happened using parts language.
Clinicians can look at how quickly the client recognizes a shift, whether they can communicate it, what helps them reconnect with the present, and whether that connection remains available when attention returns to activating material. Repeated loss of orientation or difficulty returning to the present may indicate that dual-attention capacity needs additional development. These observations also help distinguish internal conflict that occurs with intact present awareness from self-state shifts accompanied by greater dissociative disconnection.
Dual Attention in EMDR: How to Assess It Before and During Trauma Processing provides a more detailed discussion of what clinicians can observe when evaluating present orientation before and during reprocessing. Assessing dual attention can be especially useful when self-state responses appear to affect the client’s ability to remain connected with the current environment while trauma-related material is active. If the client has difficulty maintaining awareness of both the traumatic material and the present, additional preparation may be needed to strengthen dual attention before reprocessing.
Deciding What Needs More Preparation
Once clinicians recognize a parts or self-state pattern, the next question is which preparation capacities need further development. Parts-based activation can occur alongside difficulties with emotional regulation, distress tolerance, dual attention, dissociation, or between-session stability. Identifying the affected capacity gives the clinician a clearer basis for deciding what to address next.
For example, internal conflict may increase emotional activation while the client remains fully oriented. Another client may regulate emotion adequately but lose connection with the present when a particular self-state becomes active. A third client may function well during the session but experience substantial internal conflict or dissociative symptoms afterward.
These differences can lead to different preparation plans. One client may need additional work with emotional regulation, while another may need greater attention to present orientation or recognition of early dissociative signals. A client whose primary difficulty involves internal conflict may need more attention to communication and cooperation among internal perspectives before approaching a particular target.
The EMDR Preparation Capacity Assessment & Stabilization Planning Tool organizes preparation across emotional regulation, distress tolerance, dual attention, dissociation, between-session stability, treatment understanding, and clinical stability. It helps clinicians connect what they are observing during preparation with the capacity that may need further development. The planning process can then focus on the identified area instead of adding preparation techniques without a clear clinical purpose.
→ EMDR Preparation Capacity Assessment & Stabilization Planning Tool
When Parts-Informed Preparation Changes Pacing
A client's response can differ across targets and across stages of treatment. A client may be able to approach one memory while remaining oriented and internally cooperative but experience a substantially different response when another memory is considered. Those differences can be incorporated into decisions about pacing and preparation.
Protective responses can provide additional information during this process. If internal conflict intensifies when a particular target is discussed, the clinician can explore the concern and observe whether the client retains access to present orientation and stabilization strategies. The response may indicate that the client needs additional preparation before approaching that target.
Pacing can also be adjusted when the client can approach trauma material but has difficulty maintaining internal cooperation among parts and self states as activation increases. Depending on the presentation and the clinician's training, preparation might include attention to internal communication, protective concerns, present orientation, or shorter periods of contact with activating material. The clinician can then observe whether those adaptations change what happens when the client approaches the material again.
Internal disagreement among parts and self states does not create a universal rule about when reprocessing should begin. Clinicians can consider the intensity of the response, continuity of awareness, ability to return to the present, and whether internal concerns can be explored without substantial destabilization. Readiness can be reassessed as those capacities develop and as different targets are considered.
Bringing Dissociation and Preparation Decisions Together
Parts and self-state responses sometimes occur within a broader dissociative presentation. In those cases, clinicians may need to consider how internal cooperation interacts with memory continuity, present orientation, emotional regulation, body awareness, and other aspects of preparation. Looking across these areas can help identify which observations need further assessment and which preparation capacities need additional attention.
The Dissociation-Informed EMDR Preparation: Clinical Decision Toolkit brings these areas into a broader treatment-planning process. The toolkit includes the Dissociation Pattern Tracker & Clinical Guide, along with additional tools for connecting dissociative patterns with preparation capacity, stabilization planning, pacing, and readiness considerations. It can be useful after the clinician has identified the pattern and needs to determine how those observations should inform the larger preparation plan.
This is a broader step than tracking the parts or self-state response itself. The clinician is integrating what has been learned about dissociation with the client's other preparation capacities and deciding how preparation should proceed. That distinction keeps the toolkit from becoming a competing assessment decision when the immediate clinical question can be addressed with the Pattern Tracker or Capacity Assessment.
→ Dissociation-Informed EMDR Preparation: Clinical Decision Toolkit
Developing Clinical Judgment About Parts and Readiness
Parts language alone does not tell the clinician whether a client is ready for EMDR reprocessing. Internal conflict, difficulty with a resource, or a noticeable state shift also needs to be understood within the client's broader presentation. Clinicians can integrate what they observe about cooperation, continuity of awareness, present orientation, resource access, emotional regulation, and the client's response as trauma material becomes more active.
It can also be useful to distinguish the presence of an internal protective response from the client's capacity to work with that response. A client may continue to experience fear or internal disagreement while remaining able to recognize it, communicate about it, and stay oriented to the present. Another client may experience a similar concern alongside substantial dissociation or loss of awareness, which may indicate a need for further assessment and preparation.
When the presentation extends beyond the clinician's training or experience, consultation, additional education, or referral may be appropriate. Parts-informed work can draw from several therapeutic approaches, and clinicians should remain within the scope of their training when incorporating those approaches into EMDR preparation. Assessment can remain focused on what the observed responses tell the clinician about the client's current preparation capacities and readiness for trauma processing.
For clinicians who want a more detailed review of dissociation assessment, stabilization, dual attention, preparation strategies, and readiness decisions, the EMDR Phase 2: Preparation, Stabilization, and Readiness for Trauma Processing course covers these areas in greater depth. The course provides 4 CE credits through Cannon Psychology, an APA-approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists, and 4 EMDRIA credits. It is designed as supplemental continuing education for licensed mental health professionals who have completed or are completing formal EMDR training.
→ EMDR Phase 2: Preparation, Stabilization, and Readiness for Trauma Processing
EMDR Preparation and Stabilization Resources
Parts and self-state responses are one of several clinical issues that can affect Phase 2. Clinicians may also need additional information about dissociation assessment, dual attention, emotional regulation, between-session stability, readiness, or adaptations when a preparation strategy is not working as expected. Those questions can be addressed individually as they emerge during treatment.
The EMDR Preparation & Stabilization Hub brings together articles and clinical resources related to Phase 2 preparation and readiness. Clinicians can use the hub when the question arising in treatment extends beyond parts or self-state responses or when another preparation capacity needs closer attention. It also provides a central location for the related educational material referenced throughout this article.
→ EMDR Preparation & Stabilization Hub
Conclusion
Parts and self-state responses become clinically informative during EMDR preparation when we observe what happens to the client’s capacities as those responses emerge. A client who notices internal disagreement while remaining oriented, communicating about the disagreement, and retaining access to grounding presents differently from a client whose state shifts are accompanied by memory disruption, loss of present awareness, or difficulty returning to the room. Those differences give the clinician information about what may need additional attention before reprocessing.
The same principle applies when protective responses emerge around particular targets or preparation exercises. The clinician can observe whether the client can remain connected with the present, understand the concern being expressed, and continue accessing preparation resources while the response is active. When those capacities become less available, preparation can focus on the area that is creating difficulty and then reassess what changes.
This keeps parts and self-state responses within the larger clinical task of EMDR preparation. The goal is not to determine readiness from the presence or absence of parts language. The clinician is assessing whether protective concerns have been sufficiently addressed, whether internal cooperation supports proceeding with the identified target, and whether the client can maintain the capacities needed as activation increases.
Research References
Leeds, A. M., Madere, J. A., & Coy, D. M. (2022). A guide to the standard EMDR therapy protocols for clinicians, supervisors, and consultants (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
Paulsen, S. L. (1995). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Its cautious use in the dissociative disorder. Dissociation, 8(1), 32–44.
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
