Mapping and tracking your parts

I’m sharing an idea of how you can try to map and track your parts since quite a few of my clients asked me about this. There are some apps in the making to do this, but some of them are relatively costly and others still in development.

This is just a way I’ve done it myself – it may work or not work for you! I do recommend giving this or another way of tracking your parts a try. In my personal experience, a system like this enables a shift from “OMG there’s so many parts, it never ends!” to “oh, what came up earlier today is actually the same part I noticed last week, let me add that information to it.” Over a period of a few weeks, I found that my board of notes became a progressively coherent reflection of my inner system.

Instructions

1. Create a Google Keep account or simply go to Google Keep if you’re an existing Google user.

2. Create a Note per part with the following suggested elements (use those that fit for you):

• intention for me

• needs

• behaviours

• triggers

• where in / around body is it + sensations

• connections to other parts (e.g. whom it’s protecting or protected by)

• story/ origin

You can add emoticons and images to each Note to make the parts more visual.

Note that to start with, you can either sit down & try to map your system (i.e. describe as many parts as feels right in one or more sittings) OR create the parts Notes when your parts are actually up during your day and/or after a therapy session.

3. Update the parts mapping on a regular basis, whether as your parts come up and or after therapy sessions. I consider doing this a way of keeping in contact with your parts, which is very helpful to build trust between you and them!

I would really love to hear if this works or doesn’t for you, and how, if you’re willing to share!

Note that this system or idea is not intended as a replacement for any existing or potential professional therapeutic process.