Meeting My Doubting Part.
In my IFS somatic practice yesterday, I sat with several physical sensations—a bracing neck, cold feet, and a headache. As I continued my attention inward, I re-encountered a Doubting Part that has been with me for about a year or two. This part is skeptical and doubting whether I truly honor, accept, and value it. I welcomed it fully and let it doubt and be skeptical of my care and concern, which led to an immediate jerk in my gut and a bracing/tightening in my neck.
Understanding Its Protective Intent
As I spent time with it, I learned it was carrying a heavy history of emotional abandonment and was trying to protect me from future hurt or shame. It was acting like a “screen” or a “wall,” staying suspicious to ensure I don’t get blindsided and hurt. But when I asked my doubting part what it would rather be doing if it wasn’t doubting, it said it would rather be an open window; it would rather let the belief flow through it. It would rather receive love, honor, and believe in my care than continue resisting.
Some Unburdening
I ended the session with an unburdening process, visualizing the doubt as gray-type enlarged golf balls being thrown into a river that was near my childhood home. While these parts, my doubting part and bracing neck, aren’t quite ready to let go of their roles, they have calmed a little and there is a new sense of ease in my body and inner system. This session reminded me of the importance of being patient, curious, and present to my parts; even my most skeptical parts have my own selfcare—as they understand it—in mind, and by honoring this part’s doubt, I created space for it to move more toward trust and vulnerability.
These posts are personal reflections on my own n=1 experiment with IFS and somatic inquiry. They are shared for educational purposes and are not intended as medical or psychological advice.