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Internal Tapestry: A Compassionate, Integrative Approach to Parts Work

CE Hours 3 3 Clinical

About this course

Many clients describe feeling as though different parts of themselves are pulling in opposite directions—one part longs for connection while another pushes people away, one seeks change while another fears it. Rather than viewing these experiences as resistance or pathology, clinicians can understand them as adaptive responses that developed to promote safety and survival. This experiential workshop introduces an integrative, parts-informed framework that draws from contemporary trauma theory, attachment research, neuroscience, compassion-focused approaches, and somatic practice. Rather than teaching a single modality, participants will learn how to recognize, understand, and work collaboratively with protective, wounded, and resilient aspects of the self using a flexible, trauma-informed lens. Participants will explore how trauma can contribute to internal conflict, self-criticism, avoidance, emotional flooding, and dissociation, while learning practical strategies to foster curiosity, compassion, and internal integration. Through case examples, experiential exercises, and clinical demonstrations, clinicians will gain interventions that can be integrated into a variety of therapeutic approaches, including traditional talk therapy, EMDR, Brainspotting, and other trauma-focused treatments. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the internal system, increased confidence in working with parts that emerge in therapy, and practical, evidence-informed tools to help clients move from internal conflict toward greater self-awareness, regulation, and healing.

Slide deck and bonus resources included. 

Please note: participants will be watching a recorded video.

Learning Objectives

  • Briefly review history of parts model development beginning with Freud.
  • Identify at least three common types of protective and vulnerable parts that emerge in trauma therapy and describe their adaptive functions.
  • Describe how trauma, attachment experiences, and nervous system activation contribute to the development and interaction of internal parts.
  • Apply at least three practical, parts-informed interventions that promote curiosity, self-compassion, emotional regulation, and internal integration with clients.

Learning Levels

  • Beginner and intermediate, all levels are welcome

Target Audience

All mental health professionals welcome.

Course Instructor(s)

  • Cara Wilkerson, MS, LMFT

    Cara Wilkerson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, Florida, and Texas with over 18 years of experience providing therapy. She graduated Suma Cum Laude, from California State University San Marcos, with a Bachelor degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminology. She completed her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from California Baptist University, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. She specializes in treating complex PTSD, trauma, dissociation, and anxiety.

    Cara is a trauma expert, a Consultant for both Brainspotting and EMDRIA, an EMDRIA specialty trainer, as well as certified in Brainspotting, EMDR, and the Eagala model of equine-assisted psychotherapy. She developed EquiAttune which integrates the Neuroexperiential Model of Brainspotting and the Dual Attunement Frame into equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning sessions.

    Cara has owned and run her own private practice for the last 10 years, and has previous experience working in group practice settings, school settings, non-profits, and working with the drug court of San Bernardino. In addition, Cara is a Clinical Supervisor to associates working toward their licensure.

Disclosure

EngagedMinds Continuing Education, Erena DiGonis, and planners have no financial disclosures or commercial bias or promote commercial interests during CE activities.

References

  • Beresford, D. (2026, June 3). The original parts model. The Psychosynthesis Trust. https://psychosynthesistrust.org.uk/original-parts-model-dolma-beresford/
  • Brenner, E. G., Schwartz, R. C., & Becker, C. (2023). Development of the Internal Family Systems model: Honoring contributions from family systems therapies. Family Process, 62(4), 1290–1306.
  • Burback, L., Forner, C., Winkler, O. K., Al-Shamali, H. F., Ayoub, Y., Paquet, J., & ... (2024). Survival, attachment, and healing: An evolutionary lens on interventions for trauma-related dissociation. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 17, 2403–2431.
  • Caragol, J. A., Johnson, A. R., & Kwan, B. M. (2022). A gratitude intervention to improve clinician stress and professional satisfaction: A pilot and feasibility trial. International journal of psychiatry in medicine, 57(2), 103–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091217420982112
  • Dalky, H. F., Shatnawi, B. A., Dalky, A. F., & Alkhawaldeh, A. (2025). The Relationship Between Self-Compassion, Burnout, and Job Satisfaction among Healthcare Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Study. SAGE open nursing, 11, 23779608251400639. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608251400639
  • Damiani, T., Sharkey, J., Morgan, M., & Mullin, A. (2025). Posttraumatic growth, purpose, and trauma in university survivors of sexual assault. Journal of American College Health, 73(1), 152–160.
  • Durpoix, A., Blay, M., Moog, C., Rolling, J., Weiner, L., Lalanne, L., & Weibel, S. (2026). Clarifying conceptualization of emotional dysregulation: Differences with emotional lability during 4-month DBT skills training - A naturalistic study. Journal of affective disorders, 392, 120199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.120199
  • Fisher, J. (2021). Transforming the living legacy of trauma: A workbook for survivors and therapists. PESI Publishing.
  • Grand, D. (2013). Brainspotting: The revolutionary new therapy for rapid and effective change. Sounds True.
  • Gu, X., Luo, W., Zhao, X., Chen, Y., Zheng, Y., Zhou, J., Zeng, X., Yan, L., Chen, Y., Zhang, X., Lv, J., Lang, Y., Wang, Z., Gao, C., Jiang, Y., & Li, R. (2022). The effects of loving-kindness and compassion meditation on life satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Applied psychology. Health and well-being, 14(3), 1081–1101.
  • Knipe, J. (2019). EMDR toolbox: Theory and treatment of complex PTSD and dissociation (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
  • Mattera, E., & Zaboski, B. (2025). Rethinking the Subjective Units of Distress Scale: Validity and Clinical Utility of the SUDS. Clinics and practice, 15(7), 123. https://doi.org/10.3390/clinpract15070123
  • Montanari, A., Wang, L., Birenboim, A., & Chaix, B. (2024). Urban environment influences on stress, autonomic reactivity and circadian rhythm: protocol for an ambulatory study of mental health and sleep. Frontiers in public health, 12, 1175109. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1175109
  • Nation, T., Franklin, R., Cox, C., & Maurer, E. (2025). An ecology of resilience: A nature-informed pilot curriculum for improving stress management in college students. Journal of American College Health, 73(8), 3282–3289.
  • Nixon, M. (2024). Exploring women’s experiences of healing from sexual trauma through engagement in mind–body practices: A systematic review. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 24, 884–896.
  • Rothwell-Blake, G. A. A., Stavropoulos, D., & Kotera, Y. (2025). Suggesting Internal Family Systems-informed eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing as a treatment for personality structural dissociation. Discover Psychology, 5, Article 17.
  • Schwartz, R. C. (1995). Internal family systems therapy. Guilford Press.
  • Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2021). Internal family systems therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
  • Soliman, O. M., Messer, M., Skvarc, D., Moffitt, R. L., & Linardon, J. (2025). Exploring the role of mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance during delivery of a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy app for recurrent binge eating. Eating disorders, 1–23. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2025.2602455
  • Stone, H., & Stone, S. (2007). The basic elements of Voice Dialogue, relationship, and the psychology of selves: Their origins and development. Voice Dialogue International. https://www.voicedialogueinternational.com/pdf/Elements.pdf

CE Process Info

Content

  • Materials
    10 parts
    • Slide Deck
    • Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation Skills Training for Patients and Therapists PDF
    • Window of Tolerance
    • DES- Adult Scale
    • DES: Adolescent Scale
    • DES: Child
    • Dissociative Experiences Scale - II (DES-II)
    • SUDS
    • SUDS 0-10
    • Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF)
  • Recordings
    2 parts
    • Video
    • Audio Only
  • New York State Education Department's State Board for SW (NYSED SW)

    EngagedMinds Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0676.

  • Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

    EngagedMinds Continuing Education, #1858, formerly Erena DiGonis, LCSW, PLLC, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/25/2024-8/25/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 continuing education credits.

  • National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

    EngagedMinds Continuing Education has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7455. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. EngagedMinds Continuing Education is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for LMHC (NYSED LMHC)

    EngagedMinds Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0284.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners (NYSED LMFT)

    EngagedMinds Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0117.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology (NYSED PSY)

    Erena DiGonis, LCSW, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0270.

  • California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)

    EngagedMinds Continuing Education is hereby recognized as a CAMFT-approved Continuing Education Provider. Provider number: 1032895

Internal Tapestry: A Compassionate, Integrative Approach to Parts Work
You Have Completed This course
$55
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    3
  • Type
    Self-Paced
  • Publication Date
    Oct 14th, 2026

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