Hannah Jane Thornton, CSW: Healing Trauma Through Parts Work and EMDR: A Therapist’s Perspective

Hannah Thornton, CSW

As a therapist, I have started incorporating experiential therapies when working with clients with trauma histories. I’ve found that approaches extending beyond traditional talk therapy help clients process their emotions in a deeper, more embodied way. Two methods that have profoundly shaped my work with trauma survivors are Parts Work and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). 

Both approaches acknowledge that trauma is not just a memory stored in the mind but an experience that lives in the body, emotions, and subconscious beliefs. Through these methods, I’ve witnessed incredible moments of transformation as clients reconnect with wounded parts of themselves, reclaim lost inner resources, and begin to rewrite the narratives that have shaped their lives. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is helping clients heal their inner child. Many people who have experienced childhood neglect or abuse carry fragmented, wounded parts of themselves. The parts that hold pain, fear, or shame and often show up in adulthood through patterns of self-sabotage, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation. 

Through Parts Work, we gently explore these internal experiences with curiosity and compassion. I guide clients to connect with these younger parts, helping them express their unmet needs and rewrite the old, limiting beliefs they carry. The goal is reparentification. This process teaches clients to become the nurturing, protective, and loving presence their younger selves needed. 

I’ve seen firsthand how powerful this process can be. One client, for example, struggled with deep self-criticism and perfectionism. Through inner child work, she met a younger version of herself who had learned that love was conditional and only granted when she was “good enough.” By working with this part, validating her pain, and offering her the warmth and reassurance she never received, she began to develop self-compassion and a new way of relating to herself. 

While inner child work helps clients connect with their emotional wounds, EMDR allows them to process trauma on a deeper, neurobiological level. Trauma can leave people feeling stuck—trapped in past experiences that continue to trigger distress in the present. EMDR helps unstick these memories, allowing the brain to reprocess them in a way that no longer feels overwhelming. 

Using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping), clients revisit traumatic memories while staying grounded in the present. Over time, these memories lose their intensity, and clients begin to integrate new, adaptive beliefs about themselves. 

One of the most beautiful aspects of EMDR is how it empowers clients. Unlike traditional talk therapy, where insight alone doesn’t always create change, EMDR allows clients to actually feel the shift in their bodies. Many describe a sense of lightness, clarity, or even relief as they reprocess painful experiences and reclaim a sense of safety.

Parts Work and EMDR complement each other beautifully. Often, I integrate the two by using inner child work to identify specific memories or emotional themes before engaging in EMDR to reprocess them. By combining these methods, clients not only understand their wounds but also experience healing in a visceral, embodied way. 

Seeing clients transform through these approaches is why I love this work. Healing from trauma isn’t just about managing symptoms—it’s about reclaiming a sense of wholeness, safety, and self-love. Whether through reconnecting with an inner child or releasing the weight of traumatic memories, I am honored to walk alongside my clients as they rediscover their strength and resilience. 

For those who are curious about these methods, I encourage you to explore them with a trained therapist. Healing is possible, and your inner child deserves the love and care they may have never received. 

Written by: Hannah Jane Thornton, CSW