Multiplicity Tests, Part 2

Now I’m seeing where specific personalities are falling into roles!

I’m SO glad I got this book! It is filling in many gaps that the IFS therapy books are just not explaining… totally clearing up the “why is THIS particular type HERE?”  I’m actually finding that the personalities/aspects that have emerged into my consciousness are completely filling the roles as depicted in Carter’s book. Absolutely right on the button.

The Types/ Aspects/ Personalities…

(IFS Research never looked for these– but they keep popping up and so are getting more mention and study these days! I tend to think its a personal contact point with Higher Self or Holy Spirit/God.)

The Wise Friends : These seem to be mentally healthy and emotionally objective, yet empathic, parts of ourselves that try to gently steer us in the right direction. They are easily drowned out by other, more emotional and reactive sides of us, but if we can open ourselves to them and listen, we can be helped and healed.

- DEFENDERS - (Try to keep us alive & safe.)

The Guardian: Alerts us to danger in real time & place.  ~ Major Ray

The Worrier: Imagines dangers and ruminates endlessly, causing fear.  ~ Mother Jay (internalized mother)

The Pleaser: Tries to keep us on the good side of people by appeasing them. ~ Notorious D.L.G. (Daddy’s Little Girl, who danced around his temper, keeping him too distracted to attack me, emerged with husband later.)

The Fighter: Moves against threats, takes battle to enemy, retaliates first, etc. ~ Bitterwitch/Advocate

- CONTROLLERS - (Try to direct our actions.)

The Driver: Pushy self that keeps us super busy and energized. ~ ? ? ? (Maybe flares sucked it out of me?)

The Organizer: Part that files, grades, shelves, stores, and stacks, etc. ~ Myrna (Who also decorates!)

The Negotiator: Calculates what must be given up to get what we want. ~ ? ? (In IFS, called “the Prostitute” or “the Sell-out”. I know mine is active, I just haven’t parcelled them out from the pack yet.)

- PUNISHERS - (Make us pay if we don’t do as we’re supposed to…)

The Critic: Constantly monitors performance of ourselves or others. ~ Rottenred ~ Auntie Dora (Notice they’re parental figures? ug!)

The Saboteur: The part of you who works against you like an enemy to prevent change. ~ The Pullman

The Bully: Looks for easy victories by picking on other people who are NOT a threat. ~ ? ? ? (Hmmm…)

The Martyr: Also called The Victim in IFS Therapy, sacrifices self for peace and goodwill. ~ Rose the Romantic

- ROLE-PLAYERS - (Step in to make good things happen.)

The Success: Focused on achievement and rewards for doing well. ~ Black Knight? (My Worker self, but I’m too blended to differentiate much yet. More work needs done here.)

The Professional: A perfectionist who embodies the role needed. ~ English Governess? ~ Priestess Self? (My Scholar self and Leader of a Circle self, which I am typically blended with while writing, so hard to pin down.)

The Boss: Developed to take over in certain situations to get things done. ~ The Bull (Who only takes over in emergencies, and whom I’ve just recently met.)

The Clown: To get attention, ease tension, make others happy. ~ ? ? ? (I don’t know of any inner Clowns…)

- RELICS - (Left-overs from our childhood and youth that are no longer needed, but pop up sometimes.)

The Abandoned Child: From memories of being left alone. ~ ??? (Not yet met.)

The Crying/Hurt Child: From memories of being inconsolable. ~ Crybaby/Rain (Recently met.)

The Petulant Teenager: We all had our moody and put-upon episodes. ~ ??? (Not yet met.)

The Depressed Teenager: See also “Goth” or “Emo” who turn living dark into art. ~ Frances ~ Tim ~ Tina

The Stubborn Mule: Just refusing to cooperate when more powerful people try to make you, ~ ???

(Many other possibilities exist for relics/exiles from our youth…)

- CREATIVES - (Maker-parts that get lost in the day-to-day struggles of life who should be out more.)

The Artist/Writer/Dancer: Aspects that take a talent and love for something and run with it. ~ !!! (More later!)

The Dreamer/Fantasy-prone One: Nothing productive done, but sometimes elaborate fantasies take quite a bit of time. (In my case, this is so ubiquitous that I can’t pick it apart from my main persona yet.)

(Addicted selves, crazy-acting selves, overly reactionary selves, etc. Not mentioned in the book, but in IFS therapy this is a category, so I’ll list it anyways. I have yet to address any of mine, but recent events have demonstrated to me how powerful they are when they emerge to the surface!)

Next week: The third and final installment of this mini-series, where the book talks about having dialog and group communication to help all the parts/aspects get along better, and even how to CREATE aspects you’d like to develop into more regular habits and behaviors!