Meet the Hidden Parts of You Through Therapy

Published in Reflections | Depth-Oriented Therapy

Most people carry parts of themselves they wish didn’t exist — parts that feel too needy, too angry, too anxious, or too much. You might try to silence them, bury them, or power through, hoping they’ll eventually disappear. But these parts don’t go away. Instead, they go underground. From there, they quietly shape how you show up in relationships, how you see yourself, and what you believe you deserve. Therapy creates a space to meet these hidden parts with curiosity and care, so they no longer have to stay in the dark.

How These Parts Form

Often, we form these disowned parts in response to early relational pain. Maybe when you were vulnerable, no one offered comfort. Maybe your anger led to disconnection. Or maybe others shamed or ignored your joy and confidence. Over time, you learned which parts felt acceptable and which you needed to hide to stay safe.

So now, the parts of you that long for closeness might feel “needy.” The parts that speak up might feel “too much.” The parts that want to be seen might trigger shame.

It makes sense. These parts took shape through survival—not brokenness.

The Problem with Pushing Them Away

When you reject these parts, you disconnect from pieces of your own experience. Even though you try to hide them, they often shape your behavior. They can show up as:

Harsh self-criticism
Difficulty trusting others
Emotional shutdown or withdrawal
Sabotaging relationships or opportunities

You might think: “If I could just get rid of this part of me, everything would be better.” But healing doesn’t come from exile. It comes from integration.

What This Looks Like in Therapy

In our work together, we slow down. We take time to explore the parts of you that have become suppressed, rejected, or disowned along the way. Not to fix them, but to understand their story and their role. We explore questions like:

When did this part first show up?
What is it trying to protect you from?
What does it need now that it didn’t get then?

As a result, something powerful can happen: these parts soften. They begin to trust. And over time, they often transform.

This Work Isn’t About Perfection — It’s About Wholeness

This work isn’t about becoming a “better” version of yourself by eliminating discomfort. It’s about becoming more whole — allowing yourself to be seen with honesty and compassion.

In therapy, I often witness how powerful it can be to turn toward those tender, protective parts and say: “You’ve done the best you could with what you had. You don’t have to keep carrying this alone.”

A Path Toward Wholeness

If you’re ready to stop abandoning parts of yourself and begin meeting those hidden parts with compassion, therapy can offer a steady space to begin.

Whether you’re curious about a one-time session or ready to explore deeper work together, this path supports the full complexity of who you are.

The Realign Intensive™

A 90-minute session to reconnect with your internal world and gain meaningful clarity

Ongoing Therapy

A depth-oriented space to tend to your full, complex self over time

— Sunny, LCSW

Supportive Therapy