When working in healthcare for any period of time, you can probably recognise moments when a part of you is saying, “Just get through this shift, you will be ok,” while another part is saying, “I’m exhausted.” Then another group of internal parts gather, making lists of all the things you have to do, people you haven’t spoken to for a while, what the weather is doing, what you are going to eat later on, and whether you need to do some shopping before you go home. Sometimes it can feel as if we are carrying a whole team of people inside us.
There are therapeutic approaches, including Resource Therapy and other parts-based models, that suggest we are made up of different parts of ourselves, each with its own role and purpose (think of it as wearing different hats, but deeper). There are no bad parts, as they are all there for the same reason: to look after us and to keep us safe. But sometimes a part, or parts, can do things in ways that are not as helpful to us. Ideally, we strive for all of our parts to know each other and work together, so that the right part is in the driver’s seat for whatever trip we’re on (whatever we are doing in life at that moment).
In healthcare, we tend to have certain parts that are a bit louder than others. We may have the helper, who will stay back, finish some work, as they don’t want to let others down. The protector, who will stay calm during a crisis and get things done. The perfectionist, who looks over things twice, to be absolutely, without a doubt, sure. The achiever, who will do an extra shift because the team is short-staffed, and it is a long weekend. And let’s not forget the carer, who will leave a chocolate on a colleague’s desk because they know the colleague has had a tough week.
These parts are amazingly skilled, as they help our workplaces function and keep the healthcare system moving, especially in rural and remote settings where resources can be stretched. We also have parts of us that seem to appear out of nowhere, which we did not know were present before. But this can come at a cost for us.
If certain parts of us spend too long in the driver’s seat without rest, or start to take over other parts’ roles, we can get into trouble and experience it as stress, illness, or burnout. The parts that were once really helpful to us, such as those that laugh, grieve, ask for help, or relax, will take a back seat and not want to come forward.
Research into stress and trauma reminds us that our nervous system works best when we can move between calm and activated states. Some Australian studies have shown that rural and remote healthcare workers do best when they spend time with their resilient and optimistic parts rather than their stressed or burnout parts, and I suppose this is no surprise. So how can we keep a check on our parts to ensure that they are all doing ok?
For a start, when we become curious about our parts rather than critical of them, they will want to talk to you more about what is going on. Maybe you could ask: which part of me is here right now? What is this part’s role, or what are they trying to protect me from? What would happen if they were not there? What do they need right now? Remember, there are no bad parts. They all have good intentions, even if their delivery is not great. We don’t want to get rid of them. We want to thank them for what they are trying to do and remind them that they are not alone, that we have other parts that can help. Then maybe ask those other parts of you to gather around and just notice what happens next?
You can also reflect at the end of a shift, asking yourself questions such as: Which part of me has been front and centre most of today? What was it trying to do for me? Does it need to be here now? What does it need now to rest and recuperate? Do they need to be there for my next shift? What part of me do I need here now?
Just noticing what parts are around is the first step towards balance. The aim is to help all your parts to work together, so that the parts of you that show up the most when you go to work don’t get burned out. That all your parts know who is around and what they can all do, so that they can call on them anytime.
If you are interested in Parts therapies, have a look at Gordon Emmerson (Resource Therapy) or Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems) or watch the Disney·Pixar movies Inside Out or Inside Out 2. They will give you some good insights into parts.
We often talk about working as a team in rural and remote healthcare and how best to do this. Maybe we could start reflecting on our own inner team and making sure their needs are met. As the wise always say, “There is no ‘I’ in TEAM. Together Everyone Achieves More.” Not one part or person needs to carry the whole load.
Stay brave, curious, and kind,
MC Mandile (she/her)
Senior Psychologist, Mental Health & Wellbeing Service
