What is Parts-Work?

Parts-Work is a therapeutic approach based on the idea that the mind is naturally made up of distinct “parts,” or sub-personalities, each with their own perspectives, feelings, and intentions. This type of approach is especially helpful when there is inner conflict or contradiction – those moments when part of you wants one thing, and another part of you wants something completely different. It’s also helpful when certain reactions feel big or hard to explain. Parts are separate from the calm, compassionate center of you, which can be called your “observing self.” Your observing self is your anchor; it is capable of witnessing and leading your parts.

To work with your parts, we first have to get to know them. We do this by talking to them directly, or by facilitating communication between parts. Parts communicate through instinct and feeling that comes from your subconscious, so they might not always sound logical. At first, what a part says or does can feel confusing. As we continue to remain curious and ask questions, the part’s feelings and intentions begin to make sense. Once we understand where a part is coming from, we can help it take on a healthier, adaptive role in your life. For example, an anxious part could shift from a constant alarm system into a trusted protector — one that knows when to sound the alarm and when to stand down.

Working with your parts can help you respond to life with more calm, confidence, and clarity. With your observing self guiding, your parts can become supportive allies. It’s not about getting rid of any part—it’s about understanding, caring for, and integrating all parts.

What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a gentle, body-based therapy developed by David Grand, PhD, built on a simple but powerful observation: where you look affects how you feel. When your gaze shifts — left or right, up or down — your inner experience shifts with it.

This approach works by helping your nervous system process what it hasn’t been able to on its own. When difficult experiences don’t get fully resolved, they can leave the nervous system stuck — showing up as anxiety, panic, depression, emotional numbness, chronic pain, exhaustion, digestive issues, restlessness, rage, sleep disruption, or dissociation.

In a session, you’ll be guided to find an eye position that connects with something you’re carrying. As you hold that gaze, you may notice sensations arise in your body — this is your nervous system beginning to process. If it starts to feel like too much, we can use a technique called pendulation: gently moving your attention between a more activated eye position and a neutral one. This rhythmic shift reminds your body that these sensations can rise and fall — and that the intensity will pass.

Brainspotting taps into something your brain already does. Your eyes are constantly moving, not just taking in the world around you, but also scanning your inner world too. You may have noticed how your gaze drifts to a particular spot when you’re deep in thought or searching for a feeling you can’t quite name. Brainspotting draws on that process.

Why Vega?

Vega (n.) — a large plain or valley, typically fertile and grassy.

A vega is expansive, grounded, and life-sustaining. It’s an apt metaphor for what I believe every person carries within them: a steady inner foundation capable of supporting the full range of life’s experiences — the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

But what happens when that foundation feels shaky?

Most of us have been taught to push through discomfort, override our emotions, or criticize ourselves into change. At my practice, I take a different approach. Healing begins not with willpower, but with awareness — learning to listen to what your body and emotions are already trying to tell you. Aches, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and mental exhaustion aren’t signs of weakness. They’re signals. They’re pointing toward something in need of care.

From there, the next essential ingredient is self-compassion. Think of it like tending soil: you can’t plant a seed in dry, depleted earth and expect it to grow. The same is true for us. When we approach our pain — and even the parts of ourselves we’re not proud of — with curiosity and kindness rather than judgment, we create the conditions for real healing. Beneath every difficult behavior is a wound that needs tending.

At Vega Therapy, my goal is to help you cultivate that solid, fertile inner ground — one where you feel resourced, regulated, and able to meet life as it comes. Just as healthy soil requires the right conditions to sustain life, your mind and body have needs that deserve to be identified and met.