If you have spent time with us at the Australia Resource Therapy Institute, you will have noticed something distinctive in our Instagram and socials.
We talk about parts.
We use a ship.
And yes, we use animals.
Not because therapy needs to be playful.
Because parts need to feel safe.
And because the human brain understands images far faster than abstraction.
When we are working with trauma, attachment wounds, shame, or defensive patterns, clarity matters. But safety matters more.
Parts respond to both.
Work Directly With Parts – With Precision
If you are a psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor, or therapist wanting greater clarity and confidence in parts work, our 2026 Clinical Resource Therapy Training provides structured, direct intervention skills grounded in trauma-informed practice.
Explore the 2026 Clinical Training
Parts Are Natural, Not Pathological
Every human being has parts.
A confident part.
A protective part.
A fearful part.
A disappointed part.
A part that avoids.
A part that pushes relentlessly.
Parts are not dysfunction. They are organisation.
Personality is not a single, seamless entity. It is a dynamic system of parts shaped by experience.
Some parts carry wounds.
Some parts carry strength.
Some parts developed strategies that once protected us and now misfire.
In Resource Therapy, we work directly with parts. Not symbolically. Not metaphorically. Directly.
But clients rarely integrate through terminology alone.
They integrate when they can see what is happening inside.
Why A Ship?
Because a ship makes internal organization visible.
On a ship:
Only one part steers at a time.
Some parts are active on deck.
Some parts remain below deck holding deeper fear or rejection.
The Captain of the Moment represents the part best suited to lead.
When someone says, “A part of me took the wheel,” something shifts.
Shame softens.
The person is no longer the problem.
A part is active.
That separation is not distancing. It is differentiation.
And differentiation is therapeutic.
The ship is not decoration.
It is clinical scaffolding for precise parts work.
Why Animals?
Because parts feel safer when symbolized.
It is easier to say, “An angry protective part jumped on deck,”
than to say, “I am out of control again.”
Animal imagery:
Creates gentle distance without dissociation.
Reduces defensiveness.
Invites curiosity.
Engages imaginal and emotional processing networks.
Supports trauma-informed engagement.
Neuroscience tells us that imagery activates emotional memory networks more readily than abstract explanation. When working with parts organised around trauma, this matters.
Parts relax when they are seen without judgement.
Animals allow that.
This is not childish.
It is neurologically intelligent.
Why Australian And New Zealand Animals?
Because parts exist within context.
We live and teach on Australian and New Zealand land. The koala, kangaroo, emu, kiwi, and dolphin are not generic mascots. They reflect resilience and vulnerability.
Many of these species face environmental threat.
By integrating them into our teaching, we quietly reinforce a broader ethic.
Protection matters.
Protection of vulnerable parts.
Protection of people.
Protection of wildlife and land.
We do not appropriate sacred cultural symbols.
We acknowledge Country.
We approach imagery with care.
We also showcase other animals worldwide.
How we treat our inner parts reflects how we treat the outer world.
With respect.
With stewardship.
With responsibility.
What Happens In The Room
When a client says, “A protective part stepped in,” fusion reduces.
When a couple can identify which parts are interacting, blame decreases.
When a therapist can map which parts are on deck and which parts are below deck, intervention becomes precise.
Protective parts feel understood rather than attacked.
Wounded parts feel safer to emerge.
Conflicted parts become clearer.
The ship and animal crew are tools.
They reduce shame.
They increase differentiation.
They support integration.
They make parts work visible.
That is why we use the ship.
That is why we use the crew.
Our Commitment
At Australia Resource Therapy Institute, we are developing structured ways to contribute to wildlife and environmental protection initiatives aligned with our values.
As our community grows, so will our commitment to giving back.
Because healing parts should ripple outward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Ship Metaphor In Parts Therapy?
The ship metaphor in Resource Therapy is a visual framework that represents how different parts of the personality take control at different times. It reduces shame, increases differentiation, and supports trauma-informed parts work.
Why Use Animal Imagery In Trauma-Informed Parts Work?
Animal imagery helps clients observe their parts without judgement, lowers defensiveness, and engages imaginal processing that supports emotional integration.
What About Other Parts Therapies like Internal Family Systems?
Many clinicians are familiar with Internal Family Systems and other parts-work approaches.
Resource Therapy also works directly with parts, but with a distinct diagnostic structure and clear intervention pathways.
Resource Therapy does not rely solely on dialogue. Instead, it maps parts precisely. It intervenes directly with the part that is steering in the moment.
Resource Therapy is increasingly recognised as a structured parts-based model grounded in trauma-informed neuroscience.
This Is Not Branding
It aligns with our values, and it is:
Clinical clarity.
Shame reduction.
Trauma-informed pedagogy. Attachment awareness.
Ethical environmental alignment.
Distinct positioning in the parts therapy field.
And it all rests on one word:
Parts.