Using Ego State Therapy to Heal C-PTSD: “Don’t Mess With Me!”

What are ego states?  As I understand the term, they are those “parts” of our personalities that perform somewhat specialized functions as we go about our days.  For example, when I am motivated to take a problem “by the horns,” give it all my energy, and do whatever it takes to “wrestle the problem to the ground,”  my  Cowboy takes charge, and I can get the job done. I have another ego state that is “Ms.Take Charge and Organize.”  This particular ego state is similar to my Cowboy state, but she isn’t quite as prone to charging full ahead on a task and wrestling the problem to the ground.  She works more thoughtfully, smoothly, and steadily than Cowboy and is more polished and sophisticated.  “Ms. Take Charge and Organize” directed my behavior when I taught school and directs my behavior now when I need her.  When working with  a class…