PAC Model: The 5 Parts of Self

On TV and in the movies, any time we hear about our "inner child", it is usually in reference to someone in psychotherapy and followed by some sort of a punchline that pokes fun at the process as a whole. But what if I told you this "inner child" stuff is actually important to our daily health? What if I also told you that getting to know this "inner child", as well as our 4 other parts of self, is an effective gateway to leading a healthy, fulfilling life?

The PAC Model (Parent, Adult, Child) plays an important role in the main type of psychotherapy I utilize as treatment for my clients: Re-decision Therapy. Watch my video below to get the gist of the PAC Model.

Each of our parts interacts with one another, as well as all 5 parts of any person with whom we interact! This is the original idea behind Transactional Analysis (Eric Berne, late 1950's), as we can have any of our 5 parts interacting with or engaging in "transactions" with someone else's 5 parts. Closely related to this concept is Re-decision Therapy, where we get to know our parts, (allowing them to be heard, supported, and given healthy "jobs" to do), so they can operate in harmony with one another as we change our emotional "wiring", which allows us to navigate the world from a place of purposeful decision-making.

I find it helpful to first teach my clients about Negative Core Beliefs and Self-Protecting Behaviors before moving on to learn about our different parts of self. As an example of one of our five parts, below is a video about our Critic, which is often the loudest "voice" for most people:

As you watched that video, did anything pop into your head about what you hear from your critic? Did any of those examples sound familiar to you? If you would like to learn more about this part, download my Journaling Worksheet. I am currently working on subsequent videos on our other 4 parts (Adaptive Child, Free Child, Nurturer, and Adult), but in the meantime, you can download the above journaling worksheets, or visit the blog from one of my colleagues (Dr. Melanie Ernould, Psy.D.).

Do you think Redecision Therapy could be right for you? Visit my website for more information or to book an appointment with me, or read all about the Authentic Leadership Center and their eye-opening quarterly leadership trainings. I have personally participated in the Leading from the Center training (twice!), and it has had an incredible, life-altering impact on my life! I truly believe in the use of the PAC Model and Re-decision Therapy as a means for us to make decisions in our lives that will enhance our daily experience.