Ego-state therapy
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Ego state therapy is a parts-based psychodynamic approach to treat various behavioural and cognitive problems within a person. It uses techniques that are common in group and family therapy, but with an individual patient, to resolve conflicts that manifest in a "family of self" within a single individual.
The concept of segmentation of personality has been around for many years, and that of ego states was highlighted by the psychoanalyst Paul Federn. The creation of ego-state therapy is attributed to John G. Watkins, an analysand of Edoardo Weiss who was himself analysed by Federn.[1] The first research on the efficacy of Ego state therapy was conducted by Gordon Emmerson. Emmerson conducted his research[2] during a sabbatical from Victoria University. In this research he showed that the therapy could reduce menstrual migraines 5-fold in just 4 weekly sessions. It further indicated that Ego state therapy could not only reduce the occurrence to menstrual migraine, but participants also showed a significant reduction in both Anger and Depression on the MMPI-2. This quasi-experimental study was the only causal study included in the Watkins, book, Ego States: Theory and Therapy.[3]
Ego states
Distinct ego states—in the most rigorous sense—do not normally develop except in cases of dissociative identity disorder. However, Ego state therapy identifies and names facets of a patient's personality, e.g., the "frightened child" or "control freak". After the characteristics and function of each ego state are identified, the therapist uses various psychotherapeutic techniques (e.g. behavioral, cognitive, analytic, or humanistic therapies) to achieve a kind of integration or internal diplomacy.[4] Ego state therapy may use hypnosis, but is not necessarily required to do so, employing conversational technique instead.[5]