My practice began with individuals and families affected by substance use disorder. That work taught me to look beyond the behavior. Often, substance use is the way someone has learned to cope with something deeper. Parts work allows us to explore that with curiosity rather than judgment—to understand ourselves before asking ourselves to change.

A simple framework I use in my practice is DUD:

Discover — Identify and name what isn’t working—the habits, behaviors, and patterns.

Uncover — Explore what is driving those patterns and begin to understand the different parts of ourselves behind them.

Discard — Let go of the patterns and behaviors that no longer serve us and create space for change.

At the foundation of my work are principles I return to again and again:

Regulation before revelation.
Safety before story.
Compassion before change.
Presence before progress.

I typically begin with a 10-session structure:

Sessions 1–3: Discovering
Sessions 4–8: Uncovering and naming
Sessions 8–10: Discarding what no longer works and creating a path forward