Parts work and dissociation therapy in Colorado Springs, for when you feel far away from yourself.

"Part of me knows I'm safe. Part of me is braced for impact." Most people talk this way without thinking about it. Parts work takes that language seriously.

The idea is simple. Hard experiences can leave behind protective sides of us that each have a job: the perfectionist who keeps you ahead of criticism, the numb part that shuts things down when feelings get too big, the younger part still waiting for someone to notice. They aren't problems to get rid of. They're parts that took over when they had to.

If you've heard of Internal Family Systems (IFS), parts work draws on similar ideas. We get curious about these parts instead of fighting them.

Slow is the fast way here.

With dissociation, going too fast backfires. So we build steadiness first: noticing when you start to drift, finding what brings you back, and getting to know the parts that show up in session. Nobody gets pushed into memories before there's enough ground to stand on.

When you're ready, parts work often pairs with EMDR. Your protective parts get a say in the pace, which tends to make the processing gentler and the results hold.

Who you'd work with

Katie Fortunato, LPC, EMDR-T focuses on dissociation, parts work, and EMDR. It's the center of her practice. She sees adults in person in Colorado Springs and online anywhere in Colorado. If your history includes a lot of trauma, our trauma therapy page covers the bigger picture.