Exploring the Overlap Between Berne’s Parent-Adult-Child Model and Our Parts
When we think about what makes us “us,” it’s easy to imagine a unified self—a single, cohesive personality with a consistent voice and perspective. But psychological and therapeutic models have long suggested that our inner world is far more complex and modular. Eric Berne’s Parent-Adult-Child (PAC) model, the concepts of the Inner Child and Inner Critic, and the idea of internal parts (as explored in Internal Family Systems, or IFS) all point toward a powerful truth: our personality is made up of multiple inner voices or parts, each with their own roles, functions, and emotional histories.
Let’s explore how these models overlap, and what they tell us about our inner world—especially in the context of trauma.
Berne’s Parent-Adult-Child Model
Eric Berne, founder of Transactional Analysis, proposed that we operate from three ego states:
• Parent: The internalized voice of authority—our caregivers, culture, society. It can be nurturing or critical.
• Adult: Our rational, here-and-now self. Grounded, thoughtful, and balanced.
• Child: The emotional, reactive part of us that holds both joy and vulnerability. It includes the Free Child (playful, spontaneous) and the Adapted Child (compliant, fearful, or rebellious in response to authority).
Each of these states can dominate in different situations, shaping our thoughts, emotions, and interactions.
Inner Child and Inner Critic: Echoes of the PAC Model
The Inner Child mirrors Berne’s Child ego state. This part carries our early emotional experiences—both the innocent joy and the wounds of unmet needs, shame, and fear. In trauma therapy, working with the inner child often involves reparenting and meeting needs that weren’t adequately met in childhood.
The Inner Critic reflects the more rigid or punitive aspects of the Parent ego state—those harsh internalized voices that tell us we’re not good enough, that we shouldn’t speak up, that we must work harder to be lovable. It often mimics the tone of early caregivers or cultural messages we’ve absorbed.
When left unchecked, the Inner Critic can dominate the psyche, overwhelming the Inner Child with shame, fear, and judgment—leaving little room for the Adult voice to moderate and soothe.
The Modular Self: Trauma and the Separation of Parts
Modern psychology increasingly recognizes the modular nature of personality. Instead of a single unified self, we have parts—distinct subpersonalities that arise in response to different contexts or emotional states. This is especially apparent in models like Internal Family Systems (IFS), which views the mind as an internal system of parts, including:
• Exiles (often wounded inner children),
• Managers (like inner critics or perfectionists),
• Firefighters (parts that try to distract or numb pain), and
• The Self—a core state of calm, curiosity, and compassion.
Trauma can intensify this internal modularity. When an experience is overwhelming, parts of us may fragment or "split off" to protect the core self. These parts can become more isolated, rigid in their roles, and emotionally extreme. For instance:
• A part may take on the role of protector, constantly vigilant and anxious.
• Another may act as a people-pleaser to avoid conflict.
• A wounded part might feel stuck in childhood, reliving fear or abandonment.
This dynamic resonates with the Parent-Adult-Child model—but in trauma, the boundaries between these parts may feel more absolute. A person may swing between states, struggling to access their Adult ego state or Self energy to mediate between their inner voices.
Integration: From Fragmentation to Wholeness
Healing involves developing internal communication and compassion between these parts. This often includes:
• Softening the Inner Critic (Critical Parent) and reworking its fears and protective intent.
• Befriending the Inner Child (Free or Adapted Child), offering safety, validation, and care.
• Strengthening the Adult ego state or Self energy—helping it become the wise, grounded centre that can lead the system.
In therapy, we learn to recognize which part is speaking and why. Instead of being overtaken by a wounded child or a punitive parent, we learn to listen to these parts without fusing with them. This leads to integration, emotional regulation, and a deeper sense of inner harmony.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're working with Berne’s Transactional Analysis, exploring the Inner Child and Critic, or navigating your parts in IFS, the message is the same: your mind is a complex, layered, living system. Trauma may separate and polarize these parts, but healing involves witnessing, honouring, and re-integrating them into a cohesive whole.
You are not broken—just internally diverse.
And with the right support, every part of you can find its place in the larger story of your growth.
