2）quasi-physical presence felt and experienced by the individual
Perhaps one of the unique natures of the SPs is that they are felt on a high perceptual and physical level. They are often felt “shadowy” not only figuratively, but “grayish” “like a shadow”, visually. Quite often SPs are experienced by main parts as alienating with persecutory and threatening nature. Sometimes SPs are felt so forceful and binding when they are active. Some host parts of personality state that when SPs become active, it feels like a violent outburst which came out of them. Even when they stay awake and watchful, they feel physically bound by a ghost, like in sleep paralysis.
2. Some prototypical SPs
In this section, I will demonstrate several types of SPs that I have observed in my clinical practice.
1) An SP that asserts itself on behalf of the host personality
Some SPs appear to manifest in order to express anger and aggression on behalf of the host personality, who seem unable to even feel or experience these affects during certain stressful or traumatic situations. As discussed later, This coincides with some author’s description of the “protective functions of some parts” (van der Hart, et al. 2006)
