In healing work, I’ve talked about 2 arenas. There is the reactivity, the unresolved energy or emotion, the vasana. Then there is the pattern or impression, the samskara underlying the reactivity.

And then, underneath that is often an unmet need that led to the adaptation. The unmet need leads to an impression or pattern to cope. Coping is inherently aversion, so if anything approaches this, we’re triggered. 

Healing is complete when we meet all 3 layers.

For example, we get triggered by someone calling us old. That may show up as fear, or anger, or shame. Under that might be a pattern of avoidance of acceptance of our aging. That may ride on a fear of death or of being old and dependent. And that fear may have come from not accepting our physical mortality, lack of experience of our deeper nature beyond this form, and so forth. Our unmet need is a sense of safety.

From a parts perspective, when healing, we can come back to a childhood self, for example, and assure it of our longevity and deeper nature. This can meet the need, heading off future fear and anxiety. The trigger can be processed and released. And the coping pattern can fall away.

The key is the right approach and addressing the need. Then there is no longer a need to cope, and the pattern and reactivity can be processed and fall away. 
Whew!
Davidya