Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Individuals

Internal Family Systems therapy, known as IFS, is a transformative, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that was initially developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s.  Over the years, IFS has been demonstrated to be highly effective in treating anxiety, depression, trauma, and many other challenges.  IFS is more than a therapy technique; it is a conceptual framework for developing love and acceptance for ourselves and others that can help bring  compassion, calmness, and improved relationships to our lives.

IFS is based on the concept that all of us have various “parts” within us, each of which plays a different role in our lives.  We are all familiar with thinking that “part of me feels one way and part of me feels another” – this is indeed the basis of IFS.  IFS recognizes that the parts all relate to each other as our own internal “family” of parts.  Central to this internal family is a calm and compassionate core “self” within each of us that can never be damaged.  The self inherently possesses many important leadership qualities such as confidence, courage, compassion, and clarity.

Our individual internal parts have valuable and important qualities.  However, sometimes our life experiences dating back to a very young age can lead some of our parts to act in extreme or even destructive ways in a valiant attempt to help us navigate life.  These life experiences or even traumatic events force our parts into unhealthy roles.  Some of the parts become hurt and others try to protect us from being hurt.  The parts do not trust the calm core self to protect us and, ironically, the parts end up hurting us more than helping.  The ways our parts behave can lead us to distress and unhappiness, and to internal conflict and conflict with those around us.  We end up experiencing anxiety, depression, and a host of other issues.

However, in IFS, all parts are welcome, valued, and appreciated.  The IFS therapist works with the client to help understand these parts, the relationships between the parts and the core self, and what roles the parts are playing.  With that understanding, the therapist is able to help the client access the true core self, and help the self connect with each part in order to heal it and permit it to trust the self’s leadership.  Then, the parts can gradually let go of their extreme and self-destructive roles and join together in a harmonious healthy internal family, led by the self.  Even in times of crisis, when we are self-led, we’re then able to address situations calmly and clearly.

To learn more about IFS, visit the IFS Institute website at https://ifs-institute.com.