What You Should Know About Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
There’s not just one way to approach healing, which is why there are so many different types of therapy modalities. Different healing modalities work better for different people and different situations. Some modalities that we use at Hope+Wellness include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, and Exposure and Response Prevention.
One therapeutic approach we’ve found particularly powerful is Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, chronic pain, disordered eating, or relationship challenges, IFS offers a compassionate, non-pathologizing path to self-understanding and healing. Internal Family Systems therapy can be an effective way to heal and transform your internal world. Here’s what you should know about it!
What is Internal Family Systems therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy was first developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, and has since evolved to support individuals, couples, and families.
The main idea behind Internal Family Systems therapy is that our mind is not a single entity but a system of parts, each with its own perspectives, feelings, and roles. These parts are often in conflict, which can lead to emotional distress and mental health issues. Rather than there just being one true version of ourselves, IFS recognizes that we often have subpersonalities and different parts that can contribute to distress when they are not in alignment. These parts each play different roles, like different members of a family.
IFS helps individuals understand and heal their internal world by focusing on the relationship between these parts. Internal Family Systems views everyone as having a Self that is wise, compassionate, and capable of leading the internal system (your internal family of parts) toward healing and harmony.
What are the different “parts” in IFS?
Within our Self, we are made up of many different parts, that each play a role in our internal system. Each part plays a different role. There are no “bad” parts, but sometimes a particular part will play an extreme role that impacts the whole system, which can lead to distress.
Imagine your different parts like a family - they may all share the common goal of wanting what’s best for you, but they may have different ideas of how to make that happen. These differences between parts can lead to tension and distress.
The different parts in IFS often include:
Protector parts: Parts that have developed to protect the Self in difficult or upsetting situations
Manager parts: These parts help us direct our daily functioning, enable us to meet our own needs, help us stick to our goals, and try to avoid perceived danger
Firefighter parts: These parts respond when we perceive danger and try to help us cope, sometimes through self-destructive behaviors.
Exile parts: These parts hold on to burdens - trauma, intrusive thoughts, bad memories, etc. These parts are often child-like, and we often do our best to push them away or ignore them.
How does IFS work?
IFS therapy can help you take a non-judgmental look and help decrease conflict between your parts, which can help you feel more resilient. It involves working with a therapist to explore and understand your internal system. Here’s a basic overview of how it typically works:
Identifying Your Parts: You and your therapist will identify and get to know the various parts of your internal system. These parts can include protectors, exiles, and more.
Understanding Roles: Each part has a role or function. Protectors, for example, work to keep you safe from pain or harm, often by employing strategies that may have been useful in the past but are no longer helpful.
Building Relationships: Through compassionate dialogue, you build relationships with your parts, understanding their fears, concerns, and needs.
Accessing the Self: The goal is to help you access your core Self, which can then interact with and heal the wounded parts. The Self is seen as a natural leader capable of bringing calm, clarity, and confidence to your internal system.
Healing and Integration: As parts feel heard and understood, they can begin to trust the Self and let go of extreme roles, leading to greater internal harmony and well-being.
Healing through IFS takes time. Each session builds upon the last, gradually uncovering and addressing deeper layers of your internal system. Like any therapeutic process, IFS requires commitment - regular sessions and active participation in the process are essential for meaningful progress.
It’s important to choose a therapist you feel safe with, and who is experienced in IFS, because a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship is crucial for effective IFS work. In addition, IFS can be integrated with other therapeutic approaches, so you can discuss with your therapist how IFS can complement other methods you may be using.
What are the benefits of IFS?
IFS therapy offers numerous benefits, making it a valuable approach for many individuals.IFS addresses the whole person, integrating mind, body, and spirit in the healing process. As it is a non-pathologizing modality, it doesn’t focus on diagnosis, instead viewing symptoms as normal reactions to life’s stressors or trauma. This can be especially powerful to people who have been pathologized or discriminated against due to a diagnosis in the past. Even though IFS doesn’t focus on diagnosis, it can be helpful with anxiety, PTSD, OCD, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder, and eating disorders.
Learning to understand and empathize with your internal parts can help you cultivate a deeper sense of self-compassion and acceptance. IFS can also help heal emotional wounds and trauma by addressing the parts that are holding painful experiences.
Increased insight into your internal world can help you improve your relationships with others, because you’ll be less distressed by internal conflicts that then spill over into your interactions. Finally, learning how to access and trust your Self is empowering. Knowing how to tune in to your internal system can help you to navigate life’s challenges with greater resilience and confidence.