Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

What is Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative, evidence-based therapy for healing trauma and promoting well-being in adults, couples, and children. Also known as “parts work,” it’s based on the understanding that people are made up of “parts” (or subpersonalities) that hold our feelings, beliefs, memories, and thoughts. These parts—our relentless inner critic, our people-pleasing, and many more—strongly influence how we feel and act in our day-to-day lives. Distinct from these parts is our core “Self,” which is inherently calm and compassionate, allowing it to offer leadership to our internal system.

IFS is not family therapy—although the model can be used for couples and families. Dr. Richard Schwartz, the developer of IFS, applied systems concepts to the human psyche and determined that, just like in a family, our parts are interconnected and function together. IFS helps us map our different parts, relationships between those parts, and how they interact with our core Self.

Our parts—categorized as strong protectors (proactive “managers” and reactive “firefighters”) and burdened “exiles”—each have valuable qualities. However, they can be forced into unhealthy roles due to traumatic experiences or unfortunate life circumstances. When this occurs, our emotions and our relationships can get out of balance, causing stress, anxiety, and other issues.

What conditions is IFS especially helpful for?

As a clinical treatment, IFS has been rated effective for improving general functioning and well-being. In addition, it has been rated promising for:

• Improving generalized anxiety, phobia, panic, and phobia disorders

• Treating mood (depression/bipolar) disorders and depressive symptoms

• Facilitating trauma resolution and improving personal resilience and self-esteem

• Resolving body image, eating disorders, and physical health conditions

• Fostering increased personal and spiritual development.

In a practical sense, how can IFS Therapy help?

IFS can help clients learn ways to better relate to themselves, and move toward the 8 C’s of Self-Leadership: calmness, curiosity, clarity, compassion, confidence, creativity, courage, and connectedness.

Using the metaphor of a ship’s crew, imagine that you have an inner captain (the Self) and an internal crew of parts that need to be nurtured, considered, and given a voice. When the crew trusts the captain, the “ship”—our life—becomes Self-led and integrated. We’re less tense and reactive, with access to more choices in how we experience, process, and respond to challenging situations. We are able to move from problems to possibilities and enjoy a thriving, more authentic life.

All Four Corners therapists have been trained in IFS; attend IFS consultation groups facilitated by Hetty Barnett, a certified IFS therapist and supervisor; and incorporate IFS tools and framework into their therapy with clients.

Interested in learning about what a session with an IFS therapist looks like?
Read What a session with an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist can look like