what is solution-focused therapy?
What is The Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model of Therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a powerful and compassionate approach to Psychotherapy that helps my clients navigate their inner world by understanding and healing different aspects of themselves.
Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, IFS is based on the idea that our psyche is made up of multiple “parts,” each with its own unique role, feelings, and perspectives.
IFS is often likened to having an internal family, with complex dynamics operating between them. Each part serves or has served a purpose for the person, even though sometimes the responses of these parts can be maladaptive and not always helpful or appropriate in everyday life. This can sometimes lead to conflict (both internally and externally) or distress.
At the core of IFS is the belief that every person has a wise, compassionate Self that can lead and heal these parts when given the opportunity.
What are 'Parts' & how are they formed?
Parts develop as a response to life experiences, particularly in childhood, when we first learn how to navigate the world.
When a person encounters trauma, stress, or emotional wounds, their mind splinters, creating different parts to help them cope. These parts take on different roles to protect the individual from further harm or discomfort.
IFS therapy is built around several foundational concepts:
Parts Work:
The concept of parts work begins with understanding that within every individual, there are multiple subpersonalities or “parts” that have taken on different roles, purely for our own protection. These parts typically fall into three categories:
When trauma occurs (whether as a specific singular event, or as a result of circumstances occurring over time) parts are created as a direct response to trauma – this is the initial splintering of the self. These parts personify the impact of the trauma on the individual.
Exiles: These are wounded parts that carry trauma, pain, and deep-seated fears. They are often hidden away to avoid overwhelming emotions.
The two remaining categories are Protectors – their ‘job’ is to protect the vulnerable, wounded part to prevent them becoming re-wounded.
Managers: These parts work to keep the exiles suppressed and hidden away, often in the subconscious, in order to maintain daily functioning. Managers often manifest as perfectionism, control, or avoidance. They play pro-active roles in protecting the exile, Looking ahead to the future to pre-empt the threat of further wounding and eliminate the possibilities.
Firefighters: When a trigger occurs there is a possibility that the exiles may begin to surface, which can disrupt the individual’s ability to cope in the moment. At this time, Firefighters jump into action, often in quite an explosive way, using survival responses such as anger or anxiety, or by using coping mechanisms such as substance use, binge-eating, or distraction to numb emotional pain. They play reactive roles in protecting the exile. They are only concerned with the present – “how to I prevent further re-wounding right now?”
The Self:
IFS believes that beneath all of these parts, there is a core Self—an inner leader characterized by qualities such as curiosity, calmness, compassion, and confidence. Healing occurs when the Self takes the lead and establishes a trusting relationship with the parts.
Unburdening:
Through IFS therapy, individuals work to release the pain, fears, and negative beliefs carried by their exiled parts, allowing them to integrate more fully and healthily into their inner system.
Here's a brief example:
A client experienced a lot of rejection as a child might develop a protective Manager part that works proactively to protect the exile from further wounding. This Part enforces perfectionism to avoid future disapproval. It may be extremely self-critical and develop people-pleasing responses to avoid further rejection.
However, these behaviours cannot completely remove the possibility of being rejected in any context again. After all – rejections (big and small) are part of life.
So when another rejection occurs (or appears to loom on the horizon) despite the Manager’s best efforts, a Firefighter part may well spring into action.
The Firefighter reacts to the threat of re-wounding. This may manifest as an explosive emotional reaction (anger, anxiety) that triggers an immediate action with no concern for the consequences.
Impulsive decisions can result in explosive reactions to others, and these often go hand in hand with self-soothing actions such as substance or alcohol misuse, binge eating, or other dissociative behaviours, which are all enacted as a sort of last ditch attempt to stop the exiled part emerging and being re-wounded.
Over time, these parts become ingrained and continue operating into adulthood, even if they are no longer serving their intended protective purpose. Recognising how these parts were formed helps individuals understand their behaviours and emotional patterns, making healing possible.
When I work with IFS in a therapeutic setting, I work hard to emphasise to my clients the importance of compassion and understanding for each part of yourself.
Each and every part of you is trying it’s best to keep you safe, even though the outcome of some of these parts’ responses is causing you problems.
IFS is not about finding ‘bad parts’ and getting rid of them. It’s about understanding that each part is a component of you, and that by working to process trauma and heal each part, we can reintegrate it back into your self in a healthy, balanced way.
How IFS Therapy Helps with Trauma
Trauma, whether from childhood experiences, relationships, or significant life events, often leaves behind emotional wounds that can create internal conflict. IFS provides a structured way to address these wounds with compassion and understanding. Here’s how IFS can help:
Identifying and Understanding Parts
By recognizing the roles of different parts, individuals can begin to understand why they react in certain ways. For example, an individual who struggles with self-criticism might discover that their inner critic is a manager part trying to protect them from past rejection or failure.
Creating a Safe Space for Healing
Instead of pushing away painful emotions, IFS encourages individuals to approach them with curiosity and compassion. This allows for a safe space where exiled parts can finally be heard and healed.
Developing Self-Leadership
Through IFS therapy, individuals learn to cultivate their Self-energy, which helps them lead with wisdom and compassion rather than being dominated by reactive parts. This leads to increased emotional regulation and a deeper sense of self-trust.
Healing Wounded Parts
Once a trusting relationship is established, individuals can gently unburden their exiled parts, releasing the pain and negative beliefs they have carried. This process helps alleviate symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Reducing Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms
Many trauma survivors develop coping mechanisms that are no longer serving them, such as avoidance, substance use, or emotional numbing. IFS helps individuals recognize why these strategies developed and offers healthier, more compassionate ways to cope.
What to Expect When IFS is Used in a Therapy Session
When I incorporate IFS into one of my psychotherapy sessions, my client and I look at unpicking certain thoughts and feelings that have arisen which appear as a trauma response.
IFS work typically involves guided introspection to help the client identify and connect with their parts. This may include:
Noticing internal thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
Engaging in a dialogue with different parts to understand who they are and what their role is.
Discovery of what that part needs in order to feel safe again.
Releasing past burdens and integrating parts into a more balanced system. Sometimes this is managed through talking therapy, sometimes it is integrated with hypnotherapy techniques to re-wire thought patterns, and sometimes this also includes somatic exercises to release the trauma response in the nervous system.
Is IFS Therapy Right For You?
If you’ve ever felt like different parts of you are at war—one part wanting to heal while another resists- the Internal Family Systems process can provide a compassionate framework to help you understand and heal these conflicts. IFS is particularly effective for individuals dealing with:
Childhood trauma and neglect
PTSD and complex trauma (C-PTSD)
Anxiety and depression
Relationship challenges
Low self-esteem and inner criticism
Addictive behaviours
If you'd like to explore a bit more...
IFS therapy offers a profound and transformative path to healing by helping individuals connect with their inner world in a way that fosters self-compassion, healing, and integration.
By acknowledging our parts and addressing their needs, we can create a sense of inner balance, develop better resilience and be freed from those emotional blockages that impede our ability to thrive.
If you’re interested in exploring IFS further, consider working with a trained therapist or reading No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz to dive deeper into this healing modality. Trauma may have shaped your past, but it doesn’t have to define your future.
If you really like the idea of improving your mental health in a positive goal-oriented way, but you feel like you need some professional support to get yourself started, feel free to get in touch. I’m an experienced psychotherapist and hypnotherapist with my own established practice. I use a combination of IFS, ACT, SFT, and Somatic techniques, and I help people with this sort of stuff all the time.
I work online as well as in person (you can find out more about me here, and info about booking and prices here) if you’d like to work with me.
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