What is IFS?

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What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)?

Does this sound familiar?

Part of me wants to leave this relationship, while another part wants to stay.
Part of me would like to tell them how I feel, even though another part avoids doing that.
Part of me wants to go to that party, but at the same time, a part of me doesn't.
Part of me wants to make some lifestyle changes, but there's also a part of me that can come up with a lot of reasons why those changes wouldn't work right now.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a gentle, compassionate, collaborative, and non-pathologizing therapy that helps you understand the different parts of your personality, develop a respectful and compassionate relationship with your different parts, and heal traumatized parts that are stuck in the past. By recognizing that we all have different parts or sub-personalities, we can get to know the family within and harness our capacity to self-heal.

The basic idea behind IFS is that each of us has a number of parts or subpersonalities that make up our internal world and may be experienced as thoughts, feelings, or sensations. Each part has its own perspective, interests, memories, and viewpoint, and may interact internally in ways that are similar to how people interact. Each part is assumed to have a helpful intention, and there are no "bad" parts; however in some cases, parts can take on extreme roles that disrupt your ability to meet your goals and needs.

It is also assumed that everyone has a core Self that is calm, secure, competent, and centered. The goal of therapy is to have the Self facilitate connection, balance, and healthy relationships within the internal system of parts. While other forms of psychotherapy emphasize the need to change unwanted behaviors, emotions, or thoughts, IFS promotes the radical acceptance of all parts, no matter how destructive or shameful they may be.

When the system is led by the centered energy of the Self, the parts will learn to trust that you as a person can survive and thrive without them holding onto extreme beliefs and motivating extreme behavior. The natural side effect of this healing and integration is a reduction in problematic or symptomatic behavior, which allows you to reach other goals you may have, such as decreasing anxiety, improving your relationships, or recovering from trauma.

IFS is an evidence-based model of psychotherapy that is effective in treating a range of situations and issues; it also provides valuable skills that can be used to navigate your internal system and change how you engage with yourself, your relationships, and your environment.