You have probably noticed that you do not always feel like one person. Part of you wants to speak up while another part tells you to stay quiet. Part of you feels angry while another part feels guilty for feeling angry. Internal Family Systems therapy works with these inner parts directly, treating them not as symptoms to be managed but as parts of you that each carry their own role, their own history and their own logic.
At Artisan Counseling, our licensed counselors trained in IFS use this approach within individual counseling to help clients build a healthier relationship with the different parts of themselves.
IFS was developed by psychologist Richard Schwartz in the 1990s. It is based on the idea that the mind is naturally made up of sub-personalities or “parts,” each with its own perspective, feelings and memories. These parts are not pathological. They are protective. But when they become extreme or take over in ways that cause harm, the internal system becomes unbalanced.
IFS identifies three types of parts:
Managers. These parts try to keep you safe by controlling your behavior and your environment. They may show up as perfectionism, people-pleasing, caretaking or hyper-vigilance.
Firefighters. These parts react when pain breaks through. They act impulsively to put out the emotional fire, sometimes through substance use, binge eating, dissociation, rage or self-harm.
Exiles. These are the parts that carry pain, shame, fear and memories of past wounding. Managers and firefighters work to keep exiles out of awareness because their pain feels overwhelming.
At the center of the system is what IFS calls the Self. The Self is not a part. It is the core of who you are, characterized by qualities such as curiosity, calm, clarity, courage, compassion, confidence, creativity and connectedness. The goal of IFS is not to get rid of any parts but to help the Self lead the internal system so that each part can step out of its extreme role.
IFS sessions involve direct communication with your parts, facilitated by your counselor.
Identifying parts. Your counselor will help you notice when a part is active. This might be a feeling, a thought pattern, a physical sensation or a behavioral impulse. You learn to recognize the part rather than being fused with it.
Getting to know parts. Once a part is identified, your counselor guides you in approaching it with curiosity rather than judgment. You may ask the part what it does for you, what it is afraid would happen if it stopped and what it wants you to know.
Unburdening exiles. When the system is ready, your counselor will help you access the exiled parts that carry the original pain. Through a guided process, these parts are helped to release the burdens they have been holding, which in turn allows the protective parts to relax.
Restoring Self-leadership. As parts unburden and step back from their extreme roles, the Self naturally takes a more central position. Decisions, emotions and interactions begin to come from a place of groundedness rather than reactivity.
IFS is used to address a range of concerns, including:
Research on IFS has grown in recent years. A study published in the Journal of Rheumatology found that IFS produced improvements in pain, physical function and self-compassion among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Additional research has supported its use for PTSD, depression and general psychological well-being.
Yes, but it is also experiential. Sessions involve turning inward and communicating with parts of yourself in real time, guided by your counselor.
No. IFS is helpful for anyone who experiences internal conflict, self-criticism or emotional patterns they want to change. Trauma is one application, but it is not the only one.
This depends on the number and intensity of the parts involved. Some clients experience shifts within a few sessions. Deeper work with exiled parts may take longer.
Yes. Many counselors integrate IFS with EMDR, somatic therapy, CBT and other modalities.
IFS is delivered within the context of licensed counseling and billed as a standard therapy session. Most plans cover it. Contact 757.503.2819 to verify.