What is Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is all about understanding and working with the different parts of yourself. Imagine your mind as different parts each with their own roles and feelings. In IFS, these parts include:
Exiles: These parts hold onto pain, trauma, and unmet needs from the past.
Managers: These parts try to control and protect the individual from emotional hurt by maintaining order and preventing exposure to the pain.
Firefighters: These parts react to emotional distress by engaging in impulsive or distracting behaviors to soothe or numb the pain.
The goal of IFS is to help you connect with your core self, which is calm, wise, and compassionate. By getting to know and heal these different parts, you can resolve inner conflicts and find more balance and peace.
What does IFS therapy look like?
In Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, the process involves several key steps to help you understand and integrate the different parts of yourself. Here’s a brief rundown of the typical steps:
Building Trust: Establish a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist. This foundation is crucial for exploring and working with your internal parts.
Identifying Parts: Recognize and name the various parts of yourself, such as the inner critic, the wounded child, or the anxious part. This involves understanding their roles, feelings, and behaviors.
Accessing the Self: Connect with your core Self, which is seen as compassionate, wise, and connected. The Self is the central guide in the IFS process.
Exploring Parts: Engage with each part to understand its perspective, concerns, and needs. This step involves listening to these parts and appreciating their roles, even if they seem unhelpful.
Healing Exiles: Work with the parts holding onto past pain and trauma. The goal is to help these parts feel safe and to process and let go of their emotional burdens.
Transforming Managers and Firefighters: Address the protective parts that try to control or distract from emotional pain. Help them shift from controlling and distracting behaviors to supportive roles.
Integrating and Harmonizing: Bring all parts into a more harmonious relationship, with the Self leading the way. This integration helps reduce internal conflict and promotes inner balance.
Maintaining Changes: Develop strategies to continue the work outside of therapy and ensure lasting change. This might involve regular check-ins or practicing self-leadership skills.
Each step in IFS therapy is designed to help you understand and harmonize the different aspects of your inner world, leading to greater self-awareness and emotional healing.
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The terms “IFS Trained Therapist” and “IFS-Informed Therapist” refer to different levels of expertise in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy:
IFS Trained Therapist:
Training: Has completed formal IFS training, typically including IFS Level 1 or higher. This involves extensive study, supervised practice, and hands-on experience with the IFS model.
Expertise: Fully trained in the IFS model, which means they are skilled in using IFS techniques and interventions effectively. They have a deep understanding of the theory and practice of IFS therapy.
Practice: Qualified to use IFS as their primary therapeutic approach. They are well-versed in guiding clients through the IFS process, including working with different parts, the Self, and addressing internal conflicts.
IFS-Informed Therapist:
Training: Has some exposure to IFS concepts and techniques but has not undergone extensive or formal IFS training. They may have attended workshops or introductory courses on IFS.
Expertise: Familiar with the basic principles of IFS and can incorporate some IFS concepts into their practice. They use IFS insights to enhance their understanding and approach but may not be deeply skilled in IFS-specific interventions.
Practice: Uses IFS concepts alongside other therapeutic approaches. They integrate IFS ideas into their broader practice but may not specialize in IFS or offer it as a primary treatment modality.
In summary, an IFS Trained Therapist has comprehensive, specialized training in IFS and uses it extensively in their practice, while an IFS-Informed Therapist has a general understanding of IFS principles and integrates them into a broader therapeutic approach.
Julie is an IFS Therapist (Level 2) trained by the IFS Institute.
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You can find an IFS therapist trained by the IFS Institute here.
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IFS is accepted and recognized as an evidence-based modality and has shown to be effective in the treatment of patients with complex trauma.
You can read more about the empirical evidence for IFS here.
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You can learn more about IFS from books, research, publications, and other resources online at the IFS Institute.