IFS (Internal Family Systems)
What is IFS?
IFS is a transformative, non pathologising, evidence-based therapy developed by Dr Richard Schwartz that is effective for a variety of issues including depression, anxiety and trauma, particularly C-PTSD, leading to greater awareness, self-compassion, more harmony and less inner conflict.
As a therapeutic model it views the mind as multiple consisting of distinct ‘parts’ that interact with each other like a family, and a part of us that isn’t a part, the core Self, which is innately resourceful, wise, and undamaged, incorporating the ‘8’c’s’ of compassion, calmness, creativity, confidence, curiosity, connection, clarity and courage, along with all the qualities we came into the world with.
As we grow through childhood and beyond, our parts take on specific roles developing thoughts, feelings, habits, behaviours and physical responses to cope with life events and situations. These protector parts are either ‘managers,’ and preventative in their function, or ‘firefighters,’ who are more reactive, impulsive and extreme. Even though protectors can be problematic, they have positive intentions, ‘burdened’ by their roles of keeping the ‘exiles,’ the wounded parts that hold all the painful emotions and memories, hidden and out of our system.
The goal of IFS is to unburden the exiles of their pain and unburden the protectors of their roles through connection with the healing presence of Self. In doing so, we become more Self led instead of our parts ‘running the show’. Effectively, IFS offers a creative way of working with defence mechanisms and the wounds they suppress.
IFS in Practice
- Firstly, we will begin to help you to simply start identifying your protector parts, and ones that are particularly dominant in your system, as well as beginning to access Self energy.
- Then we will start to work in more depth with these parts by ‘unblending’ or separating from them to access Self so you can work with a chosen part from a place of compassion and understanding.
- When that part has built trust in your Self and we have addressed its fears, as well as resolving any conflicts it has with other protectors, we will then be ready to contact and help the exile or wound.
- Unburdening a wounded part involves a guided visualisation process of bearing witness to their experience, a ‘do-over’ in which a more positive outcome is achieved, retrieval from the past, and then a releasing of the pain. Your Self will know exactly what to do! This process is not dissimilar to that of Matrix Reimprinting.
- On seeing the exile transformed, the protector part can either decide to do its role differently or something else entirely, unburdening it from what it was doing before.
- There then follows an integration period which helps to reinforce new neural pathways, and you should begin to feel more regulated, a greater sense of wellbeing and peace, and a shift in your understanding and beliefs.
- The more wounds we unburden, the more Self led we become as our protectors no longer need to work so hard.
What Does IFS Help With?
Including but not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Suicidality
- Trauma (inc. PTSD, C-PTSD)
- Dissociation
- Eating issues
- Addiction
- Self-harm
- Attachment issues
- Chronic pain
- Relationship issues
I also integrate IFS with EFT, Matrix Reimprinting and other humanistic and transpersonal therapies.