Internal Family Systems (IFS)

a safe space for introspection & healing

“I have never met a person who was broken, but I have met many people who were carrying heavy things for far too long.”

— Yung Pueblo

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a cutting edge model that is quickly growing as therapists and clients recognize the long-lasting healing power of this approach.

Have you ever said: “A part of me wants to ___ but another part of me wants ___”? For example, “A part of me wants to go out and see friends but another part of me is exhausted and just wants to recharge at home.” Or “A part of me understands they didn’t mean to hurt me but another part of me is really angry and wants to lash out”.

We all have different parts or aspects of ourselves that can sometimes be in conflict. Internal Family Systems (IFS) looks at our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and even physical sensations as separate “parts” of who we are. Often these “parts” are what lead us to seek therapy in the first place (the part of us that feels depressed or anxious, the part of us that struggles to control our anger, the part of us that can’t stop engaging in unhealthy habits).

Each part of us is doing its best to try to help and has a positive intention, even if their actions or effects seem to be counterproductive. Our job in therapy is to guide parts to recognize that sometimes the beliefs they hold, the actions they take, and the feelings they have are based on something from the past that is no longer happening. When we help unburden the pain these parts are holding, our whole system can finally relax. This gives us the opportunity to find new ways to interact in the world that are more in-line with who we are and what we really want.

How is IFS therapy different than other forms of counseling?

IFS therapy is unique in that it recognizes that all of our “unhealthy” or difficult thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are simply a sign that we are hurting.

Deeper Understanding: Rather than just focusing on changing our thoughts or behaviors, IFS dives deep into the reason WHY these patterns exist and how they may be no longer serving us. It is at this level that we begin to find real healing and hope for a way forward. 

Self-Compassion: Our “parts” are usually the youngest and most vulnerable pieces of who we are. They feel afraid, misunderstood, hurt, and overwhelmed. With this in mind, the goal of IFS is to meet these “parts” with compassion and to offer them kindness, support, validation, and safety, so they can get their needs met in a healthier way.

Self-Leadership: With IFS, clients develop their own self-leadership and do not become as dependent on the therapist for ongoing support. Once clients understand their own system, they are empowered to continue to work on their own and often move on from therapy more quickly than traditional talk therapy.

questions you may have

  • IFS was developed in the 1980s, by Dr. Richard Schwartz after listening to people in therapy speak about inner parts within themselves. As a young family therapist, Dr. Schwartz’s training led him to consider the relationships between these internal parts and began to visualize the human mind as an internal family. As he continued to apply this lens to his work, Dr. Schwartz found that clients already have the innate ability to guide themselves once inner parts were able to safely relax and the relationships between parts is healed.

  • For more information on IFS you can visit the official IFS Institute website at https://ifs-institute.com . I also recommend Dr. Schwartz’s book No Bad Parts (2021) and Tammy Sollenberger’s The One Inside (2022).

  • I am Level 1 trained in IFS and completed my training with IFS creator Richard Schwartz, Martha Sweezy, and Nancy Sowell. I have completed over 100 hours of additional training with other leading IFS trainers. I also continue ongoing consultation with an IFSI Certified Consultant.

Have more questions? Please reach out for a free consultation.

Our Promise

At Spring Lake Counseling we promise to be there for you every step of your journey. Our goal is to help you grow from your struggles, heal from your pain, and move forward to where you want to be in your life. If for some reason, we are unable to provide you with the services you need, we will gladly refer you to a better fit.