Mini Introduction to Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an integrative approach to therapy that Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., developed in the 1980s.IFS is based on the idea that people have many parts inside them, and each part has its own personality and ways of viewing the world. If you are unfamiliar with IFS, then I bet you are thinking “many parts inside? What does that mean?” I felt the same when I first heard this concept but think about all the times when you said to yourself, “I am really excited about this event, but I am also really nervous.”
Oftentimes we have conflicting emotions that can feel overwhelming or even confusing. This is a great example of how we can, as a singular person, have multiple parts active within us at one time. When parts become active and feel strongly about a topic or react to a situation, we become blended by that part and are now solely operating through that part's lens. At times this can be functional, for example, when we are blended by a part that is hard working and motivated, we can achieve our goals, mark tasks off our To Do List, etc. But when these parts become more extreme, and their behaviors intensify that can begin to create problems. When a part intensifies to a point of increasing discomfort, we might notice that the typically motivated and hard-working part is now working overtime, skipping breaks to eat, and creating a lot of uncomfortable symptoms. A small part of what we do within Internal Family Systems is working to identify the parts that are overly active and to help those parts feel as though they can decrease in their intensity so that they can become a functional part of the system again. Our goal is to be sure that not one part is constantly in the driver's seat taking over in an intense and exhausting way, rather through our work together we work towards creating more balance and enjoyment.
To create more balance and decrease discomfort we work to identify each part and how they respond to situations both past and present. We can then begin to build trust with these identified parts and help them to feel as though they are being heard and cared for. We can provide space and time to hear their stories and find resolutions that work for all parts involved. Not only will this help us see how our feelings and behaviors are connected but we can create meaningful change for those parts and for you in your daily life moving forward.
Internal Family Systems is a powerful yet gentle modality that is effective in working with anxiety, stress, depression, trauma and so many other experiences. As a therapist, I have had the honor to sit with many clients as they experience the deep impact of IFS for themselves and their parts. If you are curious about Internal Family Systems and how it could benefit you, reach out today. Call or email to set up a free 15-minute consultation. Looking forward to seeing you.
Lauren Perez, LMFT
