Internal Family Systems: What Is It? How Does It Work?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of psychotherapy developed over fifty years ago by Dick Schwartz, Ph.D., a systemic family therapist and academic associated with Harvard Medical School. The basis for the modality is that the mind is naturally multiple. Not to be confused with Multiple Personality Disorder, IFS maintains that we all have multiple sub-personalities or ‘parts’ within us. The core principle of IFS is that peace comes from understanding and accepting our diverse inner parts and the roles they play.

To see this therapy approach in action, let’s focus on Emma’s experience, who represents a typical counseling client.  Emma began IFS therapy during a period when she felt particularly stuck in her life. She was struggling with anxiety and feelings of inadequacy at work. These same issues seemed to seep into her personal relationships, leading to frequent arguments with family members and a general sense of unhappiness.

Through her work in IFS, Emma learned to identify and interact with various parts of herself. For example, she discovered a part that constantly pushed her to work harder and criticized her for any perceived shortcomings. Through a series of sessions, she learned this was a protective part, trying to keep her safe from failure and external judgment. But it was also leading to overly harsh personal judgments of nearly everything she did.  She also identified a younger, vulnerable part that was scared of not being good enough.

With therapeutic guidance, Emma began to understand that her critical part was trying to protect her, but in a harsh and often unhelpful way. Through the therapy process, she learned how to access other internal parts of herself as well as her Self—a core aspect of IFS therapy characterized by qualities like compassion, calmness, confidence, and clarity. With more self-led leadership, Emma became capable of handling situations without severe self-criticism.

As Emma continued with IFS therapy, she noticed a significant reduction in her anxiety. She also was feeling more grounded and less reactive in stressful situations at work. Relationships improved as she communicated more effectively, understanding her own needs and boundaries better, and expressing them more clearly to others.

One of the most profound impacts of IFS therapy for Emma was the improvement in her self-esteem. As she interacted more compassionately with her own internal parts, she felt more integrated and whole. This shift allowed her to approach life challenges with more resilience and less fear.

IFS therapy provided Emma with tools not just to deal with immediate problems but also to maintain inner harmony by continually being in dialogue with her parts. This ongoing internal relationship-building helped her sustain the positive changes in her life.

Many people seeking therapeutic healing find IFS therapy transformative because it empowers them to understand the complexity of their inner lives and navigate their emotions with increased empathy and awareness, leading to lasting positive changes in their external circumstances and relationships.

If you’d like to learn more about how IFS leads to personal growth and positive change, please get in touch. I’d be pleased to engage in a session or two using the modality to help you determine if it’s a good therapeutic fit for you at this time.