An overview of IFS and resources to learn more.
What is IFS?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a form of therapy that is not as fundamental or widely-practiced as other forms of therapy, but which can be quite helpful and has specific usefulness in the therapy toolkit.
Unlike the name may suggest, Internal Family Systems has nothing to do with therapy with your mom, or therapy all about your mom or dad. IFS is an inward-facing therapy. It looks at how the different parts of ourselves are responding to a situation, and how we can better evaluate and take care of what those different parts of ourselves might need, and how those needs might be causing some difficulty or ‘stuckness’ in our lives.
The different parts of ourselves
One response we’ve heard from patients when they learn about IFS is, “Gee, that sounds really schizophrenic.”
The truth is, we all experience different parts of ourselves all the time. You might have had the experience of thinking “Well, I feel like Chinese food today, but I also feel like that might be too heavy,” or “A part of me really wants to go to the party, but another part of me doesn’t want to go at all.”
We all have different parts of us with different needs and desires. For instance a protective part that avoids conflict and a vulnerable part that seeks closeness. IFS looks at those individual parts to see what their motivations are, where they were formed, what they need in order to feel like they’re being seen or heard, and what better or more adaptive responses are that you can bring into your current situation.
Why IFS?
Generally, other therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) come first. However, if you’re experiencing some confusing responses and behaviors, or just generally feel stuck around a complex emotion or relationship in your life, or if you aren’t able to make progress on a particular concern using other therapeutic tools — IFS therapy can be a great new form of therapy to try. Internal Family Systems can open up a lot of new avenues of understanding what you need and how to give it to yourself, and can be surprisingly helpful when you get stuck.
You might pursue IFS:
- When you feel stuck on an issue that other therapies haven’t resolved
- When you feel conflicted or pulled in opposite directions
- To gain deeper understanding and self-compassion
Our recommendations for learning more
Internal Family Systems is great working with a therapist, but you can also do this work on your own.
Richard Schwartz, creator of IFS, has many books on the subject. No Bad Parts is a great place to start.
IFS Guide is an AI-based app on IFS that is low-cost.
About Us
Wells Medicine is a Houston-based practice designed to provide meaningful care for mental health. Providing targeted interventional treatments for Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD and other conditions, with Ketamine Treatments, Stellate Ganglion Blocks, TMS, and Nitrous-Oxide Treatments. Focused on comprehensive care and integration with Psychiatry, Psychology, and Support Services. We are evidence-based, patient-focused and mission-driven.
The content here is for informational purposes and should not be relied upon for medical decisions. For the details of your specific medical conditions and treatments consult your doctors or other qualified healthcare professionals.
