What is Internal Family Systems?
Originally developed as a family therapy system, today IFS is widely recognised as a one-to-one modality known for its efficacy and simplicity.
What is exciting about this modality?
IFS holds something called Self Energy at its core. We are in Self Energy when we feel calm, connected (with ourselves and others), compassionate, clear and curious. When we have strong thoughts, feelings and beliefs that take us out of our Self Energy and into discomfort, IFS calls these thoughts and feelings Parts (of ourselves).
An IFS therapist can us ask questions to help us get to know the different parts of our own experience and how they interact with one another; in time, differentiating one feeling from another and bringing clarity and awareness to our inner world.
*This can be a game-changing experience for many people. For neurodiverse clients, who may experience overwhelm (a tangle of our thoughts and feelings) more often, it can be a real relief to find clarity on our internal processes.
In order to allow healing within us, we may need to hear further from our Parts; allowing space to understand their origins and reasons for being, as well as hearing stories they may be carrying. In hearing from our Parts, we can begin to release pressure from our emotional tank, build understanding within ourselves and, crucially, build dialogue and relationship within our own thoughts, feelings and beliefs. This can help us to identify where we may be in conflict with ourselves and where we may have blocks that need detangling with care, attention and understanding.
Another job of the therapist is to help the client start to identify and connect with their Self Energy. Often when we arrive in therapy we might feel far away from our own Self Energy. We might be caught in self-blame or unable to feel calm, clear or connect with our own goodness due to the challenges of life. In this case, the therapist can hold Self Energy on behalf of the client, allowing the client to experience being listened to with compassion, calm, clarity and curiosity. In time, and at the client’s own pace, we can start to experience the benefits of being responded to in this way. The therapist can then support the client to ask themselves compassionately enquiring questions, to help build their own internal sense of calm, curiosity and compassion; their own Self Energy.
While this journey is different for each of us, IFS leads us in the direction of becoming more Self-Led; meaning that with all the thoughts and feelings that can make up being human, our ability to tap into our Self Energy to help settle or navigate our experiences, can become more familiar and easy to access. This can give us a base within ourselves from which we can make decisions, care for ourselves and find a greater sense of safety, meaning and freedom as we grow and move through life.
To learn more, IFS creator Richard C. Schwartz has published No Bad Parts - Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness (2023) as well as the Internal Family Systems Workbook (2024) which I highly recommend for those interested to begin self-work either alongside therapy or independently.
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