Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

Does this sound familiar?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a powerful, evidence-based approach to therapy developed by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz. At its heart, IFS understands that we're not just one thing - we're all made up of many different inner "parts," each with its own feelings, beliefs, and ways of trying to protect us.

You might recognize some of your parts already: the inner critic that never lets go, the part that shuts down when things get too hard, the one that keeps you busy and distracted so you don't have to feel too much, or the part that takes care of everyone else but never takes care of you.

These parts aren't problems to be fixed. They're trying to help you - but often in ways that made sense at some earlier time and no longer serve you now.

At the center of all of these parts, IFS says, there's something else: your Self — your calm, curious, and compassionate core, that’s already capable of leading your inner world toward healing. In our work together, we'll connect with your Self and use it to approach your parts with understanding and care.

This is what sets IFS apart. There are all kinds of ways to understand yourself, and identify the patterns and causes of what's holding you back. But understanding yourself in that way is only half the picture. IFS goes further, because it doesn't just help you understand your parts. By connecting with your Self, it helps your parts understand you.

What can IFS Therapy help with?

IFS is a deeply flexible approach that can help with a wide range of experiences. I support clients with things like:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Burnout and exhaustion

• Trauma and grief

• Procrastination and self-sabotage

What does an IFS session actually look like?

Many people come to their first session wondering whether IFS will feel strange or unfamiliar. In practice, it's a very natural process. We might begin by noticing a feeling or a thought that's been showing up for you - and rather than analyzing it from the outside, we'll turn toward it with curiosity. I'll gently guide you to get to know the part of you that's carrying that feeling: what it's worried about, what it's been trying to do for you, and what it might need in order to finally relax.

Over time, this process creates real, lasting change - not because you've learned new coping strategies, but because the parts driving the pain have been genuinely heard and healed.

The goal of IFS is to build a deeper relationship between you and your parts, so that you can take what we do in the therapy room and do it independently out in the world. IFS helps you become your own therapist.