Internal Family Systems

Over our lifetime, we develop many different beliefs about ourselves and about the world based on the many people we interact with and experiences that we go through. Oftentimes, these beliefs serve us well at the time we develop them. Over time, however, they serve to undermine our attempts to be happy and have loving relationships. They may be negative messages about ourselves or others. They may result in our hurting ourselves or engaging in unhealthy behaviors. There may also be so many conflicting beliefs that we find ourselves stuck in patterns which do not allow us to be all that we know that we could be.

 

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapeutic technique aimed at helping us to recognize these various beliefs and the “Parts” associated with them. We can all identify with a time when we have said something similar to: “Part of me feels this way, and Part of me feels that way.” I utilize IFS a great deal in my own life and with clients, both in individual therapy and in work with couples. When we can lead from Self (also called Core Self, Self Energy, or Spiritual Core Self), we can get some distance from all of the different messages that various Parts carry. Utilizing what IFS refers to as the 8 C’s — Compassion, Curiosity, Calm, Clarity, Courage, Connectedness, Confidence, Creativity — we can begin to understand and find the answers we need to care for ourselves and experience deeper relationships with those closest to us.

 

While I will be sensitive to your needs and interests, my primary lense in working with clients at this time is with an awareness of listening and watching for Parts which may be present in my sessions with you. I will help you to recognize them when they are present and assist you in getting to know them, improve your access to a nonjudgmental way of exploring them, and work to reduce the conflicts between your Parts which may well be what has brought yout to therapy to begin with.

 

A nice introduction to finding your parts is by watching this little video.