Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, created by Dr. Richard Schwartz, is a model of psychotherapy and philosophical framework used to understand thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, & behaviors.

IFS asserts that each person’s mind is naturally made up of many different “parts’ which interact with one another in a system with the goal of maintaining safety and avoiding harm/pain.

A part is an internal entity or subpersonality. Each of us naturally has many inner parts. This is normal and good! Each part can have an expansive range of emotions, beliefs, thoughts, and sensations.

We notice this come up in our regular vocabulary all the time! Like when we say, “A part of me wants to be doing more and a part of me feels too exhausted to do anything.”

Each part of us operates in a specific role within our internal system to keep us safe and protected from harm/pain. Through the experience of trauma, our parts may take on more extreme roles to protect us. When these parts are witnessed and held with care, by an innate internal resource called Self, they are able to heal and contribute to the internal system in more helpful/less extreme ways.

Even our most tender and wounded parts can be healed.