Internal Family Systems (IFS), is a beautifully non-pathologising model. It recognises that we all have different aspects to ourselves and a core self, which has qualities like calmness, curiosity and connectedness. The aim of this approach is to promote self-compassion and internal harmony. It has been developed since the 1980's by Dr Richard Schwartz and has received endorsement from Bessel Van Der Kolk, one of the world's leading experts in trauma as "one of the cornerstones of effective and lasting trauma therapy" (Quote from No Bad Parts, by R. Schwartz). IFS also has an evidence base as to its efficacy (for a link to this evidence base, please see below)
When we experience something as traumatic or have attachment wounds, if we are able to work through our feelings about this event or series of events at that time, we can then move on from it- and issues we experience as traumatic can be wide ranging, including, for example, neglect, bullying, physical or mental abuse. However, it may well be, that for very good reasons, we were not able to process the impact of the trauma or attachment wound on ourselves around the time when it happened. As a result,. we can end up pushing away parts of ourselves which carry hurt and emotions from what happened to us at the time; These parts of us may also have developed beliefs about ourselves as we tried to make sense of what was happening at the time. Other parts of us then take on extreme protective roles. Their aim is often:
-to prevent us from being overwhelmed by those parts which carry the emotions and hurt from the trauma or attachment wound.
-to protect us against the same thing happening to us again.
So , the IFS approach works to promote internal dialogue. IFS very much recognises the positive intention as to why parts of us do what they do for us. Once parts of us which have taken extreme protective roles are more understood by us and only once they are willing, we can then go to the parts of us that carry hurt and help them heal and let go of burdens that they hold. When this happens, the parts which took on more extreme protective roles can be invited to see this and then may choose to revert to more natural roles. Often they are so relieved at not having to carry on working so hard for us, which has taken so much energy and frankly, is often exhausting.
Dr Gabor Mate notes the connection between body and mind; He writes of how emotional stress can impact on our heath (eg see https://drgabormate.com/mind-body-health/). Similarly Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk, who wrote The Body Keeps the Score , writes of potential impacts of traumatic experiences on our physical health and wellbeing (eg see The Body Keeps The Score | Bessel van der Kolk, MD.) The good news is that we have neuroplasticity- just as we adapted to survive in traumatic circumstances, so we can change again and on might say, recalibrate the system.
In IFS, we also very much recognise the mind body connection. Sessions will often start with inviting you to identify how you experience a sensation in or around your body as you connect with it. However, for some people the connection is more a thought or perhaps an image.
IFS practitioners believe that where we are disproportionately triggered by something, this can be so valuable in helping us identify and with our protective parts agreement, going and helping those parts of us which carry hurt.
If you would like to learn more about IFS, i would heartily recommend Richard Schwartz's book No Bad Parts. There are also a number of video clips on the internet, such as on You Tube, where he explains about IFS. However, you really don't need to understand the model to do the therapy, but it's there if it helps.
In this clip Richard Schwartz summarises the IFS model:
Here is a link to an article by Richard Schwartz, The Larger Self:
https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/larger-self
For any therapist with an interest in IFS, I would recommend the podcasts on the IFS Portugal website:
https://internalfamilysystems.pt/ifs-talks
Directories of IFS Therapists
This is the IFS main directory where you can search internationally for a therapist e.g. by city/
country:
https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners
…there is also the IFS UK directory- not all practitioners are on both of these directories, chiefly
depending on where they trained:
https://directory-uk.internalfamilysystemstraining.co.uk/
Here is a link the The Foundation for Self leadership which
cites empirical evidence as to the efficacy of IFS:
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