Tell Me More - IFS

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapy model that views the individual as being made up of many different parts that interact like an internal family. The IFS model helps clients gain compassion for protective parts of themselves that have taken on extreme roles to help traumatized, exiled parts of the individual. Instead of trying to eliminate or control a part, the therapist helps the client to understand and compassionately gain permission from these protectors to witness and unburden the wounded parts being protected. By doing this, we move beyond talk therapy to aid the individual in fully processing the trauma.

• Managers/Proactive Team: These are proactive parts that try to keep us safe and in control. They might manifest as perfectionism, overthinking, or criticism. Their goal is to prevent painful feelings or memories from surfacing.

• Firefighters/Reactive Team: These parts react impulsively when a painful emotion or memory breaks through the manager's defenses. They "put out the fire" with distracting or numbing behaviors, such as substance abuse, binge eating, or anger.

• Exiles/Wounds: These are the wounded parts, often from childhood, that carry the pain, shame, and fear from past trauma. The managers and firefighters work to keep these parts hidden from conscious awareness to protect the person from their intense feelings.