What is IFS?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a form of help that views the mind as a system of parts or subpersonalities. Each part has its own unique purpose and function, and IFS aims to help people understand and heal their parts so that they can live more integrated and fulfilling lives. The founder of IFS, Richard Schwartz, PhD, developed the model in the 1980s. He drew on his experience working with families in therapy to create a model that could be applied to individuals.
IFS is based on the idea that we all have parts that are formed in response to our experiences, both positive and negative. These parts can be helpful or harmful, and they can often be in conflict with each other. The goal of IFS is to help people identify their parts, understand their purpose, and learn how to work with them in a healthy way. This can be done by accessing the Self, which is the part of the mind that is aware of all the other parts and that is able to connect with them in a compassionate and understanding way.
How Does IFS Work?
IFS is based on the following steps:
- Identify the parts: The first step is to identify the parts that are causing problems in the client's life. These parts may be helpful or harmful, and they may be in conflict with each other.
- Understand the parts: Once the parts have been identified, the therapist helps the client to understand their purpose. The therapist also helps the client to learn how to communicate with their parts and to understand their needs.
- Work with the parts: The final step is to work with the parts in a healthy way. This may involve helping the client to reparent their parts, to forgive their parts, or to integrate their parts into a more unified whole.
Benefits of IFS
IFS has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and eating disorders. IFS can also help people to improve their relationships, to increase their self-esteem, and to live more fulfilling lives.
