Introduction to Internal Family Systems Therapy

 Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a new type of treatment that is compassionate, inclusive, spiritual, deeply healing, and respectful of our inner lives. It acknowledges that our psyches are made up of various elements, which are frequently referred to as subpersonalities. They're like small people living inside of us. Each person has their own viewpoint, feelings, memories, objectives, and motives. For example, one part of you may want to reduce weight while another wants to eat whatever you want. Inner critics, abandoned children, pleasers, furious portions, and loving caregivers are all parts of us.

IFS has established that every portion, no matter how troublesome, has a constructive intention for you. For example, Bill has a part of him that is critical of others and competitive with them in ways that are inconsistent with his genuine ideals. When he came to know that portion, he realized it was only attempting to make him feel better about himself in the only way it knew how—by making him feel superior to others.

It is not necessary to grant a portion power just because you recognize that it has a positive goal. Bill doesn't want his role to come out as competitive and judgemental. Bill, on the other hand, can relate to his parts with empathy and appreciation while taking efforts to heal them utilizing the IFS technique. This is radically different from how we normally interact with our components. The first thing we usually do when we become aware of a portion is to analyze it. Is it beneficial or harmful to our health? We embrace it and give it power. if we think it's a good idea. We try to suppress or eliminate it if we determine it is detrimental. A section, on the other hand, cannot be removed. You have no choice except to push it into your unconscious, where it will continue to impact you without your knowledge.

We do something completely unique and innovative at IFS. With curiosity and compassion, we welcome all of our parts. We try to comprehend them and value their attempts to assist us. We build a caring and trusting relationship with each part, then take efforts to relieve it of its responsibilities so it can function properly.

"Protectors" are the portions of the IFS system that you normally meet initially when investigating yourself. Their goal is to manage the earth and safeguard the exiles from suffering. Young child portions known as "exiles" are in anguish from the past. Bill had a protector in the case above who was competitive and judgemental of others. It was attempting to make Bill feel superior in order to protect him from an exile portion that felt insufficient.

Because of what has happened to them in the past, parts take on these dysfunctional roles. Exiles carry the grief and weight of their childhoods with them. Protectors take on duties in order to keep you safe from the exiles' pain.