IFS Therapy Explained

What Is IFS Therapy?

IFS therapy is also known as internal family systems therapy or inner family systems therapy and is a form of psychotherapy. There are over 400 types of psychotherapy differentiated by their approach, duration of therapy, and the clients they serve. Research shows that despite the variation in psychotherapeutic approaches, treatment outcomes are often similar. This is because a single approach to psychotherapy does not always deliver maximum benefit.

Internal family systems therapy can treat individuals and couples as well as families for the following symptoms and conditions:

• Anxiety disorders
• Panic attacks
• Depression
• Trauma
• Phobias
• Substance abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Overall well-being
• General functioning
• Physical health conditions like RA (rheumatoid arthritis)

IFS therapy is not typically suitable for those with SMI (serious mental illnesses) involving paranoia or psychosis – schizophrenia, for instance. For those people, describing a person as having “parts” or “subpersonalities” can be unproductive and possibly even harmful.

Internal family systems therapy is grounded on an integrative model, combining established elements from various schools of psychology. The aim is to unite multiple strategies to effectively address the different parts of the human mind.

How does IFS internal family systems work, exactly?

How Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Works

During internal family systems therapy, you will work closely with a therapist. The therapist will help you to isolate and better understand the unique sub-personalities (known as families) that constitute your internal mental system.

Once you have identified these different parts, the therapist guides you to acknowledge how you feel about suppressed emotions. The therapist will also help you to discover how to release those feelings, enabling you to address the problem head-on. Over time, you can apply the techniques learned in IFS therapy to manage internal conflicts more efficiently.

IFS therapists will utilize many tools to help you achieve this, including:

• Journaling
• Relaxation exercises
• Visualization
• Charting relationships between Self and different internal parts

The IFS model states that parts play one of three standard roles:

1. Exiles: Exiles are internal parts that store fears, hurt, or shame from early life experiences. Exiles carry the troubling memories and emotions associated with those experiences.
2. Managers: Managers are protective parts that help you to manage emotions, control your surroundings, and perform tasks crucial for navigating day-to-day life. Managers try to ensure that exiles remain hidden from conscious awareness in an attempt to reduce pain and distress.
3. Firefighters: Firefighters are internal parts activated when exiles generate painful, threatening, or overwhelming emotions. These parts try to dampen those emotions by any possible means, whether that is alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or disordered eating.

According to the theory underpinning IFS, everyone has a Self – a core self or genuine self – and this Self is available to be accessed.

Per IFS, your Self can observe and identify other parts, helping them to become more productive and less extreme. The result should be a more harmonious co-existence of your various internal parts.

According to Schwartz’s model, your Self has many positive traits, categorized as the five Ps and the eight Cs.

These are the five Ps of internal family systems therapy:

1. Persistence
2. Patience
3. Presence
4. Perspective
5. Playfulness

These are the eight Cs of internal family systems therapy:

1. Connectedness
2. Compassion
3. Courage
4. Curiosity
5. Calmness
6. Clarity
7. Creativity
8. Confidence

Your therapist will help you to assess these traits to determine how much of your Self is available at any given time and how much of yourself still needs to reemerge. This is achieved by following this process:

• Find: Identify all parts of your body and mind that require attention.
• Focus: Concentrate on the relevant internal part.
• Flesh: Describe the part and your experience of it.
• Feel: Explore your feelings about this part of you.
• Befriend: Accept the presence of this part and be curious about it.
• Fear: Establish what this part fears and determine what it would fear if you altered its role.

By identifying and exploring these parts or sub-personalities, you can change how those parts function. Internal family systems therapy can create positive change.

Benefits Of IFS Therapy

IFS theory holds that your undamaged core Self embodies the essence of who you really are. Your Self can heal, manage, and transform your various sub-personalities.

Through sessions of IFS therapy, you can:

• Free internal parts from extreme roles.
• Restore your trust in the Self.
• Harmonize the Self and the various parts so they work together as a well-coordinated team.

Although IFS therapy was founded in the 1980s, there is minimal research on this form of psychotherapy.

Studies show IFS therapy can promote empowerment through self-leadership, improve internal balance, increase self-compassion, and help individuals better understand emotional responses to trauma and stress.

IFS therapy has also been shown to reduce depressive symptoms and physical pain in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.

Therapy At Renaissance Recovery

Here at Renaissance Recovery, we specialize in delivering gender-specific outpatient treatment for:

• Mental health conditions
• Alcohol use disorder
• Substance use disorder
• Dual diagnosis

We also offer more intensive programming, including intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), depending on your level of need.

If you feel internal family systems therapy would help you, contact our admissions team today at 866-330-9449.

Sources

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4707273/
• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
• https://www.samhsa.gov/