What Is IFS?

What is Internal Family Systems?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps people understand and heal their inner emotional world. Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, IFS is based on the idea that our minds are made up of multiple parts, each with its own feelings, beliefs, and roles. These parts may hold pain, manage stress, or try to protect us from being hurt. While they often have good intentions, they can sometimes work in ways that feel extreme or conflicting.

At the core of the IFS model is the belief that everyone has a Self. This Self is not just another part. It is a calm, compassionate, and grounded inner presence that can help guide the healing process. When the Self is accessible, it can support the parts in letting go of their burdens and working together in harmony.

IFS therapy is not about fighting your thoughts or getting rid of difficult feelings. It is about getting to know each part of your internal system, understanding why it shows up the way it does, and helping it feel seen, understood, and supported.

Core Concepts of IFS

Internal Family Systems is built around the idea that the mind is naturally multiple. We each have a system of “parts” within us, which are distinct subpersonalities that serve different roles, often shaped by our life experiences.

Some key elements of the IFS model include:

Parts 

These inner roles or subpersonalities often develop as a way to help us cope. They may be protective, reactive, or wounded. Common types include:

• Managers, who try to maintain control and prevent emotional pain

• Firefighters, who jump in to soothe distress through distraction or urgency

• Exiles, who carry the pain, shame, or vulnerability we’ve learned to suppress

Self 

At the center of IFS is the concept of the Self—an internal presence marked by calm, clarity, compassion, and curiosity. The goal of IFS therapy is to help you access your Self so it can lead the internal system.

Unburdening 

As therapy progresses, parts can begin to release the extreme roles or burdens they’ve carried. This process allows for healing, integration, and renewed balance in the internal system.

IFS sees every part as having a positive intention, even when its strategy is no longer helpful. By building respectful relationships with parts, healing becomes a collaborative and compassionate process.

What Happens in an IFS Session

IFS therapy sessions are centered around inner awareness. Instead of talking about symptoms from the outside in, you’ll be guided to notice the thoughts, emotions, and body sensations that happen within you, and get curious about which “parts” might be showing up.

Your therapist won’t label these parts as good or bad. Instead, they’ll help you build a respectful, compassionate relationship with them. Some parts might be protective or reactive. Others may carry pain from earlier life experiences. Each one has a reason for being there, even if its strategies are no longer helping.

In an IFS session, you might:

• Name and describe how different parts of you feel or behave

• Identify when a part is active, especially in moments of stress or conflict

• Learn how to pause and separate from a part just enough to understand it

• Explore the part’s role, fears, and unmet needs

• Invite that part to soften once it feels heard and supported

Over time, these conversations create more internal clarity. The goal isn’t to eliminate parts but to help them unburden old stories and trust the guidance of your core Self, which is calm, compassionate, and connected. When the Self is in the lead, your internal system becomes less reactive and more in sync.

What Makes Internal Family Systems Therapy Different

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy offers a distinctive alternative to traditional psychotherapy approaches. Rather than focusing on behavior change or symptom management alone, IFS views the internal system as relational. It centers on understanding how different parts of you interact, protect, and respond to emotional pain.

While many approaches work to reframe or eliminate negative thoughts, IFS invites you to turn toward those thoughts and feelings with curiosity. Parts that seem disruptive or overwhelming are not treated as problems to fix, but as protectors doing their best to help. When these parts are acknowledged and heard, they begin to soften.

This model also differs in its emphasis on internal leadership. IFS assumes that every person has access to a grounded, compassionate inner presence, aka the Self, that can guide healing. Therapy focuses on strengthening this Self energy, so that all parts of the internal system can feel safe, understood, and supported.

IFS is also compatible with other modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and somatic approaches. Its flexibility and depth make it a valuable framework for long-term healing, particularly for those with complex trauma, deep-seated self-criticism, or internal conflict.

What IFS Can Help With

Trauma

IFS is widely used in the treatment of trauma, including PTSD and complex trauma. Rather than asking clients to retell or analyze painful memories, IFS helps them gently connect with the parts of themselves that carry those burdens. This allows for healing without re-traumatization. Many people with trauma histories find IFS to be a safer and more sustainable way to process what they’ve been through.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

IFS offers a unique lens for understanding OCD symptoms as the work of protective parts trying to manage fear, control, or uncertainty. Instead of confronting or suppressing compulsions, therapy helps clients get to know the parts driving them. As the Self becomes more accessible, clients can build a more compassionate internal system and develop new ways to respond to OCD triggers.

Eating Disorders

In eating disorder recovery, IFS can help identify and engage with the protective parts behind disordered behaviors, such as those focused on control, perfectionism, or emotional numbing. These parts are often trying to protect more vulnerable parts that carry shame, fear, or self-doubt. By working from within the system and building trust among parts, IFS supports lasting shifts in self-perception, body image, and nourishment.

Additional Concerns IFS Supports

IFS can also be helpful for people experiencing:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Grief and loss

• Burnout and chronic stress

• Inner criticism and low self-worth

• Identity exploration

• Relationship difficulties

• Emotional dysregulation

• Life transitions

Is IFS Right for You?

IFS may be a good fit if you often feel stuck, conflicted, or overwhelmed by competing parts of yourself. Many people who seek out IFS therapy describe feeling like one part of them wants change while another part holds them back. Others notice harsh inner criticism, emotional numbness, or reactions that feel out of proportion to the moment.

You don’t need a specific diagnosis to benefit from IFS. This approach is especially helpful for those who:

• Struggle with perfectionism or self-blame

• Experience emotional reactivity or shutdown

• Feel fragmented, disconnected, or unsure of who they are

• Have trouble trusting themselves or others

• Carry inner conflict or unresolved feelings from past experiences

IFS therapy can support you in building a more compassionate and coherent internal world.

Learn More

If you’re curious about IFS or want to dive deeper into the model, the IFS Institute offers information on its development, training programs, and current research.

Work With an IFS Therapist in Massachusetts

At Nourished Minds Counseling + Wellness, several of our therapists incorporate Internal Family Systems into their clinical work. Whether you’re navigating trauma, managing OCD or eating disorder recovery, or working toward greater self-trust, IFS can support meaningful change.

Every new client begins with a personalized assessment to determine the best therapeutic fit. If you’re curious about IFS or ready to get started, reach out today to schedule a consultation.