Internal Family Systems

Most of my work with individuals and couples is centered around IFS in both my private practice and through my work with marital conflict at The Relationship Institute.

I am trained in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) protocols. I have completed training and receive continuing education and consultation as an IFS informed therapist through ifsca.ca. As we learn to approach our different parts from a place of openhearted compassion, we can experience insight and deeper healing. The outcome of IFS therapy techniques include the unburdening and transformation of our parts bringing a sense of inner freedom and peace.

We are multifaceted beings and Internal Family Systems or IFS takes a deeper dive into your internal family system of parts. During our sessions together, I will support you in exploring the many parts of you and how they came to be. We may find that our parts may be acting as protectors from past traumas and fears, leading to avoidance behaviors and preventing healing. We may find that they are reactive and impulsive or we may find the ones that are hidden and exiled away due to shame.

IFS is a relatively new approach that's been found to be very effective for trauma. It involves "parts work" or finding and exploring parts of ourselves that can show up as feelings, emotions, thoughts, sensations, personality traits, and opinions. Working through these parts' protective qualities will take you to more vulnerable parts that carry the trauma. IFS uses a process called "unburdening" to help you heal those parts.

This approach is a creative deep dive into the often conflicting internal dialogues we all hold inside. Ever felt one particular way but also pulled in another direction? Ever wanted to work on building healthy connection to a person but anger and resentment seem to be driving the interactions? This approach engages directly the tensions that pull us apart and cultivates a deep centeredness in what we call "self" energy - the wise healing intelligence already within you.

The Internal Family Systems Model is an integrative approach to psychotherapy that acknowledges and welcomes all parts and aspects of who we are. In this model we recognize and honor that each part of us (behaviors, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, personality traits, etc.) serves a purpose and can also be returned to a state of authenticity, balance, higher self-awareness, and healing.

I have been through years of my own therapy in Internal Family Systems and am part of ongoing IFS supervision and consultation. I have been through Level 1 and Level 2 IFS training and am signed up for Level 3. I have been part of continuity programs that focus on somatic IFS, trauma and IFS, sexuality and IFS, addictions and eating disorders.

IFS is an ego state therapy that I find to be powerful in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) work. It fosters mindfulness, awareness and self-compassion. I consider myself to be trained secondary in this, as I do not use IFS as a primary resource of treatment or change, but instead in conjunction with other trauma modalities.

IFS views our personalities as comprised of various protective and wounded parts that we can learn to relate to from a healing core of empathy and compassion. The IFS process is often remarkably vivid and powerful.

As an IFS-trained therapist, frightening and extreme behaviors are compassionately understood as sincere attempts to help restore balance and calm within ourselves. As a non-pathologizing approach to psychotherapy and understanding behavior, we can acknowledge and validate the parts of ourselves that desperately try to help soothe us, without degrading, criticizing, or invalidation . We can also safely help unburden our wounded parts that hold pain and keep us stuck in ineffectual patterns.

Our minds are actually made up of sub-personalities. We may have our "work part" or "romantic part" and our work will be to get to know these different parts and understand what they do for our internal system. IFS believes we have an inherent self that can lead these parts in healthy ways by showing them compassion and a sense of self-leadership. This therapy will help the parts begin to trust the self. *IFS Informed

I have been using IFS with myself and my clients for 5 years. I have completed both level 1 and level 2 trainings through the IFS Institute and have taken ongoing training with Institute lead trainers on working with self-criticism and polarities, self-led activism and somatic IFS. I work with my clients on getting to know parts of themselves, listening to internal needs and building internal connection and confidence.

I am Level 1 and 2 trained through the Internal Family Systems Institute. I am passionate about the potential of this model for healing emotional wounds and helping people experience change and growth. I have assisted in trainings to teach this model to other therapists, and I regularly receive consultation with an IFS Institute certified consultant.

I'm very grateful that Dr. Richard Schwartz came along and hugely upgraded the "inner child work" that many of us had been doing for decades. IFS tools allow us to work with immediacy to address what's happening and provide relief.

I utilize IFS to help my clients explore their inner world of different parts, each with unique thoughts and feelings. By facilitating communication and understanding among these parts, clients can heal internal conflicts and achieve greater harmony within themselves. IFS promotes self-discovery, self-compassion, and emotional healing, leading to personal growth and improved mental well-being.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy asserts that we are all made up of various parts. We may have self-critical parts, angry parts, hardworking parts, etcetera. IFS believes that at the core of each person is the Self, which is considered the essence of who we truly are. Your core Self is inherently calm, curious, and compassionate. IFS helps clients understand the roles of each part and find harmony between them, allowing their core Self to shine through.

I utilize parts work and aspects of IFS extensively in my work. We all contain multitudes, as the saying goes. Our inner protectors can use a variety of tactics to keep us safe, but these can often cause us trouble in other ways. In therapy we work to bring insight and voice to those multitudes we contain within us, and we also, importantly, work to build a stronger connection to your core self to allow you more agency to take back the reins and develop self-trust.