Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) is a therapeutic method that helps individuals heal and become whole. It assumes that each individual possesses a variety of sub-personalities or "parts," and attempts to get to know each of these parts better in order to achieve healing.

What are Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Have you ever felt like you're constantly fighting against yourself? This model is based on the idea that all people have parts, with each part having its own characteristics, experiences, beliefs, skills, and resources. The goal of internal family systems therapy is to help people develop more awareness of their internal processes so they can make healthier choices in their lives. It also helps them understand how their inner world is impacting their outer world so they can learn how to make changes for the better.

This therapy has been shown to be effective for many different problems including depression, anxiety disorders, addictive behaviours, relationship problems, childhood trauma, and more.

What Can IFS Help With?

It can help you address and work through some of the deepest, most painful parts of yourself. It's a way to bring your inner experience into the room, so you can work on it in ways that feel safe and supported.

Anger Issues

This approach is designed to help people work through anger issues by identifying the parts of themselves that are angry, and helping them to communicate with those parts.

Anxiety Disorders

It can help people with anxiety by enabling them to recognize the ways in which their minds and bodies are interacting. Then giving them tools to change those interactions.

Childhood Trauma

IFS can help people recognize the unhelpful patterns and behaviours they learned during childhood. Also, it enables them to identify what needs are not being met, and develop effective coping skills.

Depression

Internal family systems therapy can help people with depression by offering a new way to see and understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It also provides tools for managing them.

Eating Disorders

It can help people with eating disorders by enabling them to understand the unhealthy relationship they have with food. Then they learn to replace that relationship with a healthier one.

Grief and Loss

This approach can help different grieving parts within yourself feel less overwhelmed by the pain of loss, and allows you to focus on processing and healing in a healthy way.

Self Esteem

It is a great way to get in touch with your inner selves and learn how to work together as a team to promote confidence, growth and a better self image.

Stress and Burnout

IFS is an effective way to identify and heal your inner parts, so that you can be more present in your daily life which prevents you from feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

How Does IFS Work?

In this model, the individual is seen as an "adult" who is responsible for their own behaviour, thoughts, and a self-concept which is made up of several parts. These parts all have names, characteristics and problems associated with them. They also have conflicting needs and wants that cause them to fight for control over the person's behaviour. A counsellor helps the individual identify these parts and work with them to develop healthy relationships between them. So they can all work together as a team rather than against each other.

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