IFS is an approach in therapy which looks at how our personality is made up of our core
personality traits, but also subpersonalities or parts such as wounded parts and painful
emotions. Our wounded parts and painful emotions become in conflict with our core self
which creates mental distress and an imbalance in our mental well-being.
These sub-personalities are protectors, there are two kinds of protectors, those who
manage our emotions and help us cope and there are firefighters who become active in
the moment to keep us safe.
The idea with IFS is engaging in different types of guided meditations to look at our
different parts safely, how they interact with each other and how they helped us through
dilemmas, how they can pause their support so we can find our path or see what parts
are in our hearts.
We engage in techniques that allow us to flesh out the parts that are working for us,
flesh them out to gain a better understanding of these parts such as what their role is
and where they present themselves in our body. When we talk to them and gain a better
understanding of them and befriend them by talking with them and finding out what they
need. Once we know what they need, we can help them fulfill a different protector role
as you are likely no longer in the distressing or traumatic events.
When we speak with our different parts and find out what they need, they begin to
unblend from our core personality parts and the authentic version of ourselves comes
through.
IFS can be used with other modalities such as EMDR and inner child work. It can be
used to treat depression, anxiety, trauma: PTSD, C-PTSD, and eating disorders.
