Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy assumes that at the depth of you, you are inherently whole, wise and good. It’s called being in your Self-energy when you are leading your life from your innate wisdom, compassion, and courage. IFS help you build a relationship with your inner protectors who work diligently to keep you emotionally safe by employing strategies such as the self-critic to keep others approving of you or drinking at night to numb your emotions. The protectors shield exiles underneath who are wounded and vulnerable parts like the overwhelm and aloneness you felt as a child when shamed by an authority figure to keep you in line. You want to develop a relationship with your protectors from your Self-energy so that they let you be with your exiles. Then from your Self-energy and in connection with the therapist you go an witness what the terror, overwhelm, aloneness and hurt the exile went through. The exile then can deeply grieve and the positive qualities like play, creativity, exuberance, and depth get freed up. Overall harmony gets restored to your inner life and you can more effectively live a Self-led life.

What is IFS Therapy? by Dr. Tori Olds  |  [Video]

Minute 40:00 to 1:02:00 IFS is being done on Tim Ferris by Dr. Richard Schwartz  |  [Podcast Episode]

Creating Psychic Space: Acknowledging the People at Your Campfire by Kelly (11 mins)  |  [Listen]

Naming the People at Your Campfire (2nd version) by Kelly (11 mins)  |  [Listen]

Developing Self-energy to Part Relationship by Kelly (12 mins)  |  [Listen]

No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz  |  [Book]

Greater than the Sum of the Parts by Richard Schwartz   |  [Audio Course]

Free Meditation App with IFS Audio Exercises   |  [Insight Timer]

Podcast Interview of Richard Schwartz by Rich Roll  |  [Podcast Episode]

Think Tank by Peter Calloway  |  [Vimeo Video]