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INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEM THERAPIES

What is Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)?

If your ultimate wish is to understand your psyche in a clear and comprehensive way, and resolve deep-seated emotional issues, then IFS is an amazing therapeutic tool to help you achieve this goal.  IFS is one of the fastest growing psycho-therapeutic models in the field today. It is a safe, respectful, effective, empowering therapy which is currently receiving wonderful testimonies from leading trauma specialists around the globe. IFS works extremely well with all human suffering and it will help you to discover who you are and to become all that you want to be. 

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IFS is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy which has been shown to be highly effective in treating depression, anxiety, trauma and phobias, resulting in a deep sense of wellbeing and peace.  IFS is a talking therapy which works with the body and the mind, and assumes that each individual possesses a variety of sub-personalities, or “parts”. Each part has its own likes, dislikes, beliefs, burdens, and history. We all have wounded parts, hurt parts and parts that try to protect us from pain. Each part is thought to play a distinct role in warding off behaviours, actions, or reactions that could result in dysfunction or disharmony within the individual. 

 

In IFS we attempt to get to know each of these parts better by learning how the different parts function and understand how they function with each other to promote and achieve healing. These parts can relate to each other a bit like a family – some may get on well, while others may be in conflict.    People in therapy can often, with the help of a professionally trained IFS Therapist, become better able to identify the roots of conflict, manage any complications arising, and achieve greater mental and physical well-being.

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Who Can Benefit from IFS Therapy?

Anyone!
IFS is a comprehensive psychotherapy model that can be used to help any person with any mental health or personal development goal. While the model can be used for treating a variety of mental health concerns, it can also be used as a means for simply understanding one’s self and living a more fulfilled and centred life.

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IFS is especially beneficial for those dealing with issues of trauma or addiction, as it helps organize your internal system and find healing from the past.


However, everyone can benefit from the IFS framework. By learning how to identify, honour, and control your “internal families,” you will be better equipped to handle anything life puts in your path.


I recommend IFS therapy to all clients seeking healing, wholeness, and personal development in general.

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How it works...

IFS is talk therapy in which you work with me to identify and understand the specific sub-personalities “parts” that make up your internal mental system or psyche. Once you identify these parts, I will help you connect with them so you can get to understand and know them better and learn about how these parts of our psyche are responsible for the actions and behaviours that are holding you back or keeping you stuck in destructive and unwanted patterns. Once you get to know these various parts, we can release and free them from their "burdens", negative beliefs, and suppressed emotions so you can work collaboratively with them internally to achieve your personal and professional goals and become better equipped to handle anything life puts in your path.

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Issues Treated with IFS:

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IFS is used to treat a wide variety of mental health conditions and psychological wounds. It has been shown to be effective for the improvement of general emotional and mental well-being as well as improving the symptoms of phobia, panic, generalised anxiety, depression, and certain physical ailments.

Issues treated with IFS therapy include:

  • Trauma

  • Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse

  • Compulsive behaviours

  • Depression

  • Bipolar

  • Body image issues

  • Anxiety

  • Phobias

  • Substance dependency

  • Relationship issues

  • Procrastination

  • PTSD

Just a little more info...

IFS was developed in the 1990s by family therapist Richard Schwartz, PhD, who developed the concept of an undamaged core Self that is the essence of whom you are and identified three different types of sub-personalities or families that reside within each person, in addition to the Self. These include wounded and suppressed parts called exiles, protective parts called managers, that keep the exiled parts suppressed, and other protective parts called firefighters, that distract the Self from the pain of exiled parts when they are released. For example, an exiled part may be the trauma and anger of earlier abuse, emotions that are suppressed by the manager, while the firefighter may be alcohol addiction or behaviour such as overeating that distracts the client from facing and re-experiencing those uncomfortable emotions. These parts can be healed, transformed, and better managed by the Self by achieving the three goals of IFS:

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1) Free the parts from their extreme roles

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2) Restore trust in the Self

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3) Coordinate and harmonize the Self and the parts, so they can work together as a team with the Self in charge.

This is a lovely short animated video about Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy by Bruce Hersey

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