Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative therapeutic approach that helps you explore the different parts of yourself—the inner conflict that can sometimes feel overwhelming or confusing. By recognising and understanding these parts, we can work together to bring more harmony, self-awareness, and healing to your life.
IFS views every part of you as having positive intentions, even those that might seem self-sabotaging or harmful. Through this process, we uncover the protective and wounded parts, allowing you to connect with your true Self—the calm, compassionate core of who you are. From this place, real healing and transformation become possible.
As someone certified in Frank Anderson’s Internal Family Systems Trauma Treatment, I specialise in using IFS to support trauma healing in a way that feels safe, collaborative, and empowering. You can expect a non-judgemental, supportive space where we will work together to help you navigate life’s challenges with more self-compassion, clarity, and resilience.
What to Expect in a Session
In an IFS-informed session, we gently identify and get to know the different parts of your internal system—the thoughts, emotions, and protective strategies that show up in response to life’s challenges. These might include parts of you that push through, parts that criticise, parts that avoid, or parts that carry feelings of shame, fear, or sadness. Rather than trying to eliminate these responses, we bring curiosity to their roles, histories, and positive intentions.
This approach, grounded in IFS principles, helps create space between you and these parts, allowing your Self—the grounded, compassionate presence within you—to step forward. From this place of connection, protective parts can begin to relax, and wounded parts can feel heard and supported, often for the first time. This fosters an internal environment of safety where healing can naturally occur.
At the heart of IFS is the principle of self-leadership—the ability to meet your internal world with calm, curiosity, courage, and compassion. Self-leadership means that while your parts are heard and honoured, they are not left in charge of your decisions or responses. Instead of being parts-led—where protective strategies or wounded places take control—you learn to respond from your core Self, guiding your system with understanding and care.
Working in this way through IFS often brings relief from the exhausting cycle of internal battles or repeated patterns of behaviour. Over time, many people notice greater emotional balance, less reactivity, and an increased ability to respond to life’s ups and downs with steadiness and clarity.
Why Work with Parts?
One of the key beliefs within IFS is that we all carry different parts shaped by life experiences, family dynamics, and cultural influences. Some of these parts developed as protectors, trying to keep you safe from harm or discomfort. Others carry the pain and burdens of the past. While these strategies may have been helpful once, they can sometimes keep you stuck or prevent you from feeling fully connected to yourself and others.
By learning to relate to these parts with compassion rather than judgement—an approach central to IFS—you can shift from being caught in these patterns to understanding them. This not only reduces internal conflict but also builds your capacity for self-leadership—the sense that your choices and actions are guided by the wisest, most connected part of you.
Whether you are working with trauma, anxiety, relationship difficulties, or feeling overwhelmed by the push and pull of your inner world, IFS offers a gentle yet powerful pathway toward integration, healing, and emotional freedom. The focus of IFS is always on empowering you to connect with your Self, fostering greater harmony between your parts, and supporting lasting transformation from the inside out.
Schedule an Appointment
It would be my privilege to walk alongside you on your journey to a more fulfilling life. I offer a free 15-minute phone or video consultation to ensure I am the right fit for your needs.
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