Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems Therapy was Developed by:  Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D.

 

Overview of Internal Family Systems Therapy:  Internal Family Systems Therapy is comprehensive approach to healing trauma and other related symptoms that includes guidelines for working with individuals, couples and families. The Internal Family Systems Therapy Model represents a new synthesis of two already existing paradigms: systems thinking and the multiplicity of the mind. It brings concepts and methods from the structural, strategic, narrative, and Bowenian schools of family therapy to the world of subpersonalities.  Internal Family Systems Therapy provides practical methods to recognize and access the "higher" or "deeper" Self, so that the process of growth happens according to an "inner wisdom."  In accessing the Self and healing parts, a person is not pushed, rushed or imposed upon.  The process is allowed to unfold at its own speed, and according to its own pattern." ~Excerpt from The Center for Self Leadership

 

Resources Related to Internal Family Systems Therapy: 

 

The Center for Self Leadership

Wikipedia's Page about Internal Family Systems Therapy

Articles about Internal Family Systems Therapy

 

Books Related to Internal Family Systems Therapy:

 

   


Internal Family Systems Article Summaries

How do You Heal Trauma Without Re-traumatizing?

A common concern that many people have in therapy is a fear that if they go close to the old feelings they’ve exiled, they’ll get overwhelmed and re-experience the original trauma. It makes sense that anyone who has spent years avoiding vulnerable feelings would be afraid of doing the opposite. Nonetheless, I know there are many creative ways therapists help people to heal trauma successfully, without flooding or overwhelming. I thought it would be interesting to ask others to comment on how they help people to go near ... Read the rest of this entry »
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Forum: Internal Family Systems Therapy

Dear Members and Visitors to GoodTherapy.org, Today we were pleased to present the first teleconference in the GoodTherapy.org Winter Teleconference Series: An introduction to the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) of Psychotherapy presented by Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D., the developer of the IFS model. Thanks to Richard who volunteered his time to present to GoodTherapy.org members this fascinating and beautiful approach to helping people heal. To support those of you who attended today’s teleconference and who may have more questions or would enjoy having a ... Read the rest of this entry »
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Can Collaborative Therapy Heal Trauma Safely?

Written by Noah Rubinstein, LMFT, LMHC Dear Friends, GoodTherapy.org received an email today from a therapist concerned about one of the principles of good therapy: collaboration. I was surprised at first, but after reading her email I could see the validity of her concern and how she could be led to it by the way the definition was written. She was concerned that working collaboratively might re-traumatize a person. I believe she was equating collaboration with total non-direction. I wrote back to her to clarify. I thought I would ... Read the rest of this entry »
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What to Expect in Internal Family Systems Couples Therapy

An Excerpt from 'Bring Yourself to Love: How Couples Can Turn Disconnection into Intimacy' By Mona Barbera, Ph.D. What to Expect in Internal Family Sytems (IFS) Couples Therapy Hopefully the ideas and exercises in this book have been helpful to you, and you feel confident that you can improve your relationship. Or perhaps you feel that you and your partner could use some professional help. This chapter will tell you what to expect from a couples therapist who uses the IFS model. Since there are so many ... Read the rest of this entry »
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The Journey Home: A Story of Rediscovering Repressed Memories and Healing from Childhood Abuse

~Written by Karen M. Reed When I began training in Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) several years ago, my whole life became a healing story. It is difficult to even know how to begin or focus in the attempt to tell it. I was drawn to the model after reading Dick’s textbook in graduate school. It stirred my heart. It just felt right to me. And now I know why! Not long after beginning the training, I started to have difficulties being there without exiles crawling out of the ... Read the rest of this entry »
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Lighten Your Load: Transforming Emotional Baggage

Written by Christine Horn, MA “The past is the past. Don’t cry over spilled milk. Put it behind you. Get over it already.” We all have voices within ourselves that say these kinds of things. Usually it is after some event or interaction has left us feeling angry, lonely, or hurt. These messages are from parts within ourselves that want to protect us. By saying these things they calm us down and prevent us from becoming “triggered” - feeling and reacting from the “emotional baggage” of our old, painful ... Read the rest of this entry »
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Parts Awareness in the Grieving Process

Written by Diane Jhueck, MA The following article was solely written and edited by the author named above.  The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. In our lifetimes, few of us escape the pain of grief over losing a loved one. Many of us experience this pain a number of times. In fact, the more full and engaged one’s life is the more one runs the risk of this kind of loss. Even if we somehow were never to lose a human ... Read the rest of this entry »
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Internal Family Systems, David Brooks, and “Where the Wild Things Are”

By Mona Barbera, Ph.D., David Brooks, New York Times columnist, was recently inspired by the movie, “Where the Wild Things Are.” He wonders if we are one person, with an ingrained, stable character – or are we different people in different situations, tripping around the truth with one person and going whole hog honest with another? His thoughts, and the movie, offer us a great forum to explain Internal Family Systems (IFS). In “Where the Wild Things Are,” Max the child is torn between loving and needing his mother and ... Read the rest of this entry »
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Internal Family Systems

Mona R. Barbera, Ph.D.

Mona R. Barbera, Ph.D.
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