Our Modalities
IFS Therapy
Internal Family Systems
A remarkable approach that identifies and heals the different parts within you, delivered here as a focused, immersive retreat instead of a weekly hour.
When we experience trauma, our personality can split into parts that carry our hurt, sadness, anger, and shame. IFS gives each of those parts a voice and helps you shift trust back to the calm, confident core Self at the center of who you are.
What it is
Bringing your inner family into harmony
IFS therapy is built on the idea that we develop parts within us to protect us from the pain of traumatic experiences and the hard emotions that come with them. Often these parts are in conflict with one another and with our core Self, the happy, confident, whole person at the center of us.
IFS addresses each of these wounded parts, giving them a voice and a chance to express their perspective on what happened and how they have been trying to protect you. With the support of a certified IFS therapist, you create a dialogue with these parts so they can be acknowledged, release the pain they hold, and free up the stuck energy locked within them.
- Respects your own experience of your problems
- No all-knowing therapist who fixes you
- Works gently with your protective parts
- Leads from your undamaged core Self
A part is not just a temporary emotional state or habitual thought pattern. It is a discrete and autonomous mental system with its own range of emotion, style of expression, set of abilities, desires, and view of the world. It is as if we each contain a society of people, each at a different age and with different interests, talents, and temperaments.
There is a path inward, and a steady core Self waiting at the end of it.
IFS in practice
Working with your parts, step by step
Your therapist follows a careful, relational process that moves you from meeting your protective parts toward reaching the wounded ones underneath. In an intensive, far more of this work happens in a day than a weekly hour could ever allow.
- 01
Assessment of parts
We begin by building a comprehensive understanding of the parts that live within you, especially in relation to the most disruptive problem you are facing right now. As we learn how your parts function, we also learn how you connect and respond to similar parts in others.
- 02
Awareness of parts
We explore how you understand and interact with your parts, including the thoughts, feelings, and experiences that arise when certain parts become active in your life.
- 03
Learning the language of IFS
At first it can feel confusing to talk about parts of yourself as if they were separate individuals. With practice the language of IFS becomes natural and gives you a liberating way to see how each part is trying to manage your life and protect you.
- 04
Working with the managers
Managers work constantly to keep you safe and functional, driven by a fear of being re-exposed to old pain. We discuss how to move through difficult work without those feared outcomes occurring, and we honor the value managers have brought to your life.
- 05
Working with the firefighters
Firefighters step in the instant an exiled part is triggered, often through unhealthy coping like addiction or withdrawal. We look honestly at the tactics your firefighters use to mitigate pain as it emerges, so they can soften their extreme roles.
- 06
Reaching the exiles
Only once the managers and firefighters give permission do we work directly with the hurt, exiled parts. Moving too soon can trigger the protectors, so we work with the whole system, sensitive to the wounded parts and the moment they are ready to be met.
The model
The three kinds of parts
IFS was developed in the 1990s by family therapist Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. Its premise is an undamaged core Self at the center of who we are, surrounded by three kinds of parts that each play a role in managing past trauma.
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The wounded
Exiles
Young parts that have undergone trauma and become isolated from the rest of the system to spare you their pain, fear, and terror. If exiled, they can grow increasingly extreme and desperate to be cared for, leaving you feeling fragile and vulnerable.
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The protectors
Managers
Parts that run the day-to-day life of the individual. They work to keep control over every situation and relationship so the vulnerable parts are shielded from pain or rejection, through striving, controlling, evaluating, caretaking, and more.
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The responders
Firefighters
Parts that respond the instant an exile is triggered, rushing to suppress the emotion as fast as possible. They share the managers' goal of keeping exiles away but use harsher strategies, sometimes drug or alcohol use, self-harm, or binge eating.
The most important thing to remember is that parts can be healed and transformed when they are given a voice and acknowledged in a supportive environment. The goal is to liberate them from their extreme roles so they trust the core Self and work together as a team to support a healthy life.
Beneath every protector is an undamaged Self, ready to lead.
Why an intensive
Years of progress in a focused span of days
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Increased self-compassion
A deeper understanding of your internal system leads to greater self-acceptance. By recognizing and embracing all parts of yourself, you build a kinder, more nurturing relationship with your inner world.
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Improved emotional regulation
Working with the different parts of your personality helps you manage emotions more effectively, so you can respond to hard situations in a more adaptive and balanced way.
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Enhanced self-awareness
IFS deepens your understanding of your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, empowering you to make more informed choices and live a more authentic life.
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Effective trauma healing
IFS offers a safe, supportive environment to process and heal from past trauma, leading to greater emotional resilience and overall well-being.
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Renewed self-energy and motivation
By releasing the burdens of past trauma and negative self-beliefs, IFS helps you tap into your natural energy and motivation, with greater fulfillment in your personal and professional life.
Formats we offer
- Half-day
Three to four hours, focused on a single issue or goal. A strong starting point.
- Full-day
Six to eight hours to immerse fully and make significant progress in a single day.
- Multi-day
Several days for complex trauma, with room for comprehensive, sustained work.
- Virtual
Conducted online for those who prefer to work from home or cannot travel.
Is it right for you?
An IFS intensive may be a good fit if you
IFS is gentle, respectful, and led by your own inner wisdom rather than a therapist who tells you what is wrong. It tends to suit people who:
- Feel pulled in different directions by conflicting parts of yourself
- Are living with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, or depression you are ready to face
- Cope through patterns like addiction, self-criticism, or withdrawal you want to understand
- Want a process that honors your own innate ability to heal
- Are willing to meet your protective parts with patience and support
Other modalities
Therapies we may combine with IFS
- EMDR Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing When a part is too intense to identify or build rapport with, EMDR can help you work through the most painful aspects of the trauma so the part's intensity diminishes. Learn more
- ART Accelerated Resolution Therapy Research shows ART achieves rapid results, with gains maintained for at least four months. Learn more
Ready to talk it through?
Speak to a therapist about whether an IFS intensive is right for you. No pressure, just a conversation about what you are facing and how we can help.