Internal Family Systems

People naturally understand that they have different parts of their personality. Internal Family Systems builds on this way of understanding ourselves. When I integrate this model into my work, my clients are able to bring more compassion, courage, calm and creativity to themselves and others. This helps bring more satisfaction into their lives and relationships.

IFS is a relatively new approach that's been found to be very effective for trauma. It involves "parts work" or finding and exploring parts of ourselves that can show up as feelings, emotions, thoughts, sensations, personality traits, and opinions. Working through these parts' protective qualities will take you to more vulnerable parts that carry the trauma. IFS uses a process called "unburdening" to help you heal those parts.

I am a certified Level 1 IFS therapist, but I have actually done extensive CE as well, and view IFS as a way of being in the world with greater peace, deeper healing.

IFS was developed by Richard Schwartz PhD in the early 1990s and has since been listed in the National Registry for Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. In the model’s name, Internal Family Systems, lies the belief that we all have a psychological system made up of a constellation of parts (or family members) that are in need of reconciliation. We approach the following topics from an IFS framework: Chronic Stress, trauma, anxiety, depression, anger issues, self-esteem, grief.

I use IFS as a framework to help clients understand themselves more deeply- we'll work together to help you build a caring, compassionate relationship with your parts (even the mean or judgy ones), and help you learn to work with your parts instead of against them.

IFS takes the approach that we all have an inner world made up of of parts that want to help us, but who have taken on extreme roles in an effort to keep us safe. These extreme parts become less disruptive and more cooperative once their concerns are addressed and they feel safer. IFS is a research-supported therapy with established efficacy. It feels like doing family therapy in your head! When you listen to all your parts, and access your core Self, you can heal your wounded parts.

Internal Family Systems Therapy is a foundational tool in work. IFS is a therapeutic approach that views the mind as a family system of interrelated parts, each with unique perspectives and roles. IFS helps clients identify and understand these different parts, which supports a feeling of integration and coherence in our lived experiences. By addressing the underlying conflicts and traumas that may be affecting these parts, IFS aims to promote healing, self-compassion, and personal growth.

I have witnessed the profound shifts IFS can bring—whether it’s calming critical inner voices, soothing anxious parts, or empowering the "Self" to take a compassionate leadership role. My expertise allows me to create a safe space for clients to explore these inner dynamics and uncover lasting personal growth, bringing a sense of internal peace and clarity into their lives.

IFS therapy is based on the understanding that our psyche is made up of various “parts,” each with its own perspectives, emotions, and roles. These parts often develop in response to our life experiences and can sometimes be in conflict with one another. At the core of IFS is the belief that we all have a Self—a centered, compassionate inner leader capable of healing and harmonizing our parts.

Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and is made up of the combination of the Self and our parts. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS, all parts are welcome. People from all backgrounds are welcome.

Internal Family Systems Therapy is a foundational aspect of work. IFS is a therapeutic approach that views the mind as a family system of interrelated parts, each with unique perspectives and roles. IFS helps clients identify and understand these different parts, which supports a feeling of integration and coherence in our lived experiences. By addressing the underlying conflicts and traumas that may be affecting these parts, IFS aims to promote healing, self-compassion, and personal growth.

I am an IFS-informed therapist and have undergone several trainings on IFS technique.

Just like a family is made up of different individuals with their own unique personalities and roles, our internal world is composed of different parts. Each part has its own specific qualities, desires, and intentions. Our parts are often in conflict with one another which causes internal distress. Rejecting, hiding, or denying our parts does not make them go away - it primarily causes us to lose a chance for connection and understanding. IFS is a framework for building inner harmony.

I utilize this treatment as it has been impactful in my own personal therapy. Tremendous self-energy can be gained from understanding the various emotional parts that require attention. Once these areas are affirmed they provide information that

With six years of education in marriage and family therapy, postgraduate training, and over 12 years of hands-on experience, I have become skilled in Internal Family Systems (IFS). My background allows me to help clients explore and understand the various parts of themselves, fostering emotional healing and integration. Using IFS, I guide clients to navigate their inner worlds with compassion, creating space for lasting personal leadership and healthier relationships.

This approach allows us to welcome all parts of us to the conversation, including the parts of us that we have the hardest time connecting with. My training in this modality allows client to confront their deepest wounds from a position of curiosity and compassion so that we can integrate all parts of us into the healing that we are seeking. IFS empowers my clients to unburden themselves from the trauma cycles that they often feel trapped by and create internal stability and wholeness.