Interanal Family Systems - Parts Model

The central part of the psyche, called the core Self, is indestructible, whole, and invulnerable. It always retains qualities such as compassion, curiosity, creativity, courage, clarity, trust, calmness, and connection with others.

Some parts of the psyche, associated with childhood experiences, are "frozen" and stuck in the past, meaning the experiences have not been processed or integrated. These are called Exiled parts. To protect us from these painful emotions, which are often triggered even in everyday situations, other parts of the psyche take on protective roles.

Protectors, called Managers, try to safeguard us by using strategies that often negatively impact our lives, manifesting as an inner critic, overthinking, dissociation, or various addictions to substances, eating, social media, and more.

Firefighters are reactive parts that intervene when other strategies fail. They act quickly and impulsively to reduce emotional pressure, such as through binge eating or alcohol consumption. Although their actions may seem harmful, they aim to protect us from the pain of the Exiled parts.

Role of core Self

The pluralism of the Psyche and a non-pathologizing approach

Internal Family Systems (IFS) believes that it is normal for our psyche to consist of many parts. Some of these parts are traumatized, others protect us, but all of them care for our well-being and are valuable to our internal system.

As Richard Schwartz says, “There are no bad parts.” Even the most extreme states and beliefs of the psyche's parts are attempts to maintain system balance and protect us from further harm. Over time, these protective strategies may become outdated, but their goal has always been to help our psyche remain whole.

IFS encourages viewing all these parts as valuable and aims for their integration rather than elimination.

In 2015, Internal Family Systems (IFS) was recognized as an evidence-based psychotherapy model by the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) in the United States, meaning that research has proven its effectiveness.

Each IFS session is a journey deep within oneself, where the client explores their psyche's parts, discovering when they formed, what they believed, and what roles they took on.

The IFS therapist acts as a guide, supporting the client on their journey, trusting that the client's Core Self knows best what is needed for healing.

The IFS therapist helps the client communicate with the parts of their psyche, freeing them from misconceptions, heavy emotions, and inappropriate roles, as well as helping to reintegrate the exiled parts back into the system to regain forgotten qualities like carefreeness and a sense of inner worth.

IFS Psychotherapy

One of the main goals of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is to reconnect with the Core Self, allowing it to take its natural leadership role within the psyche.

Connecting with the Core Self helps parts of the psyche move away from their extreme roles, creating a more dynamic and balanced internal system. This way, the client's own Core Self provides the solution to their problems.

Internal acceptance and friendliness towards these parts help the exiled and polarized parts move away from their extreme roles and release the burdens of negative emotions they carry. These parts are then guided to find more constructive roles within the internal system, where their natural qualities—essentially resources—can be expressed in ways that benefit the psyche.

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