IFS posits that the mind is made up of multiple parts, and underlying them is a person's core or true Self. Like members of a family, a person's inner parts can take on extreme roles or subpersonalities. Each part has its own perspective, interests, memories, and viewpoint. A core tenet of IFS is that every part has a positive intent, even if its actions are counterproductive or cause dysfunction. There is no need to fight with, coerce, or eliminate parts; the IFS method promotes internal connection and harmony to bring the mind back into balance.
IFS therapy aims to heal wounded parts and restore mental balance. The first step is to access the core Self and then, from there, understand the different parts in order to heal them.
In the IFS model, there are three general types of parts:[4]
Exiles represent psychological trauma, often from childhood, and they carry the pain and fear. Exiles may become isolated from the other parts and polarize the system. Managers and Firefighters try to protect a person's consciousness by preventing the Exiles' pain from coming to awareness.[5]
Managers take on a preemptive, protective role. The goal of manager parts is to prevent pain. They influence the way a person interacts with the external world, protecting the person from harm and preventing painful or traumatic experiences from flooding the person's conscious awareness.
Firefighters emerge when Exiles break out and demand attention. The goal of firefighter parts is to bring pain relief. They work to divert attention away from the Exile's hurt and shame. They often use impulsive strategies to bring immediate relief for the pain and suffering of the system. Some examples of firefighter strategies are escaping, fleeing, and addictive indulgences like overeating, drug use, and social media scrolling. Firefighter parts also include rage, anger, frustration, and violence. Suicidal parts are often at the top of the heirarchy when all else fails. They can also distract a person from pain by excessively focusing attention on more subtle activities such as overworking or overmedicating.
The internal system
IFS focuses on the relationships between parts and the core Self. The goal of therapy is to create a cooperative and trusting relationship between the Self and each part.
There are three primary types of relationships between parts: protection, polarization, and alliance.[6]
Protection is provided by Managers and Firefighters. They intend to spare Exiles from harm and protect the individual from the Exile's pain.
Polarization occurs between two parts that battle each other to determine how a person feels or behaves in a certain situation. Each part believes that it must act as it does in order to counter the extreme behavior of the other part. IFS has a method for working with polarized parts.
Alliance is formed between two different parts if they're working together to accomplish the same goal.
IFS method
IFS practitioners report a well-defined therapeutic method for individual therapy based on the following principles. In this description, the term "protector" refers to either a manager or firefighter.
Parts in extreme roles carry "burdens": painful emotions or negative beliefs they have taken on as a result of past harmful experiences, often in childhood. These burdens are not intrinsic to the part and therefore they can be released or "unburdened" through IFS therapy, allowing the part to assume its natural healthy role.
The Self is the agent of psychological healing. Therapists help their clients to access and remain in Self, providing guidance along the way.
Protectors often soften up or release from their roles when they establish a harmonious relationship with the Self. Some Protectors unburden themselves from their roles only once the Exiles they are protecting have been unburdened.
There is no attempt to work with Exiles until the client has obtained permission from the Protectors who are protecting it. It is paramount in IFS therapy that the therapist ensures that the client's Self has established trust and safety with the protectors before approaching the Exiles. IFS therapy emphasizes that when protectors are not respected or bypassed, there is potential for their backlash. Such bypassing can result sometimes in some serious firefighter parts activating, such as suicidal parts. This allegedly makes the method relatively safe, even when working with traumatized parts.
The Self is the natural leader of the internal system. However, because of past harmful incidents or relationships, Protectors have stepped in and taken over for the Self. One Protector after another is activated and takes the lead, causing dysfunctional behavior. Protectors are also frequently in conflict with each other, resulting in internal chaos or stagnation. The aim is for the Protectors to trust the Self and allow it to lead the system, creating internal harmony under its guidance.
The first step is to help the client access the Self. The two methods for accessing Self-energy of the client is-
Insight approach- Clients Self engages with the Protector Parts facilitated by the therapist.
Direct Access approach- Therapist in Self directly communicates with the clients Protector Parts.
Once the Self gets to know the Protector(s), and the Protector(s) feel understood by the Self, the internal attachment rupture is repaired. The process of understanding the Protector's positive intent through witnessing can be a slow and deeply insightful journey. Then, with the Protector's permission, the client accesses the Exile(s) to uncover the childhood incident or relationship that is the source of the burden(s) it carries. The Exile is retrieved from the past situation and guided to release its burdens. Finally, the Protector can then let go of its protective role and assume a less extreme role or a healthy one.[7]
Critiques
Therapists Sharon A. Deacon and Jonathan C. Davis suggested that working with one's parts may "be emotional and anxiety-provoking for clients," and that IFS may not work well with delusional, paranoid, or schizophrenic clients who may not be grounded in reality and therefore misuse the idea of "parts".[8]
Effectiveness and research evidence
Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in clinical and experimental settings. Research includes quasi-experimental studies on self-awareness, self-forgiveness, and trauma, as well as randomised controlled trials on depression and chronic illness.
Quasi-experimental studies
A nine-month “mental training program” incorporating IFS concepts of Self and Self-leadership was evaluated by Böckler et al. (2017). Participants demonstrated greater identification of inner parts, particularly negatively valenced ones, which was associated with improvements in theory of mind capacity at treatment end and follow-up.[9]
Ogunyemi et al. (2020) evaluated a single-session IFS-informed workshop incorporating guided imagery and group discussion. Statistically significant improvements in dispositional forgiveness were reported, although no follow-up was conducted.[10]
Eaton and Ferrari (2020) assessed a 35-minute IFS-based guided imagery session. Results included reductions in perceived stress and anger, with increases in self-forgiveness and improvements in heart rate variability. Outcomes were statistically significant, but no follow-up was performed.[11]
Hodgdon et al. (2022) piloted 16 weekly IFS sessions for adults with PTSD related to childhood trauma. Clinically and statistically significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, depression, dissociation, and affect dysregulation were observed at treatment end and follow-up.[12]
Comeau et al. (2024) studied the feasibility of group-based and individual IFS for PTSD. Findings included reductions in PTSD severity, as well as improvements in self-compassion, decentring, and emotion regulation. Acceptability was high, with 92% of participants recommending the programm[13]
Randomised controlled trials
Haddock et al. (2017) compared 16 individual IFS sessions with treatment as usual (cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy) in female university students with depression. Both groups showed declines in depressive symptoms, but no statistically significant differences were observed, likely due tothe small sample size. Acceptability ratings were similar between conditions .[14]
Shadick et al. (2013) evaluated IFS therapy in women with rheumatoid arthritis, comparing nine months of IFS sessions to an educational control group. Statistically significant improvements were observed in pain levels, physical function, self-compassion, and depressive symptoms, with sustained benefits at one-year follow-up. No long-term effects were observed for anxiety, self-efficacy, or disease activity.[15]
Summary of studies
The following table summarises published research on IFS therapy:
^Minor, Amanda J. (2016). "Internal Family Systems Model". In Carlson, Jon; Dermer, Shannon B. (eds.). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Marriage, Family, and Couples Counseling. SAGE Publications. ISBN9781483369563. Retrieved 28 January 2020. The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model was developed by Richard C. Schwartz in the 1980s and describes and integrative, nonpathological approach to psychotherapy.... The premise of IFS is that similar to the complex external family system, individuals are composed of separate and multifaceted internal parts in relationship with each other. IFS's primary focus is to work with individuals and help differentiate parts or subpersonalities in the mind.
^Logan, Sadye L. M. (2008). "Family: Overview". In Mizrahi, Terry; Davis, Larry E. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Social Work. Oxford University Press, USA. pp. 2:175–182. ISBN9780195306613.
^Burgoyne, Nancy (2018). "Schwartz, Richard C". In Lebow, J.; Chambers, A.; Breunlin, D. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer International Publishing. pp. 1–2. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_927-1. ISBN9783319158778. [Schwartz] brought family therapy theory and technique to the intrapsychic worlds of clients and, in so doing, discovered ways of working with individuals, couples, and families that is unique and evidence-based. IFS has become not only a school of family therapy but also a major form of psychotherapy in general, with a vast literature and training institutes throughout the world.
^Scott, Derek (2012). "Grief and the Internal Family System". In Winokuer, Howard; Harris, Darcy (eds.). Principles and practice of grief counseling. Springer Publishing Company. pp. 168–169. ISBN9780826108739. The "parts" in this model may be understood to be autonomous aspects of the personality that have specific roles. [...] The exiled parts hold extreme feelings or beliefs about themselves.... When these vulnerable parts get triggered, other parts jump up to distract us from them and these reactive protective parts are termed "firefighters." [...] The other group of protectors in the system are referred to as "managers," and they seek to ensure that the vulnerable parts do not get triggered.
^Carlisle, Robert M. (2015). "Internal Family Systems Model". In Neukrug, Edward S. (ed.). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Counseling and Psychotherapy. SAGE Publications. pp. 567–569. ISBN9781483346496. Retrieved 28 January 2020. The internal system consists of the types of relationships between each of the parts and the self. The three primary relationships consist of protection, polarization, and alliance.
^Kolk, Bessel A. Van der (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books. p. 286. ISBN9780143127741. OCLC861478952. The task of the therapist is to help patients separate this confusing blend into separate entities.... Patients learn to put their fear, rage, or disgust on hold and open up into states of curiosity and self-reflection. From the stable perspective of Self they can begin constructive inner dialogues with their parts.
^Deacon, Sharon A.; Davis, Jonathan C. (March 2001). "Internal Family Systems Theory: A Technical Integration". Journal of Systemic Therapies. 20 (1): 45–58. doi:10.1521/jsyt.20.1.45.19410. Parts work can be emotional and anxiety-provoking for clients and therapists must have a rationale and direction in order to guide clients on such internal journeys. [...] Although Schwartz may disagree, we believe that IFS therapy, in general, may not work well with delusional, paranoid, or schizophrenic clients. Clients who are not grounded in reality may misuse the idea of "parts" or become more entrenched in delusional thoughts by such interventions.
^Böckler, A.; Herrmann, L.; Trautwein, F.-M.; Holmes, T.; Singer, T. (2017). "Know thy selves: Learning to understand oneself increases the ability to understand others". Journal of Cognitive Enhancement. 1 (2): 197–209. doi:10.1007/s41465-017-0016-1.
^Ogunyemi, K.; Spodick, M.; Ferrari, J. R. (2020). "Self-forgiveness in a single-session workshop: Examining changes using an Internal Family Systems approach". Journal of Psychology and Theology. 48 (4): 273–284. doi:10.1177/0091647120949567.
^Eaton, J.; Ferrari, J. R. (2020). "Effects of a brief guided imagery intervention on stress and forgiveness: An Internal Family Systems approach". Pastoral Psychology. 69 (2): 101–116. doi:10.1007/s11089-019-00892-5.
^Hodgdon, H. B.; Anderson, C. M.; Spinazzola, J. (2022). "A pilot study of Internal Family Systems therapy for complex trauma". Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. 14 (3): 430–440. doi:10.1037/tra0001106.
^Comeau, E.; Elliott, J.; Anderson, C. (2024). "Feasibility and acceptability of group-based Internal Family Systems therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder". Journal of Traumatic Stress. 37 (1): 110–122. doi:10.1002/jts.22913.
^Haddock, S. A.; Weiler, L. M.; Trump, L. J.; Henry, K. L.; Tindall, C. (2017). "Internal Family Systems therapy for college student depression: A randomized controlled trial". Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 43 (2): 256–271. doi:10.1111/jmft.12193.
^Shadick, N. A.; Sowell, N. F.; Frits, M. L.; Hoffman, S. M.; Weinblatt, M. E. (2013). "A randomized controlled trial of an Internal Family Systems-based intervention in rheumatoid arthritis: Effects on quality of life and psychological outcomes". Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 46 (3): 346–357. doi:10.1007/s12160-013-9515-6.
^Böckler, A.; Herrmann, L.; Trautwein, F.-M.; Holmes, T.; Singer, T. (2017). "Know thy selves: Learning to understand oneself increases the ability to understand others". Journal of Cognitive Enhancement. 1 (2): 197–209. doi:10.1007/s41465-017-0016-1.
^Ogunyemi, K.; Spodick, M.; Ferrari, J. R. (2020). "Self-forgiveness in a single-session workshop: Examining changes using an Internal Family Systems approach". Journal of Psychology and Theology. 48 (4): 273–284. doi:10.1177/0091647120949567.
^Eaton, J.; Ferrari, J. R. (2020). "Effects of a brief guided imagery intervention on stress and forgiveness: An Internal Family Systems approach". Pastoral Psychology. 69 (2): 101–116. doi:10.1007/s11089-019-00892-5.
^Hodgdon, H. B.; Anderson, C. M.; Spinazzola, J. (2022). "A pilot study of Internal Family Systems therapy for complex trauma". Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. 14 (3): 430–440. doi:10.1037/tra0001106.
^Comeau, E.; Elliott, J.; Anderson, C. (2024). "Feasibility and acceptability of group-based Internal Family Systems therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder". Journal of Traumatic Stress. 37 (1): 110–122. doi:10.1002/jts.22913.
^Haddock, S. A.; Weiler, L. M.; Trump, L. J.; Henry, K. L.; Tindall, C. (2017). "Internal Family Systems therapy for college student depression: A randomized controlled trial". Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 43 (2): 256–271. doi:10.1111/jmft.12193.
^Shadick, N. A.; Sowell, N. F.; Frits, M. L.; Hoffman, S. M.; Weinblatt, M. E. (2013). "A randomized controlled trial of an Internal Family Systems-based intervention in rheumatoid arthritis: Effects on quality of life and psychological outcomes". Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 46 (3): 346–357. doi:10.1007/s12160-013-9515-6.
Further reading
Books
Breunlin, Douglas C.; Schwartz, Richard C.; Kune-Karrer, Betty Mac (1992). Metaframeworks: transcending the models of family therapy. The Jossey-Bass social and behavioral science series. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN1555424260. OCLC24590165.
Michelson, Katherine J. (1998). "Mapping multiplicity: an application of the internal family systems model". In Nelson, Thorana Strever; Trepper, Terry S. (eds.). 101 more interventions in family therapy. Haworth marriage and the family. New York: Haworth Press. pp. 426–430. ISBN078900058X. OCLC38144382.
Schwartz, Richard C. (1998). "Internal family systems family therapy". In Dattilio, Frank M.; Goldfried, Marvin R. (eds.). Case studies in couple and family therapy: systemic and cognitive perspectives. The Guilford family therapy series. New York: Guilford Press. pp. 331–352. ISBN1572302976. OCLC37721397.
Schwartz, Richard C. (1999). "The internal family systems model". In Rowan, John; Cooper, Mick (eds.). The plural self: multiplicity in everyday life. London; Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. pp. 238–253. ISBN0761960759. OCLC44414295.
Schwartz, Richard C. (1999). "The self-to-self connection: intimacy and the internal family systems model". In Carlson, Jon; Sperry, Len (eds.). The intimate couple. Philadelphia: Brunner/Mazel. pp. 263–275. ISBN0876308809. OCLC39347380.
Johnson, Laura M.; Schwartz, Richard C. (2000). "Internal family systems work with children and families". In Bailey, C. Everett (ed.). Children in therapy: using the family as a resource. A Norton professional book. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 73–111. ISBN0393702898. OCLC43845598.
Schwartz, Richard C.; Rose, Michi (2002). "Internal family systems therapy". In Carlson, Jon; Kjos, Diane (eds.). Theories and strategies of family therapy. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. pp. 275–295. ISBN020527403X. OCLC47296206.
Holmes, Tom (2007). Parts Work: An Illustrated Guide to Your Inner Life. Winged Heart Press. ISBN9780979889714.
Schwartz, Richard C.; Schwartz, Mark F.; Galperin, Lori (2009). "Internal family systems therapy". In Courtois, Christine A.; Ford, Julian D. (eds.). Treating complex traumatic stress disorders: an evidence-based guide. New York: Guilford Press. pp. 353–370. ISBN9781606230398. OCLC234176147.
Ecker, Bruce; Ticic, Robin; Hulley, Laurel (2012). Unlocking the emotional brain: eliminating symptoms at their roots using memory reconsolidation. New York: Routledge. ISBN9780415897167. OCLC772112300.
Schwartz, Richard C. (2013). "Internal family systems". In Rambo, Anne Hearon; et al. (eds.). Family therapy review: contrasting contemporary models. New York: Routledge. pp. 196–199. ISBN9780415806626. OCLC754732614.
Papernow, Patricia L. (2013). Surviving and thriving in stepfamily relationships: what works and what doesn't. New York: Routledge. ISBN9780415894371. OCLC727702714.
Mones, Arthur G. (2014). Transforming troubled children, teens, and their families: an internal family systems model for healing. New York: Routledge. ISBN9780415744218. OCLC869140910.
Schwartz, Richard C.; Sparks, Flint (2015). "The internal family systems model in trauma treatment: parallels with Mahayana Buddhist theory and practice". In Follette, Victoria M.; Briere, John; Rozelle, Deborah; Hopper, James W.; Rome, David I. (eds.). Mindfulness-oriented interventions for trauma: integrating contemplative practices. New York: Guilford Press. pp. 125–139. ISBN9781462518586. OCLC895272630.
Herbine-Blank, Toni (2016). "Tracking protective sequences in internal family systems therapy". In Weeks, Gerald R.; Fife, Stephen T.; Peterson, Colleen M. (eds.). Techniques for the couple therapist: essential interventions from the experts. New York: Routledge. pp. 133–136. ISBN9781138814608. OCLC926090888.
Fisher, Janina (2017). Healing the fragmented selves of trauma survivors: overcoming internal self-alientation. New York: Routledge. ISBN9780415708227. OCLC961009372.
Grabowski, Amy Yandel (2017). An internal family systems guide to recovery from eating disorders: healing part by part. New York: Routledge. ISBN9781138745209. OCLC972740227.
Sweezy, Martha; Ziskind, Ellen L., eds. (2017). Innovations and elaborations in internal family systems therapy. New York: Routledge. ISBN9781138024380. OCLC920723974.
Schwartz, Richard C. (2021). No Bad Parts Work. Sounds True. ISBN9781683646686.
Barton, Marci A.; Bischoff, Richard J. (July 1998). "Rocks and rituals in producing therapeutic change". Journal of Family Psychotherapy. 9 (3): 31–41. doi:10.1300/J085V09N03_03.
Dolbier, Christyn L.; Soderstrom, Mike; Steinhardt, Mary A. (September 2001). "The relationships between self-leadership and enhanced psychological, health, and work outcomes". The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied. 135 (5): 469–485. doi:10.1080/00223980109603713. PMID11804002. S2CID24693882.
Lavergne, Majie (March 2004). "Art therapy and internal family systems therapy: an integrative model to treat trauma among adjudicated teenage girls". Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal. 17 (1): 17–36. doi:10.1080/08322473.2004.11432257. S2CID151897234.
Miller, Bobbi J.; Cardona, Jose Ruben Parra; Hardin, Michael (February 2007). "The use of narrative therapy and internal family systems with survivors of childhood sexual abuse: examining issues related to loss and oppression". Journal of Feminist Family Therapy. 18 (4): 1–27. doi:10.1300/J086v18n04_01. S2CID142924422.
Mones, Arthur G.; Schwartz, Richard C. (December 2007). "The functional hypothesis: a family systems contribution toward an understanding of the healing process of the common factors". Journal of Psychotherapy Integration. 17 (4): 314–329. doi:10.1037/1053-0479.17.4.314.
Wilkins, Erica J. (December 2007). "Using an IFS informed intervention to treat African American families surviving sexual abuse: one family's story". Journal of Feminist Family Therapy. 19 (3): 37–53. doi:10.1300/J086v19n03_03. S2CID68301370.
Pais, Shobha (March 2009). "A systemic approach to the treatment of dissociative identity disorder". Journal of Family Psychotherapy. 20 (1): 72–88. doi:10.1080/08975350802716566. S2CID144628420.
Mojta, Carl; Falconier, Mariana K.; Huebner, Angela J. (January 2014). "Fostering self-awareness in novice therapists using Internal Family Systems therapy". The American Journal of Family Therapy. 42 (1): 67–78. doi:10.1080/01926187.2013.772870. S2CID143880274.
Hoffman, David A. (October 2015). "What the #@!* are they fighting about?!?: reflections on fairness, identity, social capital, and peacemaking in family conflicts". Family Court Review. 53 (4): 509–516. doi:10.1111/fcre.12171.
Haddock, Shelley A.; Weiler, Lindsey M.; Trump, Lisa J.; Henry, Kimberly L. (January 2017). "The efficacy of internal family systems therapy in the treatment of depression among female college students: a pilot study". Journal of Marital & Family Therapy. 43 (1): 131–144. doi:10.1111/jmft.12184. PMID27500908.
Lester, Rebecca J. (February 2017). "Self-governance, psychotherapy, and the subject of managed care: internal family systems therapy and the multiple self in a US eating-disorders treatment center". American Ethnologist. 44 (1): 23–35. doi:10.1111/amet.12423.
Minaiy, Cayla; Johnson, Natalie; Ciochon, Tim; Perkins, Dustin (June 2017). "Adaptability of family therapy modalities in the treatment of lesbian and gay clients with bulimia nervosa". Contemporary Family Therapy. 39 (2): 121–131. doi:10.1007/s10591-017-9410-5. S2CID151926892.
Smith, Jesse A.; Hayes, Nicholas D.; Smock Jordan, Sara (July 2018). "Systemic integration of IFS therapy and 12-step facilitation for substance use: a theoretical discussion". Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly. 37: 60–74. doi:10.1080/07347324.2018.1502032. S2CID149912414.
Lucero, Rebecca; Jones, Adam C.; Hunsaker, Jacob C. (September 2018). "Using internal family systems theory in the treatment of combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and their families". Contemporary Family Therapy. 40 (3): 266–275. doi:10.1007/s10591-017-9424-z. S2CID149052693.
