Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

Understanding & Healing Your Inner World

Have you ever felt like there are different parts of you—one that wants to stay calm, another that feels anxious, another that’s angry or overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a compassionate and evidence-based way to understand and care for these inner parts of yourself.

If you’ve seen the movie Inside Out, you’ve seen this concept come to life. In the film, we meet different emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust—each with their own voice, agenda, and role in how the main character, Riley, experiences the world. IFS builds on a similar idea: that your inner world is made up of multiple parts, each trying to help you in its own way.

What Is IFS Therapy?

IFS is a therapeutic approach that views the mind as made up of “parts,” each with its own feelings, concerns, and protective strategies. These parts aren’t flaws or dysfunctions—they often developed in response to difficult experiences or emotions, doing their best to protect you.

At the core of IFS is the belief that, beneath all those parts, you have a Self—a calm, compassionate, and wise center that can lead with clarity and care.

In Inside Out, we see the main character Riley struggling when her internal system becomes unbalanced—Joy tries to take over, while Sadness is pushed aside. In IFS, we explore what happens when some parts take control while others are ignored, and how healing happens when we welcome and listen to all of them.

The Three Main Types of Parts in IFS

IFS therapy helps you connect with different types of inner parts, including:

• Managers: These parts work hard to keep you safe and in control. They might show up as perfectionism, overthinking, people-pleasing, or emotional detachment. In Inside Out, Joy often acts as a manager—trying to keep Riley positive at all costs.
• Exiles: These are younger, vulnerable parts that hold painful emotions or memories—often pushed aside or suppressed to avoid overwhelm or shame. Just like Sadness in the film, these parts are often misunderstood or pushed aside, but they hold important truths that need care and attention
• Firefighters: These parts jump in quickly when pain or vulnerability surfaces. They may try to distract or numb through things like impulsivity, avoidance, overworking, or shutting down. When Riley runs away from home in the movie, that’s an example of a firefighter reaction—trying to escape overwhelming inner distress. 

IFS creates space to listen to these parts with curiosity and compassion—rather than judgment or resistance. When we do, real change becomes possible.

What IFS Can Help With

IFS can be deeply supportive for people navigating:

• Anxiety and depression
• Trauma and PTSD
• Grief and loss
• Inner conflict or self-criticism
• Emotional overwhelm or numbness
• Relationship challenges
• Eating disorders or body image struggles
• Life transitions or identity work

Even if you don’t have a specific diagnosis, IFS can help you build a better relationship with yourself—especially if you often feel “stuck,” “torn,” or reactive in ways that don’t quite make sense.

Why Clients Choose IFS

Clients often describe IFS therapy as gentle, non-judgmental, and empowering. It doesn’t label parts of you as “bad” or try to push them away. Instead, it helps you get curious—Why is this part showing up right now? What is it trying to do for me?

As you build trust with your internal system, you may notice:

• Fewer internal conflicts
• A stronger connection to your own inner wisdom
• More emotional balance and resilience
• A deeper sense of self-acceptance and compassion