What Is IFS-Informed Therapy?

The basic idea: you are made of parts

Most people already talk this way without thinking about it. "Part of me wants to go, part of me wants to stay home." Internal Family Systems, a therapy approach developed by Richard Schwartz, takes that everyday experience seriously.

In the IFS model, a personality is made up of fairly distinct inner parts. Each part has its own typical thoughts, feelings and ways of acting. The model describes itself as non-pathologizing: the starting point is that there are no bad parts, only parts that took on hard jobs.

IFS also holds that every person has a core that is separate from the parts. Researchers describe it as marked by qualities such as compassion, curiosity, patience and mindfulness. In IFS writing this core is usually called the Self.

The kinds of parts IFS describes

The model loosely sorts parts into three groups. These are working labels, not diagnoses, and a therapist may never use the names with you.

• Managers: parts that try to keep daily life orderly and under control, often through planning, self-criticism or holding back.
• Exiles: parts that carry heavy, painful feelings from past experiences, including traumatic ones.
• Firefighters: parts that rush in to push pain out of awareness fast, for example through overeating or overworking.

What IFS-informed work is like in a session

"IFS-informed" means a therapist uses ideas and language from the model as part of a broader approach. It is not the same as a full, structured IFS protocol, and it is reasonable to ask any therapist how they use it and what training they have.

In practice the pace is slow and the questions are open. Published descriptions of IFS say it builds present-moment awareness of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, and that it uses inquiry more than instruction. The focus is not mainly on retelling the details of what happened.

1. 1Notice a partYou might start with something concrete, like the harsh inner voice that shows up after a mistake, and notice where you feel it.
2. 2Get curious about itYour therapist may ask what that part is worried would happen if it stopped doing its job. The aim is understanding, not arguing with it.
3. 3Find some distanceAs you describe the part, you may notice you are not only that part. Many people find a little room opens up between them and the feeling.
4. 4Go at your own speedNothing has to be opened before you are ready. You decide how close to get to painful material, and you can stop at any point.

What the evidence does and does not show

It helps to be plain here. IFS is widely used by therapists, but the research base is still small. One research team summed it up by saying that early research suggests preliminary efficacy of IFS for PTSD and related symptoms such as depression. "Preliminary" is the key word.

That same team ran a pilot study of an online IFS group program. It included ten adults and had no comparison group. PTSD symptoms went down over the program, but the authors wrote that without a control group they could not know whether the change came from the program, from time passing, or from other factors. They called for a larger randomized trial.

For comparison, the National Center for PTSD says studies show certain talk therapies work best for PTSD, and it names Cognitive Processing Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Prolonged Exposure. IFS is not on that list.

Who tends to like this way of working

People often say the parts language fits when they feel pulled in two directions, when they are hard on themselves, or when a reaction seems bigger than the moment calls for. It can be a kinder way to look at habits that once protected you.

It is not the right fit for everyone, and that is fine. Some people want a more structured, skills-based approach, and some want a therapy with stronger research support for a specific condition. A good therapist will talk through those options with you instead of pushing one model.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services. Our crisis resources page lists more options.

How we can help

Locascio Wellness is an all-virtual practice. Sessions are by secure video, and you need to be physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona during each session. Members of our team use IFS-informed work, along with approaches such as CBT, DBT skills, EMDR and attachment-focused therapy. Not every therapist uses every approach, so we match you with someone whose way of working fits what you are looking for.

You can read more about trauma and PTSD therapy, anxiety therapy and depression therapy, or check your coverage on the insurance and fees page. When you are ready, book a free 15-minute consultation and ask us anything, including how a therapist uses parts work.