Internal Family Systems (IFS)

No bad parts!

IFS is a transformative tool that conceives of every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts led by a core Self. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable states into extreme roles within us. Self is in everyone. It can’t be damaged. It knows how to heal.

IFS is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.

But IFS is much more than a non-pathologizing evidence-based psychotherapy to be used in a clinical setting. It is also a way of understanding personal and intimate relationships and stepping into life with the 8 Cs: confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, and connectedness. Professionals from many different backgrounds such as, but not limited to, body workers, legal mediation, school administration, life coaches, and religious leaders may utilize IFS to inform and guide their work. Our growing list of educational programs aims to serve not only therapists but the wider public and other professions.

The mission of IFS Institute is to bring more Self leadership to the world.

Text from the official website: www.ifs-institute.com

To find out more, visit the site, watch the following video and check out the other supportive resources below.

Dr. Richard Schwartz

Watch his overview of Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Supportive resources

Richard C. Schwartz (Founder of IFS)

  • Internal Family Systems Therapy (1995, 2nd Ed. 2019) – The foundational book on IFS, outlining the model’s principles and applications for therapists and individuals.
  • No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model (2021) – A more accessible introduction to IFS for a general audience, emphasizing self-compassion and inner harmony.
  • Many Minds, One Self: Evidence for a Radical Shift in Paradigm (2018) – Explores the scientific and philosophical foundations of IFS, arguing for a multiplicity-based understanding of the mind.

Jay Earley

  • Self-Therapy: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Inner Wholeness Using IFS (2009) – A user-friendly guide to practicing IFS for self-healing and personal growth.
  • Activating Your Inner Champion Instead of Your Inner Critic (2018) – Focuses on transforming the inner critic into an empowering internal guide using IFS principles.

Bonnie Weiss

  • Self-Therapy Workbook: An Exercise Book for the IFS Process (2013) – A hands-on companion to Self-Therapy, with structured exercises for personal IFS work.

Susan McConnell

  • Somatic Internal Family Systems Therapy: Awareness, Breath, Resonance, Movement & Touch in Practice (2020) – Integrates somatic (body-based) techniques with IFS for deeper trauma healing and embodiment.

Frank G. Anderson

  • Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems Therapy (2021) – A trauma-focused application of IFS, blending neuroscience with compassionate self-discovery.

Martha Sweezy & Ellen L. Ziskind

  • Innovations and Elaborations in Internal Family Systems Therapy (2017) – Explores advanced topics and emerging applications of IFS in therapy.

IFS Institute

  • www.ifs-institute.com – The official home of IFS, offering training, certification, research, and resources on Internal Family Systems therapy.

Personal Growth & Self-Therapy Resources

  • www.self-therapy.org – Jay Earley’s website with accessible IFS tools, courses, and guides for personal growth.
  • www.bonnieweiss.com – Focuses on self-therapy, inner critic work, and guided exercises based on IFS.

Trauma & Neuroscience Applications

  • www.frankandersonmd.com – Dr. Frank Anderson’s website, specializing in trauma healing through IFS and neuroscience.

Want more of this in your life?

Check out my events page to see if any public trainings are coming up.

Or, if you want to work with me privately (in-person or online), we can use it, learn it, practice it and find ways to integrate it into your relationships, work or personal growth journey.

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