What is IFS Therapy?
Ji Eun Ko is an IFS therapist. What does that mean?
According to the IFS International Institute, “Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS all parts are welcome.
IFS is a movement. A new, empowering paradigm for understanding and harmonizing the mind and, thereby, larger human systems. One that can help people heal and helps the world become a more compassionate place.”
So what does that really mean?
The Mind is Multiple
We are born multiple, and we all have different parts that manifest throughout our lives. Parts are full feeling beings, capable of a full range of emotions, thoughts, and being. They all have their own way of being seen and understood. Sometimes, a traumatic experience can bring out parts before they are ready, and they can get stuck in those traumatic moments of life. However, these Parts don’t have to be associated with a traumatic or painful experience.
Experiencing multiplicity is not a bad or pathological thing, rather it’s a very natural part of the human experience. Think of a time when you felt conflicted about a decision - for example, what to have for dinner. A part of you wants KBBQ, another part of you wants hamburgers. In that moment, you have experienced multiplicity of the mind.
We All Have a Self
Every one of us have a Self - of compassion, connection, curiosity, creativity, calm, clarity, confidence, and and courage. Sometimes we may be present with the Self, while other times we may feel very far away from it. Though it may be hidden at times, the Self is always there, and it can’t ever be harmed. The Self helps us to feel peace, empowered, be empowering of others, relax, and listen. The more Self we experience, the more connected we are to ourselves and to the world around us.
Existence in Harmony
As an IFS therapist, the goal is to support people in an existence of harmony. Internal systems can become unbalanced and disharmonious as a result of trauma, systemic racism, attachment injuries, and other painful experiences. When internal systems become unbalanced, different Parts influence one another in harmful and unproductive ways. An IFS therapist supports the journey to a harmonious system, where all Parts are connected and collaborative. In a harmonious system, there’s a sense of unity and one-ness, not just for individuals, but also families, communities, and relationships. A harmonious internal system supports harmonnious external experiences.
Removing Constraints
One tenet of IFS is that every person already has what they need for healing. It is a contrast to other ideas that posit that the individual is ‘missing’ something - that they are at some sort of deficit of what they needed and didn’t receive, either as an infant, child, or an adult. Rather than viewing people as experiencing a deficit, IFS instead believes people are constrained. An individual has everything needed to lead harmoniously peaceful lives, but those resources can sometimes be constrained by experiences. The role of the IFS therapist is to help remove those constraints and open access to inner resources that lead to harmonious lives. Through IFS, you will have the opportunity to heal the Parts of you that have been hurt, and to have a different relationship with the hurting Parts of you. You will learn a new way of being with yourself, a way that fosters internal connection and compassion, and of living as your Self.
What Next?
The idea of IFS may still sound abstract to you, or perhaps the idea that you have what you need to find healing may be foreign. But if you are interested in experiencing IFS for yourself and feel what it’s like to have harmonization within yourself, contact Full Well Therapy today. You’ll be guided in internal exploration and connection, reharmonization, and restoration in your hurting and hurtful Parts.