Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

A gentle, empowering approach to healing your emotional inner world.

Our approach

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a powerful and compassionate form of therapy that helps people understand the different sub-personalities or “parts” of themselves which can lead to a process of healing. IFS can help individuals who are experiencing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and trauma, and those who want to understand themselves better. 

Rather than seeing these parts as symptoms or behaviours that are “wrong” or “bad”, IFS recognises their purpose and their roles within the internal system. 

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What is IFS?

IFS is based on the idea that we have a core self, a ‘self-energy’ and our parts develop through painful experiences from birth. Some parts carry these wounds. These parts protect us from pain, managing how we show up in the world and respond to externally experienced or internally felt situations. Parts have their own feelings, beliefs, and roles. They interact and can conflict with each other and our core self. 

Through IFS, we learn to get to know these parts with curiosity and compassion so that we can understand them and relieve them of their burdens. This creates balance between them and our core self, which is calm, wise, and capable of healing.  

IFS is non-pathologising and deeply respectful. Instead of “fixing” or fighting against difficult feelings or behaviours, we create space to understand and heal the parts of us that are in pain or trying to protect us. 

How does IFS work?

In IFS, your therapist will support you to: 

  • Identify and connect with different parts of yourself. 
  • Understand the parts’ roles, intentions and burdens. 
  • Build a trusting relationship with your internal system. 
  • Unburden parts that carry pain, trauma or false beliefs. 
  • Strengthen your connection to your core self, the calm, compassionate part of you that can lead with clarity. 

IFS sessions are gentle and paced to your needs. You do not need to re-live trauma or push yourself emotionally. Instead, you’ll learn to listen inwardly in a safe and supported way.

Benefits of Internal Family Systems Therapy

Unlike some therapies that focus on changing thoughts or behaviours, IFS gets to the root of our feelings and behaviours. It honours the complexity of being human and gives us a roadmap for deep, lasting change. It’s also: 

Non-blaming and non-shaming

IFS recognises that every part of you has a purpose, and their intentions are good — even the ones that cause pain or difficulty. We work with curiosity and compassion to understand their role.

Trauma-informed

IFS is designed with a deep awareness of how trauma shapes our inner world. Sessions move at your pace, ensuring safety, sensitivity, and respect for your emotional readiness.

Respectful of all parts of you

No part of you is seen as “bad” or “wrong”. IFS honours each part of your inner system, even those you struggle with, helping you create understanding and harmony within.

Grounded in neuroscience

IFS draws on modern research into brain function and attachment, blending science with compassionate therapeutic practice for lasting, meaningful change.

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Who can benefit?

IFS can be helpful for people who experience: 

  • Inner conflict or emotional overwhelm 
  • Low self-worth or self-criticism 
  • Anxiety or depression 
  • Trauma or complex trauma (C-PTSD) 
  • Shame, guilt or grief 
  • People-pleasing, perfectionism, or difficulty setting boundaries 
  • Feeling “stuck” in repeated patterns or cycles 

Many people who benefit from IFS have tried other types of therapy and are looking for a deeper, more holistic way of understanding themselves. 

What might a session look like?

Each session is a space to gently explore your internal world at your own pace. You might: 

  • Be guided to tune into how different parts show up for you, for example in feelings, sensations, images and thoughts. 
  • Explore memories or beliefs that certain parts carry. 
  • Use imagery, metaphors or visualisation to understand your system. 
  • Learn to separate from intense feelings so they don’t take over. 
  • Experience moments of insight, compassion and relief. 

No two sessions are the same. IFS works with what you bring, meets you where you are and supports the healing your system is ready for.  

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