What Is Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Do you struggle with unresolved issues from your childhood? If so, IFS therapy may be the right treatment for you. This type of therapy is designed to help you understand & resolve the conflicts within your family system. In this blog post, we will discuss what internal family systems therapy is & how it can help you overcome your personal struggles.

What Is Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on understanding & resolving the conflicts within your family system. It was developed by psychologist Richard C. Schwartz in the 1980s & has been used successfully to help people work through traumatic events from their past, as well as current issues related to relationships, substance abuse, anxiety, & depression. The basic premise of IFS therapy is that each individual has an internal family system of parts that interact in complex ways to create our overall experience & behavior. This system can be seen as a series of characters or voices, each with its own set of needs, fears, behaviors, beliefs, & reactions.

What Are The 6 F’s Of Internal Family Systems?

Here are the techniques or the “6 F’s” of IFS:

• Finding: This is the process of identifying & recognizing your parts. In this stage, you will learn to recognize the different parts of yourself that may be influencing your behavior & choices.
• Focusing: In this stage, you will focus on understanding each part & it is individual needs, fears, beliefs, & behaviors.
• Flesh Out: This is the process of uncovering & exploring the underlying dynamics between parts, such as how they interact with each other.
• Feel Toward: This is the process of exploring & understanding your emotions related to each part. This can be a difficult process, but it is essential for understanding & healing your inner conflicts.
• Befriend: This is the process of building a relationship with each part. This allows for greater understanding & acceptance of each part, as well as allowing for the healing of these parts.
• Fear: This is the process of facing & exploring your fears related to each part, as well as understanding how they are connected to each other. This can be a difficult process, but it is necessary in order to move forward.

By working through each of the “6 F’s” of IFS, you can gain greater insight into your inner conflicts & work towards healing. With the help of a trained therapist, you can learn how to resolve these conflicts in a healthy & constructive way.

What Are The 8 Cs Of Internal Family Systems?

Here are the self or the “8 C’s” of IFS that you can practice on your own:

• Confidence: This is the process of trusting & believing in yourself.
• Calmness: This is the process of cultivating a state of relaxation & peace.
• Creativity: This is the process of exploring your own unique ways of expressing yourself.
• Clarity: This is the process of having a clear understanding of who you are & what you want.
• Curiosity: This is the process of being open & curious to learn more about yourself.
• Courage: This is the process of facing & accepting difficult emotions with strength & resilience.
• Compassion: This is the process of connecting with your own empathy & understanding.
• Connectedness: This is the process of connecting with others & finding meaningful relationships.

By practicing these 8 C’s, you can find inner peace & acceptance & cultivate healthier relationships with yourself & others.

In Which Disorder IFS Therapy Is Helpful?

IFS is helpful to treat a variety of disorders, including trauma-related issues, anxiety, depression, substance abuse & addiction, relationship conflicts, grief & loss, & personality disorders. It is also helpful in addressing core beliefs that may be causing difficulty in your life. IFS is particularly influential with complex trauma or childhood trauma because it helps you to understand the underlying dynamics between parts of yourself that have been affected by the trauma.

Benefits Of IFS Therapy

Here are the main benefits of IFS therapy:

• Develops self-awareness & understanding of your own patterns.
• Allows for greater insight into your emotions, thoughts, & behavior.
• Helps you to recognize & heal negative core beliefs that may be contributing to your struggles.
• It provides an opportunity to explore unresolved issues from the past in a safe environment.
• Encourages compassion & acceptance towards yourself & others.
• It enables you to gain control over destructive behaviors or thought patterns.

These are just some of the key benefits that IFS therapy can offer. With the help of a trained therapist, you can gain greater insight into your inner conflicts & work towards healing.

How To Start The IFS Therapy?

Here are a few tips to start IFS Therapy:

• Create a safe, non-judgmental environment for yourself. This is the first step in making sure that you are emotionally prepared to embark on your IFS journey.
• Find a trained therapist who specializes in IFS therapy & can help guide you through the process.
• Make sure that you are aware of all parts of yourself before beginning the therapy process (i.e., physical self, emotional/feeling self, thinking/logical self).
• Keep an open mind & be willing to explore difficult emotions or memories without judgment or criticism.
• Engage in guided imagery or visualization exercises as a way of connecting with inner parts & exploring the IFS model.
• Stay mindful of your progress: it will take time to work through each part & heal.

Practice self-love, acceptance, & compassion throughout the journey. By following these tips, you can begin to gain greater insight into the dynamics of your inner parts, which can be extremely helpful in healing & finding balance.

Conclusion

IFS therapy is a powerful tool for healing inner conflicts & restoring self-awareness. By exploring the underlying dynamics between parts, feeling toward them, befriending them, & facing fears, you can gain greater insight into yourself & learn to make healthier decisions. With the help of a trained professional, you can also practice the 8 C’s of IFS to cultivate self-confidence, calmness, creativity, clarity, curiosity courage, compassion, & connectedness in your life. This type of therapy can be used to treat a variety of disorders & has been proven effective in helping individuals work through their issues in a safe & constructive way.

For more information, please contact MantraCare. Parenting is a challenging yet rewarding experience that is crucial for the development & well-being of a child. If you have any queries regarding Online Parenting Counseling experienced therapists at MantraCare can help: Book a trial therapy session