IFS Therapy in Ottawa
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapeutic modality that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities (parts) or families within each of us.
IFS is form of psychotherapy developed by Richard Schwartz that is compassionate, inclusive, spiritual, powerfully healing, and deeply respectful of our inner life.
Our internal system has different parts that interact in sequences and styles that are similar to the ways people interact.
All parts are valuable, have good intentions, and want to play a positive role in the system. However, some parts are stuck in bad roles and people often come into therapy feeling like these parts of them are controlling them. IFS can help you bring harmony to these aspects of your self, through fostering compassion, confidence, and curiosity.
These parts consist of wounded parts (Exiles) with painful emotions such as anxiety, guilt, shame, and parts (Protectors) that try to control and protect the person from the pain of the wounded parts.
What IFS calls the Self is in every one of us; it is a source of wonderful qualities from which we can lead our inner and outer lives. Self is at the core of every individual, an essence, that is untouched by life’s traumas.
IFS focuses on healing the wounded parts and restoring mental balance and harmony by changing the dynamics that create discord among the parts and the Self.
An example: Your Inner Critic
Inner Critic parts are some of the most common and IFS can be used to transform Inner Critics successfully. When you feel ashamed, hopeless, inadequate, or just plain awful about yourself, it’s usually because an Inner Critic part is attacking you. Inner Critics do this in a variety of ways, but most commonly they attack you with negative messages about your self-worth. They may criticize your looks, your work habits, your intelligence, the way you care for others, or any number of other things.
For example, your Inner Critic part tries to get you to do things according to its expectations for work, performance, relationships and appearance. When you don't meet its standards and expectations, the Inner Critic attacks you by telling you your work or behaviour is not good enough and usually triggering feelings of anxiety, sadness, guilt or shame.
IFS provides a way for working with such part to understand its role, positive intention, and fears. Once you get to know a part you are able to work with it and transform it.
If you are curious to learn more about IFS you might be interested in watching some of those publicly available videos:
In this YouTube video posted by the IFS Institute, you watch Dr. Richard Schwartz explains Internal Family Systems (IFS).
Here is another YouTube video with Dr. Richard Schwartz
Here is also a great video from Derek Scott YouTube channel about Shame from an IFS perspective. You can find more videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRw6sRKzEVdbgw32JEKO-0Q
Pixar's "Inside Out" is a great movie and helpful to understand how our "parts" show up in response to other people. A short YouTube clip from "A Family Dinner" Scene