Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: Healing From the Inside Out
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
If you have ever felt pulled in different directions by competing feelings, or noticed that part of you wants to heal while another part holds back, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy may offer a profound path forward. We offer virtual IFS therapy to clients in Saskatoon, Halifax, and across Canada.
What is Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy?
Internal Family Systems is an approach to psychotherapy that recognises each person as containing multiple sub-personalities, or parts. These parts are not signs of disorder or fragmentation. They are a natural feature of the human mind, and every one of them has a role to play.
IFS was developed by psychologist Dr. Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., who noticed consistent patterns as he listened to clients describe their inner lives. People repeatedly spoke of internal "parts" — conflicted sub-personalities living within them. Drawing on his background in family therapy, Schwartz began to understand the mind as functioning like a family system, with parts interacting, protecting, and sometimes clashing with one another.
At the centre of the IFS model is the core Self: the confident, compassionate, whole person that exists within each of us, beneath the noise of our protective parts. IFS therapy works to heal the wounded parts and restore the natural leadership of the Self.
The Three Types of Parts in IFS
According to the IFS model, our internal parts tend to fall into three categories:
Managers
Managers are protective parts that work to control our surroundings and manage our emotions in daily life. They keep us functional, organised, and away from pain.
Exiles
Exiles carry the hurt, fear, and shame from earlier experiences. They hold the difficult emotions and memories that the system has pushed out of conscious awareness to avoid distress. Managers work hard to keep exiles contained.
Firefighters
Firefighters activate when exiles break through and produce overwhelming emotions. Their goal is to suppress those feelings by any means necessary, which can sometimes manifest as addictive behaviours, binge eating, or other forms of numbing.
To illustrate: the exile might carry the trauma and anger from earlier abuse. The manager suppresses it day to day. The firefighter might be an addiction to alcohol that distracts from those buried emotions when they threaten to surface.
The Core Self: The Heart of IFS
IFS holds that beneath all of our protective parts, every person has an undamaged core Self. This Self is not something that needs to be built or created — it is already there, waiting to be accessed. The Self is characterised by what Dr. Schwartz describes as the Eight Cs and Five Ps.
The Eight Cs:
• Confidence
• Calmness
• Creativity
• Clarity
• Curiosity
• Courage
• Compassion
• Connectedness
The Five Ps:
• Presence
• Patience
• Perspective
• Persistence
• Playfulness
The presence of these qualities helps both client and therapist understand how much of the Self is available at any given moment, and how much healing work remains.
What IFS Therapy Aims to Achieve
IFS works toward three interconnected goals:
• Freeing the parts from their extreme, protective roles
• Restoring trust in the core Self to lead
• Coordinating and harmonising the Self and the parts so they can work together as a team
The Six Steps of IFS
Therapists guide clients through a structured six-step process for exploring and healing their parts:
• Find — Identify the parts of your mind and body that need attention.
• Focus — Pay attention to the relevant part.
• Flesh out — Describe the part and your experience of it.
• Feel — Explore how you feel toward this part.
• BeFriend — Express curiosity and accept its presence.
• Fear — Ask what this part fears, and what it would fear if its role changed.
Learning to recognise and explore parts in this way helps shift how they function, creating lasting positive change.
What Can IFS Help With?
IFS therapy can be used with individuals, couples, and families. It is effective for a wide range of presentations, including:
• Trauma and CPTSD
• Depression
• Anxiety and panic
• Phobias
• Substance use and addictive behaviours
• Low self-esteem and self-compassion
• Physical health conditions, including chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis
• General wellbeing and personal growth
• Neurodivergent experiences, including Autism and ADHD
IFS may not be appropriate for individuals experiencing active psychosis or paranoia. If you are unsure whether IFS is right for you, we are happy to discuss this during an initial consultation.
Is IFS Therapy Evidence-Based?
Yes. In 2015, IFS was designated as an evidence-based practice on the National Registry for Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), a database created by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Research supports its effectiveness across a range of conditions. A randomised controlled trial by Shadick et al. (2013) found that IFS therapy helped improve pain, physical functioning, depressive symptoms, and self-compassion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Separate research has found IFS effective in reducing depression symptoms in young women.
As with all therapeutic modalities, IFS continues to develop its evidence base. We are committed to offering approaches that are both clinically grounded and deeply human.
Virtual IFS Therapy Across Canada
We offer virtual IFS therapy and online psychotherapy to clients in Saskatoon, Halifax, and across Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime provinces. You do not need to live near a major city to access compassionate, evidence-informed therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is IFS therapy and how does it work?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy works by identifying the different 'parts' within your internal world — protective parts, wounded parts, and the core Self — and helping them work together more harmoniously. Sessions involve guided self-exploration, often using visualisation and reflective exercises.
Is IFS therapy available online in Canada?
Yes. We offer virtual IFS therapy to clients in Saskatoon, Halifax, and across Canada. Online IFS is effective and allows you to engage in deep inner work from a safe, familiar environment.
How is IFS different from other types of therapy?
Unlike therapies that focus primarily on changing thoughts or behaviours, IFS works directly with the internal parts of the self. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult emotions or parts, IFS works to understand and heal them — restoring the leadership of the core Self.
Can IFS help with trauma?
Yes. IFS is particularly well suited to trauma work because it approaches wounded parts with curiosity and compassion rather than pushing them away. Many clients find it a gentle yet powerful path to healing, especially alongside other trauma-informed approaches.
Is IFS therapy suitable for neurodivergent people?
Yes. As therapists who specialise in neurodiversity, we have experience adapting IFS for Autistic clients, those with ADHD, and those with an AuDHD profile. The model's focus on parts, inner worlds, and self-compassion often resonates deeply with neurodivergent people.
Do you offer IFS therapy in Saskatoon or Halifax?
Yes. We offer virtual IFS therapy to clients in Saskatoon, Halifax, and across Canada. All sessions take place securely online.
We offer virtual IFS therapy and online psychotherapy to clients in Saskatoon, Halifax, and across Canada.
