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Making the Invisible, Visible

If therapy and Fight Club have a common thread, it's their first rule: don't talk about it. This code works wonders if you're in the loop, but it's less helpful when you're on the sidelines, contemplating whether or not to step into the ring.

Think of these articles as your insider's guide to therapy.

I'll offer you a candid view of my work as a therapist, without sacrificing the sacredness of my client's confidentiality. Like your favorite reality TV show, we'll delve into the highs, lows, and 'pour-the-red-wine' moments of life for women in their 30s and 40s.

I'm pulling back the curtain on the invisible world of therapy for women who think their struggles aren't "significant enough", one blog post at a time.

IFS, Therapy, Enneagram KARISSA MUELLER IFS, Therapy, Enneagram KARISSA MUELLER

What Are the Different Types of Parts in Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Over the next four blog posts, we'll be diving deep into the fascinating world of IFS parts. Today, in part one, we'll introduce you to the concept of parts and answer some key questions, like: What are parts? How many parts are there? How do I identify them? Do they have names? We'll also explore the idea of "polarized" parts, those internal battles that often leave us feeling stuck.

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IFS, Therapy, Enneagram KARISSA MUELLER IFS, Therapy, Enneagram KARISSA MUELLER

A Tale of Two Parts: A Case Study Based on Real IFS Sessions

Do you ever feel like you're at war with yourself? Logic pulls you one way, while a nagging anxiety whispers doubts in the other ear. Dive into a real client case study to see how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy empowers individuals to understand their inner conflicts. Learn how IFS helped a client heal past wounds, find self-compassion, and make decisions that felt truly aligned with her values.

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IFS, Therapy, Enneagram KARISSA MUELLER IFS, Therapy, Enneagram KARISSA MUELLER

The Two Most Important Things You Don't Know About Yourself (But Should)

Most people have zero clue WHY they do what they do - not with any real accuracy, anyway. We stumble through life on autopilot, reacting to situations with a vague sense of "because I should" or "because that's just me."

Spoiler alert: Surface-level explanations don’t cut it. You might tell yourself you procrastinate "because I'm lazy" or snap at a colleague "because they're annoying." These explanations feel true on the surface, but they don't address the root cause.



But guess what? There's a way to break free from behaviors, habits, or feelings you feel trapped by: and it starts with identifying two of the most important things about you.

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IFS, Therapy KARISSA MUELLER IFS, Therapy KARISSA MUELLER

How Long Does it Take for IFS to Work?

Asking how long therapy will take is like asking how long it will take to get through security at the airport: it varies, and it’s often a bit longer than you’d like. However, in my opinion, it’s more pleasant and certainly more rewarding than any interaction with TSA. Just saying.

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IFS KARISSA MUELLER IFS KARISSA MUELLER

The Gift of Curiosity in Conflict

Curiosity works because when it's genuine, it's truly agenda-free. Ever notice how when you're frustrated with yourself about why you do XYZ thing in conflict, you get 0% closer to figuring out why you do that thing? Or to...not doing it anymore?

That's because the part of you doing the thing you hate feels defensive; you're trying to change it before truly understanding it.

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IFS, Therapy KARISSA MUELLER IFS, Therapy KARISSA MUELLER

#selfcare is a Scam

Like most things in life, self-care is totally relative. It’s the intention behind, motivation for, and the result of an activity that determines whether or not something is self-care. The best self-care activities are things that either move us toward where we want to be or, when we’re happy with where are, help us stay there.

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IFS, Therapy KARISSA MUELLER IFS, Therapy KARISSA MUELLER

Living a Self-Led Life

Today, I’m going to write about what I offer in therapy to my clients – which might be different from what you’ve experienced before or from what other clinicians offer. IFS isn't the only kind of therapy out there – this is just the space I live in as a therapist. And I love what I do because I see it bring such relief to my clients every single day.

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