Contrary to our automatic associations with the word, traumas aren’t always single, tragic, or life-threatening events. Just as often, traumas can be a collection of smaller experiences that have accumulated over time.

And, so often, the key to unlocking your full potential lies not in trendy visualization techniques or one-size-fits-all life hacks, but in exploring a hidden realm within, where traumas big and small can be healed, clearing the way forward into the life you desire?

So, you've landed here after Googling "internal family systems therapist near me" (or some other IFS-related query), hoping to better understand something about IFS therapy, right? Understandable. I like to do a little homework before I start something new, too.

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.

Ever feel like your emotions are a bunch of bickering roommates holding you hostage?  Your "Inner Critic" won't stop nagging, your inner "Drama Queen" throws a tantrum over a missing emoji in a text, and your "Worry Wart" screams "danger!" at every turn. Your inner world is a reality show gone wrong (minus the entertainment value).

Is IFS therapy that whole "psychodynamic" thing? You know, that therapy where you spend hours dissecting your relationship with your mother, your father, your childhood traumas, and unearthing buried memories? Not quite. Instead, it’s like the cool, tattooed cousin of traditional therapy – insightful, effective, and way more down-to-earth than that stuffy stereotype.

IFS therapy offers a revolutionary approach to healing and self-discovery because, unlike traditional therapy, IFS doesn't focus on fixing you. Instead, it guides you towards understanding and befriending various parts of yourself. That's the power of IFS - reworking the relationship you have with yourself, and by extension, others.

As an IFS counselor in St. Louis, I rely on analogies and metaphors whenever I'm explaining IFS to clients. I picked cooking to discuss how to prepare for IFS therapy because when I think of preparation, my automatic association is meal prep. When I’m cooking, I like to prepare in generalities and only dig into the specifics once I actually start cooking. This approach applies to therapy too. Just like you wouldn't start cooking without some basic understanding of the recipe, it's helpful to have a sense of what to expect before diving into therapy. So, here’s my take on how to prepare for IFS therapy.

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.

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.