Today, we'll delve deeper into a specific type of part: the Managers. These are the bossy Yodas (or Hermoine Grangers or Monica Gellers) of our internal system, diligently working to keep us safe and secure . And sometimes, their well-intentioned efforts can create unintended consequences.

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.

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.