“Part of me wants to do this…
but another part of me is so afraid”
What is IFS?
Have you ever said something like, “A part of me wants to leave, but another part of me wants to stay?” or “A part of me loves this job, but another part of me just wants to quit.”
What if you could actually get to know those different parts and explore what each of them thinks and wants? Internal Family Systems, or IFS, helps us understand and heal the different those different “parts”- the inner voices, feelings, behaviors, patterns that we experience day to day. This is not a disorder- It’s completely normal.
“What does each part of me need? Do they have any fears or concerns? How are they trying to help me here?” As you ask these questions, something powerful happens — you begin to connect with your core Self (the calm, wise, compassionate center of who you are). From this place, you can bring comfort, understanding, and healing to the parts that have been carrying pain or working too hard for too long.
In simple terms: Parts Work helps you make peace within yourself. Instead of fighting against your emotions, you learn to understand them — and when you do, life starts to feel calmer, clearer, and more connected.
Healing Trauma
While everyone can benefit from IFS, it is also an evidence based treatment for trauma. When we experience trauma, our brains and bodies do exactly what they’re designed to do — they protect us. Certain parts of us step in to manage the pain, keep us safe, or help us keep functioning when things feel unbearable. Over time, though, those same protective parts can leave us feeling disconnected, reactive, or stuck in survival mode long after the danger has passed.
Rather than asking you to relive trauma or push through it, IFS helps you build trust with the parts of you that carry pain or fear, and the parts that have worked hard to keep those feelings buried.
For example:
A firefighter or first responder might have a part that shuts down emotions on the job — because feeling too much could make it hard to function. In therapy, we honor that part for its strength and learn how to gently help it rest when it’s no longer needed.
Someone who grew up in a stressful or unpredictable home might have a caretaker part that learned to take care of everyone else, while ignoring their own needs. Parts Work helps that person reconnect with the younger, softer parts that never got to rest or be cared for.
You might notice an inner critic perfectionist that’s always on alert, trying to prevent mistakes or failure. Underneath, there’s often a scared or hurt part that needs to know it’s safe now.