Internal Family Systems (IFS)

 IFS views the mind as being made up of different parts, like a team within your mind that work to protect you and get your fundamental needs met. Each part has good intentions, even if the behaviours they prompt you to engage don't always benefit you. Some of these parts include:

· Exiles are the parts of us that carry pain, usually from past trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

· Managers attempt to keep things under control to protect us from getting hurt again. They might influence us to overthink, avoid things, or try to please everyone.

· Firefighters are activated when exiles are triggered. They react quickly to numb or distract us from pain, which can result in impulsive behavior, addiction, or doomscrolling.

Importantly, these parts contain wisdom.  They developed to help you cope and survive.  If you are seeking changes in your life, they may be prompting you to continue to engage in patterns that you no longer require or that have become maladaptive. Therapy can help you learn to approach these parts with curiosity and compassion so you can understand why you feel the way you feel and why you do some of the things you do. This process can include reconnecting with your "inner child" and providing them with a sense of safety. In doing so, you become free to access your calm and confident self, create more balance within your mind and body, and exercise more choice.