Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)

ME/CFSFibromyalgiaDysautonomiaChronic PainTraumaAnxietyMigraineAddictive ProcessesDepression
Written By Katy McGhie

We don’t endorse any of the resources here, but only share what exists. Please do your own research. The information within our resources is from secondary sources, and is not intended to replace medical advice from a healthcare provider.  Whilst we aim to provide as much information as we can for free, some of these resources will cost you money if you take them up.   If there are scholarships or funding that we can find, we cite them in the resource.

  • IFS is a transformative psychotherapy that helps people heal by accessing and working with protective and wounded inner parts of themselves. Psychic multiplicity is normal. We all have parts, and we all have a core Self. IFS creates balance and connectedness by helping people befriend and heal their parts from this grounded place of Self. IFS works by befriending and collaborating with protective parts that suppress or block emotional pain and vulnerability. IFS can also work directly with parts who impact the body in the form of symptoms or illness.

    • Delivered 1:1 by trained practitioners, psychotherapists or psychologists

    • Encourages curiosity and brings awareness to both protective and vulnerable parts

    • Builds relationship between the adult Self of the client and the different parts in the system

    • Helps to restore balance between protective parts who are polarized, reduces internal conflict, and increases self-compassion

    • Brings deep healing and connection to wounded parts

    • IFS was developed from listening to clients talking about their own parts

    • Whilst IFS can be beneficial as a short term therapy, it’s not generally a quick fix, particularly if there is a lot of trauma to process

    • Many IFS practitioners and therapists work online as well as in-person

    • IFS can be a valuable self-help tool, integrating well with practices like journaling or meditation

    • There are different levels of training for IFS therapists. The official IFS Institute (IFSI) trainings are levels 1,2 and 3. Other IFS-informed trainings also exist.

    • ‍Research has shown IFS to be effective for reducing the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23950186/

    • Some TMS-informed practitioners integrate IFS principles or ‘parts work’ when working with chronic pain patients (https://phildelahaye.com/internal-family-systems-and-chronic-pain/)

    • Therapists using IFS report that patients often experience emotional breakthroughs that correlate with symptom relief (https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/ifs-and-chronic-pain-listening-inner-parts-hold-hurt)

    • Costs for 1:1 therapy vary depending on location and practitioner, and also on their level of training and experience

    • Most clinicians charge between £60 - £150 per hour in the UK

    • Some therapists offer sliding scale sessions or low-cost places

  • Cedar Brown - ME/CFS, Mould Illness, Anxiety, IBS, POTS

Katy McGhie
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