New Trauma Healing Series: What is Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can be a valuable approach in supporting the client’s journey toward trauma recovery and self-understanding. Here’s how IFS can be utilized in her therapy:

1. Parts Work: Introduce the concept of “parts work” to help the client explore the different aspects of her internal system. The therapist can guide her in identifying and understanding the various parts of herself that have emerged as a result of her trauma and coping mechanisms.
2. Self-Leadership: Facilitate the development of self-leadership by helping the client connect with her core Self, the compassionate and wise center of her being. This can empower her to navigate her internal system with self-awareness and understanding.
3. Internal Dialogue: Encourage the client to engage in internal dialogue with her different parts, allowing her to explore their roles, concerns, and needs within her emotional landscape. This can promote a deeper understanding of her internal dynamics.
4. Unblending and Self-Integration: Guide the client in “unblending” from her protective parts and accessing her core Self, fostering a sense of self-integration and harmony within her internal system.
5. Healing Exiles: Support the client in identifying and healing the “exiled” parts of herself that hold the emotional wounds of her trauma. This can involve compassionate exploration and acknowledgment of these vulnerable aspects.
6. Reparenting Exercises: Incorporate reparenting exercises to assist the client in nurturing and comforting her wounded parts with the presence of her core Self, fostering a sense of internal safety and care.
7. Trauma Processing: Utilize IFS techniques to facilitate trauma processing within the safety of the therapeutic space, allowing the client to address trauma-related parts with self-compassion and understanding.
8. Integration and Harmony: Work towards integrating the client’s internal system, fostering a sense of harmony and cooperation among her parts under the guidance of her core Self.
9. Externalizing the Problem: Externalize the impact of trauma and the client’s reactions, allowing her to view these aspects as “parts” rather than as intrinsic aspects of her identity, promoting self-compassion and understanding.

By incorporating Internal Family Systems therapy into her treatment, the client can engage in a compassionate exploration of her internal world, fostering healing, self-understanding, and the integration of her experiences within a framework of self-compassion and self-leadership.

Are you ready for therapy? Contact Ron Huxley today at RonHuxley.com or rehuxley@gmail.com or take a course on Trauma-Informed Care at TraumaToolbox.com