Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a framework that conceives of every human as being composed of different aspects or inner parts led by a core Self. Just like members of a family, our parts are valuable to our inner family. And just like family members, some of our parts can take on roles in childhood that no longer serve us. Due to our experiences in life, some parts may become abandoned and others may become overly protective. This can create turbulence and dysregulation. Fortunately, our core Self always maintains its integrity and given a chance it can establish a healthy internal family dynamic.
Internal Family Systems
Inherent Goodwill
IFS has a positive view of human nature and believes that individuals are born with inherent wisdom, goodwill and an innate capacity for healing. The mind is thought to contain an indeterminate number of subpersonalities or parts. This is not a pathology but an advantageous aspect of the human psyche. Parts are conceptualized as members of our internal family with their own unique ages, temperaments, talents, desires and views of the world. All parts are considered valuable and inherently want to contribute to our well being. However, how they show up can be disruptive due to “burdens” that they carry.
Burdens are extreme ideas, emotions and energies that accrue from adverse or shaming events, either through direct personal experience, “personal burdens”, or inherited “legacy burdens” from family, ethnic group or from collective trauma such as wars, genocide, or enviromental disasters. The types of burdens the parts carry determines what kind of roles they play in our internal family. In general, burdened parts can be categorized into three main roles:
Exiles: The most sensitive and vulnerable parts, who carry the pain and shame from past injuries and are often compartmentalized out of consciousness for protection.
Managers: These parts are proactive. They try to protect vulnerable, exiled parts by organizing and controlling a person’s life so that their exiles are not activated.
Firefighters: These parts are reactive. They try to dissociate or distract when exiles become distressed, often through compulsive or addictive behaviors.
The seemingly destructive behaviors of parts are misguided attempts at self care and self preservation. Parts do not enjoy the burdens which have forced them into extreme roles and will gladly return to more relaxed and valuable roles once they feel safe and their underlying fears and concerns are addressed, or “unburdened”. Parts are not their burdens or their roles.
Another key concept in IFS is the existence of a core "Self" which is the seat of consciousness. It has all the necessary qualities to take care of us and our different parts. These qualities include such things as compassion, perspective, curiosity and acceptance. The Self cannot be damaged by adverse experiences and does not need to develop through stages. It is always present, though it may be obscured or overwhelmed by injured or activated parts.
IFS extends its core assumptions about the relationships within an internal family system to all levels of human organization. This applies to individuals, couples, families, communities, cultures and even nations, all of which are viewed as interconnected and nested ecologies.
The goal of counseling is to help individuals explore, understand and embrace their different parts and address any of their fears or distorted perceptions. As the parts unburden and become less reactive they can resist overwhelming, or “blending” with the Self. This allows them to talk with the Self and, as they grow to trust its wisdom, to allow themselves to be more Self led. The Self can heal injured parts and reharmonize the internal system, leading to a sense of wholeness, peace and greater ability to navigate life's challenges.