Internal family systems (IFS) is a way to explore your inner world and uncover the compassionate caring energy that is the true you. As well as this loving centre, which IFS calls the Self, our inner world is made up of parts - aspects of our character that have different roles. Together, this combination of Self and parts makes up our own unique personality.

While many of our parts are content helping us through life, others may be more troubled. Parts sometimes hold on to unwanted emotions and beliefs from negative past experiences. This can lead to internal suffering and behaviour that makes our lives more difficult. IFS is a way of helping these parts heal so they can be positive again, and we can feel good.

In IFS we do not pathologise the different emotions or behaviours that parts show, nor do we try to get rid of the parts themselves. We understand that each part is trying to support the overall system in the best way it knows how. What we do is strengthen the relationship between the Self and the part in question. This way the part learns to trust the Self and will start to hand over more control. When we are led more by our Self than our parts we feel an increase in qualities of Self such as greater clarity, confidence, calm and curiosity.

In each session I will support you to locate and converse with your parts, facilitating your Self to part connection. Typically, we will first encounter your protective parts, get to know them and build trust. When your protective parts feel safe they will give permission for you to access the vulnerable parts they have been protecting. By helping these vulnerable parts to heal and transform we allow more and more Self to be present in the system and the parts will feel more joyful and fulfilled. That’s why people report that after doing IFS they feel more spacious, connected and at ease.