Hi welcome to IFS Basics website. Have you heard about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and are curious to learn more? If so, welcome! This website is dedicated to exploring the basic core concepts of IFS in a clear and approachable way.
Who Am I?
My name is Eric Greene. I’m a dad, an artist, and parent coach who stumbled upon Internal Family Systems (IFS) during my own therapy journey with an IFS therapist. More about my journey here.
The IFS modality has been a game-changer for me in my own life. My experience of it has been healing and transformative, and I’m passionate about sharing the basics of IFS with others.
What is IFS?
IFS is a perspective that helps us understand the different parts of ourselves that make up our inner world.
Imagine your world inside as being like a bustling family, with various parts playing different roles. Some parts might be protective, some critical or fearful, while others may be joyful and positive. It’s very much like the Inside Out movie series.
What IFS helps with is in identifying all the parts of our inner system, and creating space for ourselves to heal and develop inner harmony.
Why Internal Family Systems?
Traditional therapy often focuses on getting us to change our thoughts and behaviors in different ways. While this can be helpful, IFS takes a different approach.
What IFS emphasizes is validating and accepting all parts of ourselves, which results in self-compassion, and building healthy well-being within. Instead of trying to get rid of the aspects of ourselves that we find to be problematic, we want to develop more self understanding around how and why these aspects developed in the first place. In other words, IFS asks what’s the story underneath?
By taking this approach, we can then overcome triggers, develop inner peace, and ultimately experience greater well-being.
The promise of IFS isn’t to get rid of aspects of ourselves that we don’t like, but to understand these aspects and see clearly what role they play that’s been protective or beneficial. The idea is that through self understanding we can find healing and transformation within ourselves.