IFS
Internal Family Systems
IFS is a compassionate and non-judgmental approach to therapy that helps you explore the different "parts" of yourself—like your inner critic, protector, or wounded child. By fostering self-awareness and curiosity, IFS guides you in understanding and healing the emotions, beliefs, and behaviors that may be holding you back. This evidence-based method helps you build a healthier relationship with yourself, promoting balance, inner harmony, and lasting personal growth.
Protective Parts
In IFS Protective Parts are feelings and reactions we have when we feel activated in our body that prevent us from the more vulnerable feelings connected to hurtful experiences.
They hold good intentions yet can be extreme in the way they show up. Examples of protectors are perfectionism, procrastination, critical voice, rage, self-harm, substance abuse, depression and anxiety/panic. Once our protectors feel seen, understood, and integrated, we can be compassionate witnesses to our exiled wounding.
Exiles are the parts that have experienced hurt and trauma. They have felt the loneliness, fear and hurt and internalized the core beliefs. Through witnessing them with compassion, they can let go of long-held beliefs and extreme feelings. This is when protective parts move from extremes to healthier ways of being in our system.
