Have your (or others) ever said-“a part of me thinks this and another part thinks that”? Indeed we are all made up of “parts” of ourselves, some of which we are aware of and some that we aren’t. Not having harmony or awareness of our “parts” of self can cause a sense of fractured self, especially if one has experienced trauma (whether a Big T Trauma or a lot of little t traumas). The goal of healing and therapy is to make our parts whole and integrated, so that there is a better sense of internal harmony. I really appreciate this approach and the tools within this therapeutic paradigm to bring awareness and healing to the person. I integrate it with bi lateral stimualtion, EMDR, brainspotting, Cognitive Behavioral therapy and EFT tapping to produce dramatic and lasting healing and change. I have attended several IFS trainings, including an intensive course with Frank Anderson on using IFS for healing trauma. Having gone through IFS therapy myself, I can say it is an amazing tool.
Internal Family systems model, developed by Richard Schwartz, PhD., is an approach to bring integration and wholeness to the self. The information below is from the IFS Institute(Internal Family Systems). See the link below to the website and this page description
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF THE IFS MODEL
- It is the nature of the mind to be subdivided into an indeterminate number of subpersonalities or parts.
- Everyone has a Self, and the Self can and should lead the individual’s internal system.
- The non-extreme intention of each part is something positive for the individual. There are no “bad” parts, and the goal of therapy is not to eliminate parts but instead to help them find their non-extreme roles.
- As we develop, our parts develop and form a complex system of interactions among themselves; therefore, systems theory can be applied to the internal system. When the system is reorganized, parts can change rapidly.
- Changes in the internal system will affect changes in the external system and vice versa. The implication of this assumption is that both the internal and external levels of system should be assessed.
OVERALL GOALS OF THERAPY:
- To achieve balance and harmony within the internal system
- To differentiate and elevate the Self so it can be an effective leader in the system
- When the Self is in the lead, the parts will provide input to the Self but will respect the leadership and ultimate decision making of the Self.
- All parts will exist and lend talents that reflect their non-extreme intentions.
You can log into their web page below that explains it in detail. The idea is that all parts are an extension of our true self that have a role in our development and our functioning in life. This is not about “multiple personalities.” All people have experiences they don’t know how to respond to, so they back off, get hurt, protect themselves, become pleasers, or dominate and bully and/or a variety of other ways to cope with life, problems, pain and people. I liken it to a junior high field trip on a bus-where there is no one in charge of the bus. Chaos erupts with personalities taking over with bullies, know it alls, those who act out, the pleasers, the quiet ones with draw, etc. When one part overtakes the true self, I call that being “eclipsed” or blended, so the true self is lost to the part that is taking over. (Parts can be a firefighter, manager or exile). The goal of this therapeutic process is to assist the “true self'” to become the bus driver of their own bus and take charge. Each student (Part) is valuable and important, but there is an established order within the bus so they all can get to their destination. When the self takes charge again and the “parts” are heard, their experiences are validated and understood for their role. Then the parts can be transformed to be beneficial to the self. Ultimately-we become aware of internal warnings or messages and respond as a mature, in charge adult, rather than just reacting. What a great place to live life from
Please read the article below-it is the best explanation of “parts” work. There is wonderful healing and hope as we work on making our parts whole again!
https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/internal-family-systems-model-outline