An IFS session is a guided process where you explore the different parts of yourself with curiosity and compassion. Rather than just talking about your experiences, we’ll slow down and notice what’s happening inside—thoughts, emotions, and even physical sensations. The goal isn’t to get rid of any part of you but to help you understand why they exist and what they need. With time, this process brings more balance, inner peace, and self-trust.

Unlike some therapies that require revisiting painful memories, IFS focuses on how past experiences still affect you now. Rather than reliving trauma, we work with the parts of you that are still carrying its weight. Healing doesn’t come from rehashing the past but from changing your relationship with the parts of you that were shaped by it.

No, despite the name, Internal Family Systems (IFS) doesn’t involve your actual family. Instead, it focuses on the internalsystem of different parts within you.

Think of it like this: just as families have different members with unique roles, your inner world is made up of different parts that each serve a purpose. Some parts might be protective, others might carry wounds, and some may just want to be heard. IFS helps you understand and heal these inner dynamics so that you can move through life with more balance, self-compassion, and clarity.

That said, working with your internal system can lead to healthier relationships with others—including your actual family—because as you become more self-aware and regulated, your interactions with loved ones naturally shift in positive ways (and that’s not to say you have to have a relationship with your family).

Yes and no. IFS includes inner child work, but it goes beyond it.

In traditional inner child work, the focus is often on reconnecting with the wounded, younger parts of yourself that still carry pain from the past. While IFS also helps you meet and heal these younger parts (often called exiles in IFS), it doesn’t stop there.

IFS recognizes that we all have a whole system of parts inside us—not just wounded child parts, but also protective parts that try to keep us safe in different ways. These protectors might show up as self-criticism, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or even numbing behaviors. Instead of just focusing on healing the inner child, IFS helps you understand and work with all of your parts, bringing balance and self-compassion to your entire system.

At the heart of IFS is Self—the calm, wise, compassionate presence within you. As you strengthen your connection with Self, both your inner child and your protective parts can relax, allowing for deeper healing and inner harmony.

That’s completely normal! Some people connect with their parts easily, while others take time to develop that awareness. Parts often stay hidden because they’re used to being ignored, dismissed, or judged. In IFS, we go at your pace, creating a safe space where these parts can start to feel respected and seen. Over time, you’ll naturally build a stronger connection with them.

Many people have a strong aversion toward some of their parts—like the inner critic, anxious parts, or self-sabotaging parts. The key to healing isn’t to force yourself to “love” them right away but to get curious about why they act the way they do. Most of the time, these parts developed to protect you from something painful. When we approach them with understanding instead of judgment, they begin to soften, and transformation naturally follows.