Internal Family Systems

Have you ever had the thought, "a part of me feels that I can do this, and yet another part is holding me back"? 

Most of us have, in one way or another, acknowledged that we have many parts within us. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a non-pathologizing, creative, and integrative approach to treatment grounded in this perspective. In fact, IFS acknowledges that within all of us are what are sometimes referred to as subpersonalities or 'parts'. These parts produce internal dialogues that many of us are so familiar with, such as the critical part that speaks of "not being good enough", or the anxious one that fears, "whoa, whoa, whoa - you better walk away, this is not going to turn out well".

What if we could move in closer, and get to know these parts of us, instead of pushing them away or reframing their concerns? IFS provides a pathway to do just this. In this treatment approach, we will work together to get to know the many parts within your internal world. Sometimes, our parts reveal that they hold deep burdens from past experience. Through IFS, we can create space  for deeply empowering and efficient healing. In and amongst the healing and witnessing, compassionate approaches are used to promote inner harmony and an overall sense of peace. IFS creates space for us to be more present, rooted in our core selves, and to live from a place of what is often referred to as, 'Self leadership'. 

IFS is an effective treatment approach for a wide variety of concerns or issues. If you feel stuck in patterns that are no longer serving you, or crave the experience of stepping more fully into your Self, IFS can help facilitate a shift.

If you are curious about what an IFS session looks like in practice, click here.

Internal Family Systems has been listed on the National Registry for Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) as an evidence-based approach. NREPP is  a national repository that is maintained by the U.S. government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). IFS has been proven to be promising or effective for the following concerns (SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, 2015) :

  • General functioning and well-being

  • Anxiety disorders and symptoms

  • Physical health conditions and symptoms

  • Self-concept

  • Depression and depressive symptoms

For more information on IFS, please visit: www.ifs-institute.com

References

SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, 2015, Internal Family Systems, retrieved from: https://nrepp.samhsa.gov/ProgramProfile.aspx?id=1#hide1

Relational Intelligence

There are moments when connection feels natural and grounded, and other times when something subtle shifts - maybe we withdraw, tense up, go blank, or find ourselves reacting in ways we don’t fully understand.

This model offers a different way of understanding these experiences by inviting attention to the living, moment-to-moment field that forms between people, and the ways our nervous system continuously adapts within it.

From this perspective, our patterns of connection and disconnection are not random. They are meaningful, intelligent responses shaped through experience, particularly in early relationships in our lives.

Relational Intelligence places emphasis on what is happening right now between us in the therapeutic space: how contact is made, how it shifts, where it becomes difficult, and where it opens. By gently bringing awareness to these subtle dynamics, it becomes possible to interrupt automatic patterns and create the conditions for something new to emerge - helping us to be more present in our relational world and find ease, clarity, and confidence in a way that may not have been available before.

In therapy informed by this approach, attention is given not only to what is said, but to how connection is being experienced in the present moment. We will slow down enough to notice the embodied and relational cues that often sit just beneath awareness, allowing space for new relational experiences to be felt directly rather than just understood. These relational experiences may include nourishing the inner relationship we have with our parts.

This work may be helpful if you find yourself caught in repetitive relational patterns, struggling to stay connected under stress, or feeling disconnected from your own internal experience in relationships. Over time, Relational Intelligence supports a more flexible, embodied, and responsive way of being with others and with oneself.

References:

Le Doze, F. (2019–present). Relational Intelligence (Intelligence Relationnelle). Clinical model developed in the context of trauma-informed psychotherapy and neurobiological approaches to relational regulation. (https://www.intelligence-relationnelle.org)