Internal Family Systems Therapy: A Transformative Approach

By Jamie Bennett, LMFT

If you have seen the movie Inside Out, you might already be familiar with the concept of internal family systems, or IFS, therapy. Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, IFS is a model of therapy that draws from the assumption that we are all a system of interconnected parts—our internal family—that help govern our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.

At the core of this system is what Dr. Schwartz calls the self, which is essentially us as human beings. In a healthy and balanced system, the self uses information from the network of parts to determine our actions, make meaning of events, and relate to the world.

However, sometimes our systems can become unbalanced, and certain parts may become burdened. This may be the result of a traumatic or adverse experience, most commonly one that takes place during childhood. The burdened parts tend to dominate the system and filter our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions through to protect us from the pain of reliving the negative experiences.

For example, a young girl has an angry outburst and is shamed by her mother, who tells her, “It’s not ladylike to be angry”. She may have a part that assumes the burden of protecting her from never experiencing that shame again by suppressing any type of anger response and replacing it with something that will be accepted by her mother. Generally, burdens are created in childhood and carried throughout adult life.

Understanding Parts: Protectors and Exiles

According to the IFS model, there are two types of parts: protectors and exiles. Exiles tend to be thoughts or experiences that are so disturbing and painful that our system suppresses them, keeping them hidden from the rest of the system. Protectors, on the other hand, guard us from dealing with painful feelings associated with the exiles. There are two types of protectors: managers and firefighters.

Male client engaging in IFS therapy with healthcare provider.

Source: zamrznutitonovi / iStock

Firefighters and Addiction: A Reactive Response

Firefighters are reactive protectors that act impulsively to put out the "fire" caused by an exile trying to surface. Common firefighter behaviors include shopping, eating, gambling, and addiction. Substance use and alcohol are particularly effective at shutting out exiles and providing immediate relief, which can lead to a strong association between stress and substance use. Aside from creating a strong association between the impulsive behavior and relief from stressful stimuli, prolonged use of firefighters can also negatively impact other life areas such as career, relationships, and both mental and physical health.

IFS therapy involves creating a relationship with your parts, getting to know them, and opening a dialogue. By personifying these parts and understanding their backstory, you can negotiate with them to play a different role in your system that is more productive for you. This also allows for the firefighter to take a much-needed break as you incorporate more adaptive coping skills.

Case Study: Healing a Firefighter

One of my former clients was a young adult male who had spent several years incarcerated and developed severe PTSD as a result. When his PTSD was triggered, he found that using marijuana was the most effective way for him to feel more regulated and grounded. Over time, this became a closely associated pattern: trigger, marijuana use, and then relief. He was dependent on marijuana to function.

Through IFS therapy, it became evident that the firefighter part telling him to use marijuana was protecting him from reliving the trauma he experienced while incarcerated. This part expressed fears that he wouldn't be able to handle the memories and that they would be too scary and overwhelming. After several sessions, we were able to gain the trust of this firefighter part and reposition it within his system. Instead of triggering marijuana use, the part would now alert the client when he was feeling triggered so that he could make the choice to use a different coping skill, such as emotional regulation exercises, grounding exercises, and reducing the physiological effects of panic and trauma.

Over time, the firefighter part communicated to the client when it was time to engage in the coping skills, building a level of trust that the client could handle triggering situations without relying on marijuana.

Compassion and Hope in Addiction Recovery

One of the main assumptions of IFS therapy is that all parts have a positive intent. So, when people are abusing alcohol or substances, their system may be attempting to protect them from reliving trauma or other difficult experiences. This idea helps reduce the stigma associated with addiction and provides hope that people struggling with addiction can learn healthier ways of coping with their underlying issues.

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Looking at addiction through an IFS lens, we can start to develop compassion by understanding its protective function. Creating relationships with our internal system allows us to access a wealth of information about ourselves and develop a balanced system in which the self guides behaviors and choices.

Jamie Bennett is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a graduate of the Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s program at Manhattan College. As a Family Wellness clinician at Mountainside, Jamie uses a systemic view to create meaningful change for the whole family.