What is IFS? | TheNextLevelHealing

What is IFS?

Internal Family System

Ever feel like there’s a whole committee meeting going on inside your head? One part of you is yelling, “Take that risk!” while another screams, “Play it safe!” Don’t worry—you’re not losing it. You’re just human. Welcome to Internal Family Systems (IFS), an approach that helps you make sense of all those inner voices.

Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, IFS sees your mind as a family of distinct “parts,” each with its own personality, emotions, and motivations. These parts might clash sometimes (cue the inner chaos), but IFS believes they’re all trying to help in their own unique ways. And here’s the kicker: At the center of it all is your Self, a calm and compassionate leader just waiting to take charge.

The Basics of Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS begins with a simple but powerful idea:

our minds are naturally made up of different parts. Think of it like a pie — each slice represents a part of you, and together they make up the whole pie. Some slices might be tart (looking at you, perfectionist part ), while others are sweet (hello, inner nurturer ). The goal of IFS is to help you appreciate each slice and enjoy a more balanced inner feast.

Multiplicity of the Mind

Contrary to what you might think, having “parts” doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. In fact, it’s perfectly normal. For instance:

You might have a part that’s a relentless planner, keeping you organized and on track.
Another part might procrastinate because it’s afraid of failure (or just loves TikTok too much).

These parts often have good intentions, even if their behavior seems counterproductive. IFS doesn’t aim to silence these parts but rather to understand them and create harmony among them.

What is the "Self" in Internal Family Systems?

Now, let’s talk about the superstar of IFS: the Self. Think of the Self as the CEO of your inner world—or better yet, the wise, kind friend who always has your back.

Unlike your parts, which can be reactive or emotional, the Self is calm, clear, and compassionate. It’s the version of you that steps up when the chaos subsides. The Self isn’t bossy or judgmental; it leads with understanding and care.

The 8 C’s of Self

Therapists often describe the Self with eight defining qualities (a.k.a., the “8 C’s”):

Calmness: That peaceful feeling when the drama dies down.
Curiosity: Wanting to understand what’s going on without judgment.
Compassion: Approaching even your crankiest parts with kindness.
Clarity: Seeing situations and feelings for what they are.
Confidence: Trusting your ability to handle challenges.
Courage: Facing fears head-on.
Creativity: Finding innovative solutions to inner struggles.
Connectedness: Building better relationships with your parts and others.

When your Self is leading, you feel centered and capable. It’s like finding the spiritual password to your soul—suddenly, everything connects.

Who Are the Parts in Internal Family Systems?

In IFS, your internal family includes three main types of parts: Protectors, Exiles, and Firefighters. Let’s unpack who they are and what they do.

1. Protectors: The Guardians of Your Mind

Protectors are like your inner bodyguards—they want to keep you safe. There are two kinds:

Managers: These parts are proactive, trying to keep everything under control. They might push you to work hard, stay organized, or avoid risky situations. For example, the voice that says, “Stick to the plan!” is probably a manager.
Firefighters: These parts are reactive. When emotions get too intense, firefighters swoop in with distractions—anything from binge-watching TV to eating a whole pizza. They’re the ones yelling, “Abort mission! Let’s just chill.”

2. Exiles: The Vulnerable Ones

Exiles are the parts of you that carry emotional wounds, often stemming from past experiences. They feel sadness, shame, fear, or rejection and are usually hidden away by protectors. Imagine a shy child hiding in the corner, waiting for someone to notice them. While exiles can feel fragile, they’re also the key to healing once they feel safe to share their stories.

3. The Self: The Compassionate Leader

As we’ve mentioned, the Self is the glue that holds it all together. It’s the calm in the storm, the captain of the ship, and the one part of you that’s always steady—even when the protectors and exiles are in full-on drama mode.

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With SRA and MK Ultra there needs to be additional understanding and work with IFS and DID to help undo what was intentionally done by the perpetrators to ensure the parts would remain silent.

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If you are concerned about the legitimacy of the idea of parts, and IFS, insurance companies now are willing to accept this mode of therapy as it has shown significant and positive outcomes.

However, when it comes to the most severe kinds of trauma brought about by sadistic sexual abusers, a greater degree of understanding of one's internal world is necessary in order to heal by working with the parts.

With Satanic Ritual Abuse/MK Ultra, or any abuse, these parts are so buried and isolated in the deepest recesses of the mind that we are amnesiac to them, intentionally done by the perpetrators. Otherwise you could put them in jail, the last thing a perpetrator wants. So they will do anything and everything to suppress your memories. They will lie, coerce, suggest, torture and kill, to convince you that what they are or were doing is/was okay. And it is NOT.

Now that you are in a safe place and your memories are surfacing in the form of body memories, images, or dreams, it is a part, or many, trying to get your attention so that you can free them. They want to be free of the prisons they are locked up in. They want to release their fear, shame, guilt, etc. But mostly, they want to be with you and find some peace and happiness. The thing is, it is YOU who finds it as well, with them.

Let's free the prisoners, and YOU.