The Six F’s in Internal Family Systems (IFS)
What Is Internal Family Systems (IFS)?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a framework/model/approach to psychotherapy created by Richard Schwartz.
Richard Schwartz began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. He found that when the clients’ parts felt safe and were allowed to relax, the clients would experience spontaneously the qualities of confidence, openness, and compassion that Dr. Schwartz came to call the Self.
IFS focuses on clients’s parts within each person’s mental system.
These parts consist of wounded parts and painful emotions such an anger and shame, and parts that try to control and protect the person from the pain of the wounded parts.
The parts are often in conflict with each other and with one’s core Self, a concept that describes the confident, compassionate, whole person that is at the core of every individual.
IFS focuses on healing the wounded parts and restoring mental balance and harmony by changing the dynamics that create discord among the and the Self.
Before the 6 F’s
Identifying Target/Main Part
Identify what part you would like to work on (the clinician will help you with this if you are in a session)
There could be many parts, yet we want to focus on one in particular that is the loudest or that needs our attention the most in the present moment
Possible questions to ask/inquire
“Is there a part of you that you’re noticing that yo’d like to get to know?”
“What part is most present? Would you like to get to know it?”
“Of the parts you’re aware of, is there one in particular you’d like to learn more about?”
Contracting With Part
Then we’ll contract with the part or work with it in a collaborative way to help heal it to see if it’s open to working with us
Contracting can include: 1) Asking for permission, 2) Giving space, 3) Practicing patience, 4) Respecting how they’ve protected you, 5) Getting to know them and want their best hopes for you are
The 6 F’s
FIND THE PART
Questions to ask:
How are you aware of the part?
How do you experience the part? Do you notice it in or around your body?
Do you notice the part in or around your body, in thoughts, or some other way?
FOCUS ON THE PART
Questions to ask:
Is it okay to focus your attention on this part now?
Is there more you’re noticing about it?
Notice body sensations, thoughts, or emotions, that go with this part?
Can you describe it?
FEEL TOWARD
Questions to ask:
As you focus on it, how do you feel toward the part?
If you cannot access Self, ask, “Now that it’s spoken, see if it’s willing to relax and allow you to go back to the target/main part?”
Keep unbending
Practice patience, kindness, validation, curiousity, and compassion
If there still is inability to access Self, this new part can become the target/main part of our attention/work/exploration
If you can access Self, go to BEFRIEND OR FACILITATE
FLESH OUT/FIND OUT
Is there something it wants you to know, or more it wants you to notice?
How has it been going for this part?
What does it want or hope to accomplish?
Knowing what you know about your life, does this make sense to you?
BE-FRIEND/FACILITATE
Invite the part to take in your quality of Self/validation/understanding/presence/etc.
Communicate that quality of Self to the part. Is it aware of your presence?
Let the part know that you want to get to know it
How aware of your presence is the part?
Invite the part to take in your presence and attention
Take your time to be there with the part I na way that feels connected and attuned
FEARS AND WORRIES
Ask the part, “What is it concerned would happen if it didn’t take over and do what it does right now?”
“What is it afraid would happen if it didn’t do this job?”
Ask the part, ‘What is its job or role? What is it hoping to accomplish?’
Offer hope
Be a hope merchant
Ask the part, “What if we could safely deal with the other (vulnerable) part it’s had to concern itself with so that it was no longer a problem, would it be interested?”
“Ask the part, ‘If we could safely work with and heal that vulnerable part, would you be interested?”
Ask the protector if t would be willing to relax back if the other part is willing to not overwhelm you? You could connect with the other part for a few minutes to see if it seems safe.