Experiential - Internal Family Systems Flashcards
Who created Internal Family Systems Therapy?
Richard “Dick” Schwartz
Dick Schwartz was at the U of Chicago’s Institute for Juvenile Research. A client made a reference to competing internal voices, or “parts.”
What are basic concepts in Internal Family Systems therapy?
- Our mind naturally subdivides into subpersonalities
- Systems theory (feedback loops, coalitions, etc.) applies to this system; changes to internal system will affect changes in person’s interactions in the world, and v/v, so both should be assessed.
- Parts have positive intentions - There are no “bad” parts - non-pathologizing
- Extreme parts carry “burdens” - energies not inherent to the function of the part
- Discrete “parts” of clients form sometimes engage in combative behaviors, much like a dysfunctional family system
- Each person has a core Self that has a clarity of perspective and leadership qualities. The Self should lead a person’s internal system.
- When differentiated, the Self is competent, secure, self-assured, relaxed, centered, and able to listen and respond to feedback
- Trauma does not create parts - they always exist as potential or actuality
What is the therapist’s role in Internal Family Systems Therapy?
To create a degree of trust so the parts will provide input to the Self, but will respect the leadership and ultimate decision-making of the Self.
What is the goal of therapy in Internal Family Systems therapy?
- To re-harmonize/balance the inner system
- To differentiate & elevate the Self so it can effectively lead the system, helping the person become increasingly Self-led in their interactions with the world.
- To listen to the sub-parts & understand them
- To heal the Parts, & liberate them from the roles they have been forced into, freeing them to be who they were designed to be
- Reduce parts’ extreme behaviors, so they respect the leadership of the Self
In couple/family therapy, another goal is to help family members have Self-to-Self interactions and begin to see each other as people, rather than their problems
What are Exiles in Internal Family Systems therapy?
Exiles are the injured parts of us and have typically experienced trauma. Exiled by the managers, they can become increasingly extreme, ultimately overriding the managers to become who we are.
Exiles contain fear, pain, and sadness that arose from past hurtful feelings.
What are Managers in Internal Family Systems therapy?
Managers attempt to keep us organized and safe. They try to keep the exiles (and their feelings) out of consciousness.
Managers tend to exert control (by avoiding relationships, or by becoming perfectionistic) in order to avoid being hurt further.
What are Firefighters in Internal Family Systems therapy?
Firefighters are used when managers fail. Firefighters are another form of protection that “put out the emotional fire at any cost,” often starting backfires.
They do so in several ways, including unhealthy or unhelpful behavior. They douse painful emotions with substances such as food, drugs, or alcohol, or distract with sex, self-mutilation, or obsessive activity.
Why is the non-pathologizing aspect of Internal Family Systems Therapy so central to its effectiveness?
Because there are no bad parts, clients can escape the need to feel they are bad people. IFS Therapy finds ways to help our ego relax, allowing those parts of our personality we have buried (exiles) to ascend, freeing memories, emotions, and beliefs associated with them (burdens) that were previously locked away.
What are the “Six F’s” of Internal Family Systems Therapy?
The therapist will first “Find, Focus on and Flesh out” the client’s protective parts and help them unblend and notice the client’s Self.
Next, the therapist helps the client recognize their Feelings toward each part, beFriend it, explore explore its Fears, and invite it to do something new.
How does the concept of Parts work in Internal Family Systems therapy?
Each part is like “a person with a true purpose” that can be uncovered. After identifying a part of the self, clients can explore it in greater detail to better understand whether it is doing its job.
What are important interventions in IFS?
- Finding, focusing, and fleshing out each part: managers, firefighters, exiles
- Exploring the Ct’s relationship with each part
Through:
- Locate/sense part in body
- Assess internal dialog
- Diagramming/drawing relationships among parts
- Journaling
- Direct access
“Imaging” techniques = Guided Visualizations:
- The Journey guided visualization, to allow access to the Self unencumbered by Parts
- The Fire Drill guided visualization, to see how the manager or firefighter tries to protect the Self
- Unburdening
- Retrieval into present
- Future imaging, Healing/horizon
What are the 8 C’s in Internal Family Systems therapy?
Curiosity
Calm
Confidence
Compassion
Creativity
Clarity
Courage
Connectedness
What are the steps to Internal Family Systems therapy?
- Assess client’s parts & problem sequences
- Look for polarizations (internal, external) and parallel dynamics
- Introduce the language/ideas of the model
- Check for client’s awareness of parts & their experience of each one (and of family members’)
- Collab to decide how to use the model
- Agree w/client on goals of therapy; create a contract
- Assess fears/roles of the parts – tackle protective parts first!
- Assess client context & constraints
- Help Self unblend from parts, and help Self/Parts understand when/how to blend
- Deal with extreme parts
Tips:
- Don’t move too fast
- Don’t work with exile before system is ready
With families -
- Look for parts activated in session, and how different people’s parts collude to keep extreme parts of a family member under control
- Enactments
- Contract – no analyzing Parts outside of session; only talk about own parts; responsibility for own parts & accessing Self outside of session
What are Parallel Dynamics, in Internal Family Systems therapy?
The way you relate to your own parts parallels the way you relate to those parts of others.
What is Blending and Unblending in Internal Family Systems therapy?
Blending is the process by which a part of our system merges and becomes indistinguishable from Self. Through blending, parts can take control over thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and pretty much any function of our body. Parts are in control of the extent to which they blend with Self. A part that needs to assist us through life appropriately blends when it is called upon.
Unblending is the opposite. When a part unblends from Self, there is a sense of increased spaciousness in the body and there is also more scope for Self energy to flow in the system. Parts can unblend from Self when they believe it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Unblending for healing purposes is key. When an IFS therapist is with a client, one of their tasks is to continuously be curious of the level of Self energy available to the client. If one, or more, burdened or non Self-led parts are blended with the Self, the client will have little or no Self energy available.
