Complete guide
Internal Family Systems (IFS): A Complete Guide to Parts Work
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a form of talk therapy that sees the mind as made up of many “parts”, each trying to help in its own way,…
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a talk therapy developed by family therapist Richard Schwartz. It sees the mind as a family of parts, each with a positive intention, led by a calm and compassionate Self. Start with our complete guide.
1 guide · 1 expert
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a talk therapy developed by family therapist Richard Schwartz. It sees the mind as made up of many parts, each trying to help, along with a calm, compassionate core called the Self.
This hub is the home on Self Help Supermarket for IFS. Our complete guide explains the method step by step. As we check them, videos, podcasts, courses, books and practitioner directories for IFS are added to this page.
Start here
New to IFS? Our complete guide covers the Self and the 8 Cs, managers, firefighters and exiles, the six Fs step by step, what sessions cost around the world and how to practise on your own.
What people use it for
Experts 1
Expert
Richard Schwartz: Founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and No Bad Parts
Dr Richard Schwartz is an American family therapist and the creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS), a gentle, parts-based approach to understanding yourself. [1] He founded the IFS…
What the evidence says
In a randomised trial, IFS-based therapy improved pain, depression and self-compassion in people with rheumatoid arthritis (Shadick et al., 2013).
In a pilot study of adults with PTSD, 16 IFS sessions were followed by large reductions in symptoms (Hodgdon et al., 2022).
You will find more on how IFS works, with sources, in the complete guide.
FAQs
Where should a complete beginner start?
Read our complete guide first. It explains IFS step by step, including the six Fs you can try on your own.
Who created IFS?
IFS was developed in the 1980s by Richard Schwartz, a family therapist, who founded what is now the IFS Institute.
What are parts in IFS?
Parts are subpersonalities. IFS groups them as managers, firefighters and exiles, and teaches that there are no bad parts.
Can I practise IFS on my own?
Yes. Many people get to know their protective parts on their own, and do deeper work with a trained IFS therapist.
Which book should I read first?
No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz (2021) is a friendly introduction with exercises.
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