Do you feel stuck in patterns you can’t seem to change? Maybe one part of you longs to heal and grow, while another part pulls back—afraid, overwhelmed, or unsure. You might hear a harsh inner critic, feel waves of anxiety, or shut down emotionally when things feel too much.
What if these weren’t flaws—but parts of you trying to protect you?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy helps you understand and heal these inner dynamics with compassion, clarity, and self-leadership.
Developed by psychologist Richard Schwartz, IFS is a powerful, evidence-based therapeutic model that views your mind as made up of multiple “parts.” These parts—such as the inner critic, the perfectionist, the anxious protector, or the avoider—each serve important roles and carry emotional burdens from past experiences.
Rather than fighting or exiling these parts, IFS invites you to connect with your core Self—the calm, wise, and compassionate center within you. This Self becomes the leader of your internal system, guiding healing and harmony among your parts.
IFS shifts the question from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What is this part trying to protect me from?”
IFS has been shown to be highly effective for a wide range of challenges, including:
In IFS sessions, we explore:
At the heart of IFS is your core Self—a genuine, confident, and compassionate essence that embodies qualities such as:
Together, we’ll follow a thoughtful process to:
IFS helps you gently explore every part of yourself with curiosity and care, so you can heal old wounds, quiet the inner critic, and reconnect with your most authentic self.
IFS resonates deeply with those who feel torn between competing thoughts or emotions and want therapy that goes beyond symptom management. It’s for people who long to quiet their inner critic, cultivate greater self-compassion, and find relief from high-functioning anxiety, emotional fatigue, or spiritual confusion. If you desire healing without judgment or shame, IFS offers a deeply respectful and transformative path.
IFS may be the right fit if you often feel like different “parts” of yourself are at odds, or if you’re tired of the constant voice of your inner critic but aren’t sure how to quiet it. You might appear high-functioning and put-together on the outside while feeling anxious, numb, or overwhelmed on the inside. If you’re looking for a compassionate, non-pathologizing approach to healing—and you long to feel more grounded, whole, and self-led in your life—IFS can offer a path forward.
I offer IFS-informed therapy both in person at my Costa Mesa, CA office and virtually for clients throughout Arizona and California. Whether we’re addressing trauma, burnout, relationship struggles, or emotional reactivity, IFS provides a safe, gentle, and clear path forward, allowing us to move at a pace that feels right for you.
If you’re curious to learn more, I recommend No Bad Parts by Dr. Richard Schwartz, founder of IFS. It’s a beautiful introduction to this compassionate, insightful approach.
IFS therapy honors every part of you—even the ones that feel scared, stuck, or misunderstood. When your parts feel heard, they soften. When your Self leads, clarity returns. With harmony, life feels freer, whole, and truly you. If you’re curious about how IFS can support your healing, I’d love to connect.