Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a form of psychotherapy developed by Richard Schwartz that focuses on addressing and resolving inner conflicts within an individual's mind. It is based on the idea that our minds are made up of different "parts" or sub-personalities, each with their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

In IFS, these parts are organized into three main categories:

• Exiles: These are the wounded, vulnerable, and often traumatized parts of ourselves that we may try to keep hidden or suppress. They may be associated with painful memories, emotions, or experiences.

• Managers: These are the parts that try to control or manage the exiles, often by suppressing or denying their existence. Managers may be overly critical, judgmental, or perfectionistic.

• Firefighters: These are the parts that try to distract us from our pain or emotions by engaging in impulsive or addictive behaviors, such as substance abuse, compulsive eating, or reckless decision-making.

Inside Out (and now Inside Out 2) are excellent representations of the IFS model. These movies take you inside the mind of Riley, a young adolescent girl dealing with various life challenges. While in Riley's mind, you see her emotions being played out by the personified "Parts" of her. 

Riley is very "blended" with her Parts - just like most of us are too. Parts generally tend to vie for control and attempt to repress or argue with other Parts they are polarized against (such as Joy's treatment of Sadness in the first Inside Out, and Anxiety's treatment of the original 5 emotions in Inside Out 2). Parts are typically not "naturals" when it comes to collaboration, empathy, and balancing needs between one another. 

IFS is all about learning how to "unblend" from your Parts, which in turn allows you the space from them to be able to interact openly with them, understand them, and ultimately support, heal, and lead them in a more balanced way. Think rounding out a wheel that is all edges, and how much smoother the ride gets - that's what self-leadership is like compared to being lead around by your various Parts.

IFS therapy aims to help individuals access and reconcile these internal conflicts by:

• Identifying and understanding the different parts within themselves

• Developing self-compassion and kindness towards all parts

• Helping exiles feel seen, heard, and validated

• Reducing the influence of managers and firefighters

• Integrating fragmented parts into a more cohesive and harmonious inner system

The therapist helps clients access their inner world through a process called " Self-Leadership," which involves:

• Self-inquiry: Exploring one's internal experience through introspection and journaling

• Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding the different parts within oneself

• Self-compassion: Treating all parts with kindness and understanding

• Self-leadership: Developing the ability to navigate and regulate internal conflicts

IFS has been used to help individuals with a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, and relationship issues. Its focus on self-leadership and inner harmony has also been found to improve overall well-being and life satisfaction.

Some benefits of IFS therapy include:

• Increased self-awareness and understanding of internal conflicts

• Improved emotional regulation and resilience

• Reduced self-criticism and increased self-compassion

• Enhanced relationships through better communication and empathy

• Greater sense of peace, calmness, and overall well-being