06/11/2026
Many people come to therapy believing they need to get rid of certain parts of themselves.
The anxious part.
The angry part.
The people-pleasing part.
The inner critic.
But Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by Richard Schwartz, offers a different perspective.
At its core, IFS suggests that every part of us developed to help or protect us at some point in our lives.
While some of these protective strategies may no longer serve us today, they often began with a positive intention.
Instead of asking, "What's wrong with me?" IFS encourages us to ask, "What is this part trying to do for me?"
That shift from judgment to curiosity can change the way we relate to ourselves.
Which "part" of yourself do you think has been working the hardest to protect you?