By Desiree St. Pierre, M.A., M.S., LPC, NCC Founder & Psychotherapist, MHC of Fulshear Published: June 17, 2026 | Last Updated: June 17, 2026

The first time most of my clients hear me describe Internal Family Systems therapy, they look skeptical. It sounds, on the surface, like I'm asking them to entertain the idea that they have several people living inside their head. They are concerned that I am about to suggest something pathological. I am not. IFS is one of the most respected and well-researched models in contemporary therapy, and it works on an idea that is actually quite ordinary: most of us behave differently in different contexts, hold competing feelings inside ourselves, and contain a younger, more wounded version of who we used to be. IFS gives all of that a structure to work with.

This post is a plain-language introduction to IFS therapy. What it is, why it works, who it tends to fit, and what a session actually looks like.

What Is Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy?

IFS is a model of psychotherapy developed by Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, originally out of his work with clients who experienced eating disorders and trauma. The model has three core ideas. First, the mind is naturally multiple. Each of us has different "parts" that show up in different situations: the part that gets defensive in conflict, the part that procrastinates, the part that pushes us to keep working, the younger part that still flinches when someone uses a certain tone. Second, every part has a positive intention, even when its strategies are extreme. The harsh inner critic is usually trying, in its way, to protect you from a perceived danger. The procrastinator may be trying to keep you safe from failure or from being overwhelmed. Third, alongside all of these parts, you have a core Self that is curious, calm, compassionate, and clear. The work of IFS therapy is to help that Self lead, instead of letting the parts run the show.

If you've ever said, "Part of me wants to do this and part of me doesn't," you've already noticed your parts. IFS takes that ordinary observation seriously and works with it directly.

Several reasons, and they're worth naming honestly because the popularity is real but it shouldn't be the only reason to choose it.

First, the evidence has caught up with the model. IFS was designated by SAMHSA as an evidence-based practice in 2015 for improving general functioning and well-being. A 2021 randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma found IFS effective for complex PTSD, with significant symptom reduction sustained at follow-up (Hodgdon et al., 2021). Other studies have shown IFS effective for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and rheumatoid arthritis-related symptoms.

Second, the model is unusually gentle. There is no demand to confront or relive memories aggressively. The therapist's role is more like a curious guide than a corrective force. Clients with significant trauma often find IFS more tolerable than other modalities because the pacing is slower and the work is consent-based at every step.

Third, the framework gives clients language for what they were already experiencing. "I have a part that does that" is often a more useful frame than "I am bad at this," and clients tend to internalize the parts language pretty quickly. That gives them a tool they can use between sessions, not just inside them.

Who Tends to Do Well With IFS Therapy?

A few patterns in my Fulshear practice.

People who feel split or contradictory inside often resonate with IFS quickly. The framework gives a name to the experience and a way to work with it rather than against it.

Clients with trauma, especially complex or developmental trauma, often find IFS more sustainable than confrontational approaches. The work happens at the pace the protective parts allow, which means it's less likely to flood the system.

People who have done a lot of cognitive work and feel "stuck" at the body or emotional level sometimes find IFS unlocks the next layer. CBT can produce a real change in thought patterns and still leave a felt sense of unease that IFS can address.

Clients who are uncomfortable with explicitly spiritual or somatic modalities sometimes find IFS surprisingly accessible. The language is psychological rather than mystical, even though the work can feel deeply inward.

And people who are skeptical of therapy generally sometimes warm to IFS because the model treats them as the expert on their own experience. The therapist is not telling them what's "really" going on. The therapist is helping them notice what's already there.

When Might IFS Not Be the Right Fit?

A few situations call for other approaches, at least initially.

Active crisis or severe destabilization usually calls for stabilization-focused work first. IFS can be part of trauma recovery, but a client in the middle of a psychiatric emergency needs grounding, safety planning, and sometimes higher levels of care before exploratory work.

Clients who strongly prefer concrete, behaviorally-focused interventions may find IFS too internal. CBT or Solution-Focused Brief Therapy can be a better starting point, with IFS as a possibility later.

Some children and adolescents do beautifully with parts work; others find it confusing or distancing. The fit depends more on the individual child than on age alone.

If you've tried IFS with a therapist who wasn't trained in it specifically, the experience may have felt unfocused. Quality IFS work requires training. Ask any therapist you're considering whether they have formal IFS training, and at what level.

What Does an IFS Session Actually Look Like?

Most sessions start with a check-in: what's been coming up since we last met, what's present in the body right now, what part of you is most active today. The therapist might invite you to notice where in your body you feel that part, what it looks like or sounds like, how old it feels. The language is concrete and inviting rather than abstract.

From there, the work depends on which part is showing up. Sometimes we get curious about a critical part that has been particularly loud lately. Sometimes we approach a younger part that has been carrying a heavy feeling. The therapist's job is to help you stay in Self while engaging the part, rather than getting fused with it. The client's job is to bring curiosity rather than judgment to whatever is showing up.

A common arc within a single session is: notice the part, ask it what it wants you to know, listen to its perspective without arguing, find out what it's protecting against, and offer it your presence. Over many sessions, the part's burden often softens. The harsh critic may quiet. The exiled part may feel less alone.

What's striking, the first time you experience it, is how natural it feels once you stop second-guessing it. People tend to laugh, mid-session, the first time a part of them gives them an answer they didn't see coming. The model isn't asking you to invent anything. It's asking you to notice.

Can IFS Be Done Over Telehealth?

Yes, and it works well. IFS is largely a conversation between you and your own inner experience, with the therapist as guide. The geometry of the room matters less than in some other modalities. Many of my clients prefer telehealth IFS sessions because the privacy of their own space helps them go inward.

Telehealth is available across Texas, and IFS sessions can be done in-person at our Fulshear office.

Frequently Asked Questions About IFS Therapy

Is IFS just visualization or imagination work? No. IFS involves the imagination as a tool, but the parts are not invented. They're observed. The work is structured, follows a model, and uses imagination the way EMDR uses bilateral stimulation: as a vehicle for an underlying psychological process.

How long does IFS therapy usually take? It depends. A specific issue can sometimes shift in 6 to 12 sessions. Deeper trauma work or longstanding patterns often takes longer, with the rhythm thinning out as the system settles. Many clients use IFS as their ongoing therapy approach rather than a time-limited intervention.

Is IFS the same as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) work? No, though there is some philosophical overlap. DID is a specific clinical condition that requires specialized treatment. IFS describes a normal multiplicity of mind that everyone has, regardless of whether they have any dissociative diagnosis. IFS therapists who work with dissociative clients have additional training in that area.

Can children do IFS therapy? Some children take to parts work readily and benefit from a developmentally adapted version of IFS. Others need a different approach. A trained therapist can assess fit.

Will my insurance cover IFS therapy? Mental Health Counseling Group is private-pay and provides superbills you can submit to your insurance carrier for out-of-network reimbursement. IFS sessions are billed as standard psychotherapy under CPT code 90837.

Talk With a Counselor

If you're curious whether IFS would fit what you're working on, book a consultation and we'll explore it together. I see clients in person at our Fulshear office and via telehealth across Texas. Our FAQ covers logistics.

About the Author

Desiree St. Pierre, M.A., M.S., LPC, NCC is the Founder of MHC of Fulshear. She is trained in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Mindfulness practices, Narrative Therapy, and Internal Family Systems.

Read more about Desiree → · Book a session

Sources

  • Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2020). Internal Family Systems Therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
  • Hodgdon, H. B., Anderson, F. G., Southwell, E., Hrubec, W., & Schwartz, R. (2021). Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among survivors of multiple childhood trauma: A pilot effectiveness study. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 31(1), 22–43. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10926771.2021.2013375
  • Anderson, F. G., Sweezy, M., & Schwartz, R. C. (2017). Internal Family Systems skills training manual: Trauma-informed treatment for anxiety, depression, PTSD & substance abuse. PESI Publishing.
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. Internal Family Systems Therapy (2015 designation).
  • IFS Institute. About IFS and therapist directory. https://ifs-institute.com/

Photo by Peyman Shojaei on Unsplash.