Effective Trauma Treatment Utilizing Internal Family Systems Therapy
Wings Recovery utilizes Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for trauma treatment and other mental health challenges at our men’s and women’s programs. This is an evidence-based trauma therapy that works with your internal “parts” and helps restore the peace and clarity that come from being in touch with your Core Self.
If you believe that IFS could benefit you or a loved one, contact the Wings team today.
What Is Internal Family Systems® (IFS)*
IFS is a transformative, evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people heal by accessing and accepting their protective and wounded inner parts. This is based on the idea that we all have different parts to our personality, which is a good thing. The key is to help individuals create cohesion and cooperation internally between these various parts.
These parts include Exiles, Managers, and Firefighters who, ideally, are all managed and balanced by the Self. Exiles are often pushed to the side and isolated as they often carry past trauma. This annexation is done to protect other parts of the Self. Managers strive to maintain control and drive us in our day-to-day activities. Firefighters work to push away Exiles through maladaptive behaviors such as bingeing on drugs, food, or alcohol, self-harm, etc.
Through IFS, your therapist will help you to identify these parts and how they interact. Using talk therapy, journaling, family sessions, and other tools, you and your therapist will help these parts to heal and find balance. A key aspect of IFS is that once these parts have found balance, the Self can flourish.
*Source: https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/internal-family-systems-model-outline