IFS therapy in Redding and by California telehealth
Internal Family Systems starts from a simple idea: you are not one mood. You have parts.
Some parts manage the calendar and the family. Some parts numb, joke, or disappear. Some parts still hold what no one else would hold. IFS is a way to meet those parts without making any of them the enemy.
Yvette Brown, Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee at Attune Center for Healing. Supervised by Christina Whitney, LMFT #111050.
What a parts session actually is
We slow down. We notice who showed up today: the one who wants to get it right, the one who is done talking, the one who is tired of being strong.
I help you get a little space from that part so you can be with it instead of becoming it. You stay in charge of how close we get.
IFS here is not a lecture on the model. It is practiced in the chair, in plain language. I am Internal Family Systems-informed, and I work at a pace that never pushes you to share more than you are ready to share.
New to the idea? Start with IFS in plain language or the free guide.
Three things you may recognize
IFS was developed by Richard Schwartz. Parts are not a diagnosis, and they are not “multiple personalities.” Think of them as a map of the ways you learned to survive.
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Protectors
Try to keep pain from flooding you. Examples: overworking, people-pleasing, numbness, control, a harsh inner critic.
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Exiles
Hold the hurt, shame, fear, or grief that protectors have been managing.
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Self
The steadier center in you that can get curious instead of fighting yourself. It is not a personality makeover. It is the ability to meet your inner life with more calm and compassion.
The goal is not to get rid of parts. It is to understand what they have been protecting, so they can stand down when they no longer have to do it alone.
IFS is a good fit when
- You can describe your life well and still feel stuck inside it
- You swing between over-functioning and collapse
- Inner criticism is loud after you set a boundary
- You have trauma history and do not want to be flooded
- You already know your story and need a different relationship to it
IFS and Brainspotting together
Parts work finds who is here. Brainspotting often helps the body finish what that part is still holding. We do not stack methods for their own sake. We use the one that matches the moment.
If faith is part of how you see yourself
If Christian faith is part of how you understand the soul, we can make room for that. If it is not, we will not import it.
I have written about how IFS can sit alongside faith in a four-part series, starting with You were not created broken, and in IFS from a Christian worldview.
Questions people ask
Is IFS evidence-based for trauma?
IFS is widely used for trauma and is supported by a growing research base. It is not the only valid trauma method. We will talk about fit rather than loyalty to a brand.
Will I have to name all my parts?
No. We work with what shows up. You do not need a map before the first session.
Are parts the same as multiple personalities?
No. Parts are not a diagnosis. They are a way of describing the different voices and roles most people already recognize in themselves.
Can IFS be done on video?
Yes. Many clients do parts work well by telehealth. In-person in Redding is available if you want more somatic tracking.
Do I need to be a Christian?
No. Faith in Christ is welcome if it matters to you. It is never required.