Internal Family Systems Theory (IFS) is a way of seeing the human psyche that emphasizes the “plural mind,” a mind that is by design a collection of parts in relationship to each other. But in addition to the parts, IFS stresses the presence in the mind of the “Self”, which its sees as the source of wisdom, understanding, compassion, and empathy. This “Parts + Self” mind is typically fragmented, with the Self sidelined and parts fighting other parts, with some submerged (called “Exiles”) and guarded by others (called “Protectors”). The whole goal of psychotherapy, as seen by IFS, is to bring the Self online more and more such that our adult self is channeling the qualities of the Self and becomes the hub of the mental wheel with all the parts primarily attached to it. The “Self led psyche” is characterized by harmony, internal cooperation, and flexibility in dealing with the internal and external worlds. Which is essentially what psychotherapy has always been oriented to, but IFS is a brilliantly concise articulation of this goal and the way to it.
In this section, IFS will be examined particularly through the lens of developmental psychology, which is the view of humans as developing through distinct stages over time. This is not a big stretch, as we can easily see how the child becoming the adolescent, the adult becoming the elder, etc. But I’ve found it very useful to see the psyche both through the categories that IFS lays out (the Managers, Exiles, and Self) and also through this developmental view of the parts. So, you will find in this section some applications of IFS to certain areas, particularly to depression, and hopefully they will give you an essentialized picture of this system, but more importantly, cue you in to the internal actors in your own psyche.