Living with trauma can feel like carrying a heavy load that you can’t put down. It affects how you see yourself, your relationships, and even how you handle everyday life. You might feel stuck in patterns of fear, sadness, or anger, unsure how to move forward. Many types of therapy aim to help people work through these feelings, but Internal Family Systems (IFS) stands out as a unique and powerful approach to healing trauma.

IFS therapy doesn’t just focus on surface-level symptoms—it dives deep into understanding the different parts of you and how they respond to pain. This blog will explain how IFS works, why it’s effective for healing trauma, and how it can help you feel more balanced, whole, and at peace.

What Is Internal Family Systems?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz. It is based on the idea that our minds are made up of different “parts,” just like members of a family. Each part has its own role and emotions, and together, these parts create your internal system.

For example, you might have a part that feels anxious. You might have another part that criticizes you for feeling anxious. Then, you have another part that attempts to distract you from those feelings by keeping you busy. These parts aren’t bad—they’re trying to help you in their own ways.

In addition to these parts, IFS focuses on the Self, which is the calm, wise, and compassionate part of you. Your Self is like a guide that can help the different parts of you feel safe, understood, and supported.

When trauma happens, it can throw your nervous system out of balance. Some parts become “wounded” by the pain and fear caused by the trauma. Other parts take on the role of protecting you from that pain. Over time, this can lead to inner conflict, emotional overwhelm, and feeling disconnected from yourself. IFS online therapy in Detroit helps you heal by restoring balance to your system and helping your parts work together in a healthier way.

How Trauma Affects Your Inner System

Trauma leaves a lasting mark on both the mind and body. When something painful or scary happens, it can create emotional wounds that are stored in certain parts of you. These wounded parts, called “exiles” in IFS therapy, carry the memories, feelings, and beliefs connected to the trauma.

For example, an exiled part might hold onto the belief, “I’m not safe,” or the feeling of deep sadness. These parts are often pushed away because facing their pain feels too overwhelming. To keep these exiled parts hidden, other parts step in as protectors.

Protective parts work hard to prevent you from feeling the pain of your exiles. They might:

• Distract you by keeping you busy with work or hobbies.

• Criticize you to try to push you to do better or avoid mistakes.

• Shut down emotions to keep you from feeling too much.

While these protectors mean well, their efforts can sometimes backfire! They might lead to anxiety, depression, or feeling stuck. IFS online therapy helps by giving all your parts a chance to be heard and healed.

The Healing Process in IFS

IFS therapy takes a gentle and supportive approach to healing trauma. Here’s how it works:

1. Getting to Know Your Parts

The first step in IFS is learning to identify and understand your parts. Your IFS therapist will guide you in exploring the different feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that show up in your life.

For example, if you feel anxious in social situations, you might discover a part that worries about being judged. There might be another part that tries to avoid socializing altogether. Instead of seeing these parts as “bad,” IFS encourages you to approach them with curiosity and compassion.

2. Accessing Your Self

In IFS therapy, the Self plays a key role in healing. Your therapist will help you connect with this calm, wise part of yourself. When your Self is present, you can approach your parts with kindness, listen to their concerns, and offer them support.

This step is important because it creates a safe and trusting environment- within your own mind and body! Your parts are more likely to open up and share their pain when they feel that the Self is there to help.

3. Healing Wounded Parts

Once trust is built, IFS focuses on helping wounded parts—your exiles—release the pain, fear, or shame they’ve been carrying. This process, called “unburdening,” allows these parts to let go of the beliefs and emotions tied to the trauma.

For example, a part that believes, “I’m not good enough,” might unburden that belief and instead take on a new one, like, “I am worthy of love and respect.”

Unburdening is a powerful step that brings relief and freedom from the weight of the past.

4. Restoring Balance

As parts heal, your internal system becomes more balanced. Protective parts can relax because they no longer feel the need to guard you so intensely. Exiled parts can integrate into your system without being overwhelmed by pain. This creates a sense of harmony and inner peace.

Why IFS Therapy Works for Trauma

IFS therapy is helpful for conditions like depression, chronic illness, addiction, and anxiety. It is especially effective for trauma because it takes a compassionate and non-judgmental approach. Here’s why it works:

• It’s gentle and safe: IFS allows you to explore your pain at your own pace, without forcing you to relive traumatic memories.

• It honors all parts of you: Instead of trying to “fix” you, IFS helps you understand and care for the different parts of yourself.

• It’s empowering: By connecting with your Self, you learn that you have the strength and wisdom to heal from within.

• It’s somatic: IFS acknowledges the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and body. It addresses trauma on many levels.

A Real-Life Example

Let’s imagine a client named Lanie who is seeking help for trauma. Lanie survived a car accident several years ago, but she’s still haunted by symptoms of trauma including flashbacks and nightmares. Loud noises or sudden movements make her jump, and she often feels on edge, like something bad is about to happen. She avoids driving and even struggles to ride in a car without feeling panicked. Lanie also notices that she gets easily irritated with her family, feels disconnected from her friends, and has trouble focusing at work.

In IFS therapy, Lanie begins to explore the different parts of herself. She discovers a protective part that avoids cars and situations that feel unsafe. This part believes it’s keeping Lanie out of danger, but it also limits her ability to live her life. Lanie also identifies an exiled part that holds the fear and helplessness she felt during the accident. This part carries the belief that she’s powerless and that the world isn’t safe.

With the guidance of her IFS therapist in Detroit, Lanie connects with her Self—the calm, compassionate part of her. From this grounded place, she begins to understand and build trust with her protective and exiled parts. The protective part starts to relax as it realizes Lanie can handle her emotions. The exiled part, once overwhelmed by fear, begins to unburden its pain as Sarah reassures it that the danger is in the past and she is safe now.

Over time, Lanie notices changes. She feels calmer and more present in her daily life. The flashbacks and nightmares become less frequent. She begins to face her fears around driving, starting with short trips with support. Lanie also finds herself feeling more patient and connected with her family and friends. Through IFS, Lanie not only heals from her trauma, reduces PTSD symptoms, but also builds a stronger, more compassionate relationship with herself.

Integrating IFS with Other Therapies

While IFS therapy is powerful on its own, it can also be combined with other therapies to enhance healing. For example:

• Somatic therapy: Helps clients connect with and release trauma stored in the body, complementing IFS’s focus on emotions and beliefs.

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Can work alongside IFS to process and release traumatic memories more effectively.

• Mindfulness practices: Encourage present-moment awareness, which aligns with IFS’s emphasis on curiosity and compassion.

• Dialetical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT's mindfulness and emotion regulation skills can be utilized to help clients stay grounded while exploring and healing their inner parts through IFS.

At Embodied Wellness, we often integrate IFS with these approaches to create a personalized plan that supports healing on every level.

What Makes IFS Therapy Different?

IFS stands out because it focuses on the whole person rather than just the symptoms. IFS does not see anxiety, depression, or other struggles as symptoms to get rid of. IFS views them as messages from parts of you that need attention and care.

This approach helps you move beyond coping and toward true healing. By addressing the root causes of your pain and fostering self-compassion, IFS gives you the tools to create lasting change.

How IFS Helps You Reclaim Your Life

Healing from trauma is a journey, and IFS offers a path that is both effective and empowering. Through IFS therapy , you can:

• Understand and heal the parts of yourself that carry pain.

• Develop self-compassion and inner confidence.

• Feel more balanced and connected to yourself and others.

• Break free from patterns of fear, self-doubt, or anger.

• Create a life that feels more authentic and fulfilling.

You don’t have to face trauma alone. With the right support, healing is not only possible—it’s within your reach.

Start IFS Therapy in Michigan

Living with trauma can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. IFS therapy in Michigan offers a gentle, compassionate approach to understanding and healing the different parts of yourself impacted by trauma. Whether you’re struggling with fear, sadness, or emotional overwhelm, IFS therapy provides tools to help you feel more balanced and at peace. At Embodied Wellness, we believe in creating a supportive and non-judgmental space for healing. Through IFS therapy, you’ll connect with your inner Self, build trust with your wounded parts, and release the pain tied to past experiences. With this evidence-based approach, you can work toward reclaiming your life and moving forward with confidence. Take the Next Step Toward Healing:

• Schedule a free therapy consultation.

• Be matched with an experienced IFS therapist in Michigan.

• Begin your journey to greater self-compassion and inner harmony.

Additional Online Therapy Services in Michigan

At Embodied Wellness, PLLC we offer a variety of holistic treatment services for adults and teens with anxiety, depression, and OCD. We specialize in EMDR, Somatic therapy , Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, and DBT for trauma. We also specialize in CBT, ERP, Empath Counseling, and Spanish Therapy. We offer online therapy in Michigan. Start overcoming your trauma today by visiting our Detroit-based practice. We also have low-cost therapy options available!

About the Author: Sarah Rollins, LMSW, SEP

Sarah Rollins is an experienced EMDR therapist in Michigan and a dedicated somatic therapist providing online therapy. As the founder of Embodied Wellness, PLLC, Sarah is passionate about helping clients heal trauma through evidence-based and holistic approaches. She integrates IFS therapy in Michigan along with somatic therapy and EMDR to create a personalized path to healing for each individual. Sarah’s mission is to expand awareness of somatic and integrative therapies as effective methods for trauma recovery and personal growth.