The point of therapy isn’t to get rid of anything but to help it transform.” -Richard Schwartz, founder of IFS 
 

We think of ourselves as one person, and while this is certainly true, in IFS, we have come to understand we are made of many parts. Some people refer to these parts as sub-personalities. Maybe you have noticed yourself saying things like, “Part of me wants to quit my job and leave the stress.” Or “Part of me feels done with relationships and I just want my own space.” In IFS we work with these parts directly, particularly the parts of us that carry difficult emotions and memories. In my experience, working with parts directly is insightful, rewarding, and allows therapy to progress more deeply and quickly than talk therapy alone.
 

Perhaps you have tried to overcome an unhelpful habit, longstanding pattern, or terrible feeling with limited success. In IFS we understand that that these challenges don’t improve through self-criticism because they come from parts of us that are in their own way trying to help us. We go as far as to say that there are actually no bad parts at all. Learning to work with your parts kindly has the power to transform your life and is much more effective than harsh self-criticism.