Clinical Interventions: Internal Family Systems

By looking at addictive behaviors – from drugs and alcohol to sex, technology, and binge eating -- as means of self-protection and a way of staving off deep personal pain, the IFS model provides a model of treatment that avoids power struggles, and feelings of shame and judgment that can often accompany treatment for trauma and addictions.

Addictive Behaviors As Self-Preservation: Key Insights From The Internal Family Systems Model. Schwartz, R. (Director). (2020).[Video/DVD] Eau Claire, WI: PESI Inc.

For all its joys, parenting is often a roller coaster of challenges. Even when parents are at the top of their game, the most routine curveballs—quarreling siblings, a child’s public meltdown, or a phone call from a teacher—can trigger unresolved shame, guilt, or anger. But the Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach can help parents more fully understand and heal the wounds their children will inevitably evoke in them, allowing them to better set healthy limits, while also creating a more nurturing family environment.

Parenting with Internal Family Systems (IFS). Anderson, F. (Director). (2019). [Video/DVD] Eau Claire, WI: PESI Inc.