Internal Family Systems (IFS)
In my work, I often use Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a way to help clients better understand themselves from the inside out. IFS is based on the idea that we all carry different “parts” within us—maybe a critical voice, a protective part that keeps us guarded, or a tender part that longs for closeness but feels afraid. I don’t see these parts as problems to get rid of, but as important pieces of your story that deserve compassion and attention. Together, we explore these parts with curiosity, so they feel understood rather than silenced.
What I love about IFS is that it helps you connect to your core Self—the calm, compassionate, and grounded place that exists in all of us. From there, you can begin to build a new kind of relationship with your parts, one that’s less about inner conflict and more about balance, healing, and wholeness.
For some clients, I also integrate IFS with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). Ketamine can open the door for parts that are usually hidden or tightly protected to step forward, and IFS provides the map for how we meet those parts with care. In this way, KAP can deepen the work, making it easier to access Self-energy and experience what it feels like to hold compassion for yourself in a real, embodied way.
When I use IFS—whether in traditional therapy or alongside KAP—it’s always about creating a safe and human space for you to get to know yourself in new ways. The goal isn’t to erase parts of you, but to bring them into harmony, so you can feel more whole within yourself and more connected in your relationships.