How IFS and EMDR Therapy Help You Heal Deeply | Philadelphia Trauma Therapy
What if healing wasn’t about fixing yourself, but meeting yourself differently?
If you've ever found yourself saying, “I know this isn’t logical, but I can’t stop feeling this way,” you’re not alone. Many of our clients come to us having read the books, tried the breathing techniques, even done years of talk therapy, yet still feel stuck in the same painful cycles.
That's where IFS (Internal Family Systems) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) come in. At our therapy practice in Center City, Philadelphia, we specialize in using these two powerful, research-backed approaches to help you heal from trauma, navigate anxiety, and feel more grounded in who you are.
Let’s break it down.
What is IFS Therapy?
IFS is based on a simple but revolutionary idea: we all have different parts of ourselves, and they each serve a purpose. Even the ones that feel messy, stuck, or self-sabotaging.
You know that inner critic who never shuts up? That part of you that wants to say no but always says yes? The anxious part that spirals even when things are going well? In IFS, we don’t try to push those parts away. We get to know them. We understand what they’re trying to protect. And we help them soften so they no longer have to run the show.
At the core of IFS is the belief that you also have a Self. A grounded, wise, compassionate center that can guide your healing. IFS helps you reconnect with that Self so you can lead your internal system with clarity and calm.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is a trauma treatment that helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer hijack your nervous system. It doesn’t involve reliving every detail of what happened. Instead, we gently guide you through recalling stuck memories while using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) to help your brain process the experience.
The result is that what once felt overwhelming and emotionally raw starts to feel more distant, less triggering, and easier to move through. EMDR is especially powerful for people who intellectually know they are safe now but still feel stuck in survival mode.
Why We Combine IFS and EMDR in Therapy
Both IFS and EMDR help clients go beyond just coping. They support real, embodied healing.
Here’s how they work together:
IFS makes EMDR safer. Before jumping into trauma processing, we use IFS to build relationships with your protective parts. These are the parts that shut down, dissociate, or distract you from pain. When those parts feel heard, they are more willing to let healing happen.
IFS gives context to the trauma. EMDR targets specific memories, but IFS helps you understand how those memories shaped the internal roles your parts took on. The perfectionist, the avoider, the people-pleaser.
IFS supports integration. After EMDR, IFS helps your internal system adjust to the change. Your parts may need time to trust that healing is real and lasting. IFS gives them a space to do that.
Together, IFS and EMDR create a gentle and highly effective path to healing.
Who This Is For
We use IFS and EMDR with clients who:
Have experienced childhood emotional neglect, abuse, or attachment trauma
Are adult children of emotionally immature parents
Feel like they are constantly managing anxiety, shame, or guilt
Are “high functioning” but feel empty or stuck inside
Have tried traditional therapy before but didn’t feel truly changed
Want to get out of survival mode and into a more connected, regulated life
Whether you're someone who has been through a big trauma or feels like life has been a slow grind of unmet emotional needs, this work can help.
What Therapy Looks Like at Our Center City Office
Our Philadelphia therapy team is trained in both EMDR and IFS. We approach this work with warmth, curiosity, and deep respect for your pace. Therapy sessions are never about pushing you to go faster or deeper than you are ready for. We listen closely to your system. We work relationally. And we believe that no part of you is too much, too broken, or beyond healing.
You can work with us in person at our Center City, Philadelphia office or via secure telehealth if you are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, or Florida.
You Don’t Have to Keep Holding It All Together Alone
Healing does not mean erasing the past. It means helping the parts of you that had to carry too much for too long feel like they can finally exhale.
If you are ready for therapy that actually changes things, not just in your thoughts but in your body, your relationships, and your sense of self, we would be honored to support reach. Reach
out to schedule a free consultation today.