Internal Family System
(IFS) Therapy in Philadelphia, PA
& online across PA & NJ
We all have parts of ourselves that we must take time to nurture and get to know. As we grow, we inherently learn more about ourselves and our surroundings every single day. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an inclusive form of psychotherapy that can transform you and help you know yourself better. The mission of IFS therapy is to heal any past wounds and bring your mind to a more compassionate, stable place.
Maybe you’ve said things like:
“Part of me wants to set boundaries… but part of me feels guilty.”
“I know it’s not logical, but I still panic like I’m 10 years old again.”
“Sometimes I feel like I have a million versions of me arguing inside my head.”
If that sounds familiar, you already understand the heart of Internal Family Systems (IFS). You just didn’t know it had a name.
IFS—also known as “parts work”—starts from the radical, compassionate idea that all of your inner voices and impulses are trying to help you. Even the ones that sabotage your relationships. Even the ones that lash out, shut down, people-please, binge, scroll, numb, or criticize.
Rather than trying to silence those parts, IFS gives them space to speak—and gives you the tools to lead them with calm, clarity, and compassion.
What is Internal Family Systems?
IFS is a powerful, evidence-based approach to therapy that treats your inner world like a community of “parts,” each with its own perspective, needs, and strategies for keeping you safe.
There’s the part that’s hyper-independent because no one ever really showed up.
The part that keeps watch, waiting for the next betrayal.
The part that wants to be close, but also wants to run.
The part that’s still carrying pain from something that happened long ago.
And underneath all of that is something deeper: the Self.
Not the ideal version of you. Not the "healed" you. But the core of you that’s never been damaged, even if it’s been buried under years of survival mode.
IFS helps you reconnect with that Self—and from there, begin to unburden the parts of you that have been working overtime just to keep it all together.
Who Is IFS For?
IFS therapy can be especially powerful if you:
Struggle with inner conflict (like knowing better but still doing the thing)
Have experienced trauma, neglect, or emotionally immature parenting
Tend to feel either numb or overwhelmed, with little in between
Want to understand your emotional reactions—not just manage them
Are tired of blaming yourself and ready to get to know yourself
It’s not just for those in crisis. IFS is for anyone who wants to feel more integrated, self-led, and whole.
What happens in an IFS session?
We slow things down.
We listen inward.
We help you get curious about what’s coming up—not to judge or analyze, but to understand.
You might say, “There’s a part of me that just shut down,” and we’ll explore that together. Not to force it to go away, but to ask why it showed up—and what it’s trying to protect.
Sometimes, the work feels like memory. Sometimes, like imagination. Sometimes, it’s somatic. Often, it’s unexpectedly moving.
We don’t pressure parts to change. We build trust with them.
Because once your parts feel truly seen, they don’t have to work so hard.
That’s where healing happens.