IFS Therapy & Parts Work
IFS Therapist in Pasadena
A New Approach.
What if there was a new way of relating to your pain, fear, or intense pressure to always keep it together?
Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, chronic burnout, or the impact of trauma, IFS parts work offers a gentle and experiential path toward healing—not by fixing or silencing parts of you, but by listening to them.
What Is Internal Family Systems?
Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, is a therapeutic approach grounded in the understanding that we are made up of many inner “parts.” These parts may carry different emotions, beliefs, and roles—some protective, some reactive, others vulnerable. You might already speak this way without realizing it: “Part of me wants to move on, but another part is still holding on.”
As an IFS therapist, I’ll walk alongside you as we get to know the different parts of your internal world—through a gentle, collaborative process called IFS parts work. Rather than seeing these parts as something to fix or get rid of, we’ll approach them with curiosity and respect, recognizing that each one is trying to help you in its own way, even if their strategies aren’t always helpful.
How IFS Helps with Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, and Trauma
IFS for Anxiety
Anxiety often shows up as tension, overthinking, dread, or an internal voice that never seems satisfied. Traditional approaches may aim to eliminate or control anxiety, but IFS asks: What if anxiety is actually a part of you trying to help?
Through IFS parts work, we explore anxiety as a protective part—one that may be trying to keep you from danger, failure, or rejection. By relating to this part with curiosity instead of criticism, we often discover its deeper fears and unmet needs. As it feels heard and supported, anxiety can soften, making room for grounded presence and internal calm.
IFS for Burnout
Burnout isn’t just about being tired. It’s often the result of over-functioning parts that feel responsible for keeping everything afloat. In IFS, we might meet the perfectionist, the overachiever, or the part that never lets you rest.
Together, we can listen to these parts and understand what they’re afraid might happen if they slow down. This opens the door to renegotiating their roles and giving them permission to rest—without guilt or collapse.
IFS for Trauma
Trauma fragments our inner world. Protective parts may take on extreme roles—shutting us down, avoiding vulnerability, or staying constantly alert. Parts may carry the raw pain, shame, or fear from past experiences.
IFS offers a non-pathologizing, deeply respectful way to work with trauma. Rather than reliving or retraumatizing, we gently help protectors trust that you (the Self) are ready to meet the wounded parts with presence and compassion. Healing becomes possible when no part is forced out, and all parts are invited in.
IFS for Depression
Depression can feel like a heavy fog—everything slows down, motivation disappears, and it’s hard to feel much of anything at all. From a nervous system lens, this often reflects a kind of shutdown, where your body and mind go into protective mode to avoid overwhelm.
In Internal Family Systems, we understand depression not as a flaw, but as the voice of parts that have learned to numb, disconnect, or withdraw in order to protect you from deeper emotional pain. These parts are often exhausted, burdened, and longing to be understood. Through IFS parts work, we gently get to know these parts, building trust and creating space for new energy and aliveness to emerge. Healing happens not by pushing through the fog, but by meeting it with compassion and curiosity.
Why Work with an IFS Therapist?
You're Tired of Fighting with Yourself
If you constantly feel torn between conflicting thoughts, behaviors, or emotions—like part of you wants change while another part resists—IFS helps you understand and work with those inner tensions rather than against them.
Curious About a Different Approach to Healing
IFS is grounded in self-compassion, not shame or self-blame. Instead of judging your anxiety, depression, or inner critic, as an IFS therapist I will help you relate to these experiences with curiosity, care, and respect.
You’ve Tried Traditional Talk Therapy and Still Feel Stuck
IFS goes beyond intellectual insight. It guides you into a direct relationship with the emotional parts of you that carry old wounds, helping you heal at the root instead of just managing symptoms.
You Experience Anxiety or Trauma Responses
IFS offers a gentle yet powerful way to explore how protective parts of you have developed in response to overwhelming stress or pain—and how they can begin to relax when they feel safe and supported.
You Crave a Sense of Inner Peace and Wholeness
IFS therapy helps you reconnect with your core Self—the calm, confident, compassionate presence within you. From this place, you can lead your life with greater clarity, balance, and emotional freedom.
Non-Pathologizing Perspective on Mental Health
We don’t label parts of you as “bad” or “broken.” Every part has a purpose, even if its methods are outdated or extreme. This means honoring every part of you as worthy of understanding and healing.
What to Expect in IFS Parts Work Sessions
In our sessions together, we’ll slow down and tune in to what’s happening in your inner world
Learning to identify your parts and their roles
Listening to these parts and what they carry with compassion
Begin building trust between your Self and your parts
Transform protective strategies into supportive ones
Experience parts in your body safely and without overwhelm
Reclaim calm, clarity, and connection from within
IFS and Parts Work Frequently Asked Questions
How is IFS therapy different from traditional talk therapy?
While traditional talk therapy often focuses on analyzing problems or changing thought patterns, IFS takes you deeper—into direct relationships with the parts of you that carry pain, fear, or protective strategies. It’s experiential, not just intellectual. Instead of fixing symptoms, IFS works with the root causes by creating trust and healing within your internal world.
Is IFS evidence-based?
Yes, IFS is increasingly supported by clinical research and is listed on the National Registry for Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. Studies have shown its effectiveness in treating PTSD, anxiety, and depression. More importantly, many clients report a profound sense of internal peace, clarity, and transformation through this work.
What kinds of issues can IFS therapy help with?
IFS is effective for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, relationship struggles, inner criticism, and low self-worth. Because it works by addressing the underlying emotional parts driving your thoughts and behaviors, the benefits often ripple out into many areas of life.
What if I don’t like or trust certain parts of myself?
That’s completely normal and actually, it’s where the work begins. Many of us carry shame, fear, or resentment toward parts of ourselves that feel out of control, critical, or numb. IFS creates a safe space to explore those reactions with gentleness. You don’t have to like a part to begin getting curious about it. Over time, as you understand its story and purpose, even the most extreme parts can soften and shift.
How does IFS work with the nervous system?
IFS naturally supports nervous system regulation by creating internal safety. When we approach overwhelmed or shut-down parts with compassion instead of judgment, it signals to the body that it’s safe to soften. Many clients notice that anxiety eases, energy returns, or clarity increases. Not because they forced anything to change, but because their system began to feel supported from within.
What does it mean that IFS is “experiential”?
IFS is experiential because instead of analyzing feelings from a distance, you slow down and notice what’s happening inside—what a part feels, where it shows up in your body, and what it needs. Learning to notice your own experiencec creates real shifts because it’s felt, not just understood.
Let’s explore if IFS parts work is the right fit for you.
If you’re looking for an IFS therapist in Pasadena or virtually in CA, I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute consultation.