Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities, and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS, all parts are welcome. One of the assumptions of Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy is that everyone has a "Self". In essence, the Self is who we truly are, with all of our Parts separate. The Self is characterised by what IFS calls the 8C's: compassion, curiosity, clarity, creativity, calm, confidence, courage, and connectedness.

Your life experiences may affect your parts, polarizing some of them. This means that these polarized parts can become your more defining personality traits. 

Polarized parts are often referred to as “managers” in IFS therapy. They control everyday situations and organize other parts based on need.

These experiences don’t create your parts, but they can influence them.

Trauma and Complex Trauma, for example, can cause parts of your mind to become burdened.

Firefighter parts strive to put out the extreme feelings experienced by the exile parts. 

his process leads to the development of coping mechanisms that can go from avoidant behaviors to self-harming        behaviors.

Both firefighter and manager parts act to keep exiles away

A burdened subpersonality in IFS is holding on to excess energy.

Burdened parts can become suppressed or extreme, depending on the nature of the experience and the part affected.

These burdened parts are referred to as “exiles” and can create persistent feelings of vulnerability.

Sometimes, burdened subpersonalities can become extreme. This would lead them to blend with or take over the original leader, the Self.

Exile parts do this through developing coping behaviors, which are seen as protective measures to deal with pain and other intense emotions.

While coping behaviors are meant to protect you, sometimes we use things to cope in harmful ways, like heavy drinking or gambling.

Exile parts then interact with parts known as “firefighters.”