The Inner Journey: Understanding Insight Work in IFS Therapy
One of the most profound aspects of Internal Family Systems therapy is the moment when clients begin to truly see and understand their parts. This process—what I call insight work—often creates transformative shifts that ripple through a person's entire system.
What Does It Mean to "Meet" Your Parts?
When I talk about parts in therapy, I'm not suggesting you have multiple personalities. Rather, I'm recognizing that we all have different aspects of ourselves that hold various emotions, beliefs, and memories. These parts developed to help us navigate life, especially during challenging experiences.
Meeting your parts can happen in many ways. Some clients describe seeing visual representations—perhaps a younger version of themselves, or a figure that represents a certain emotion. Others might hear distinct voices or thoughts with different tones. Many simply notice shifts in their feelings, bodily sensations, or energy.
There's no "right way" to experience your parts. What matters is developing awareness of these different aspects of yourself and learning to relate to them with curiosity rather than judgment.
The Magic of Witnessing
Some of the deepest healing I've observed happens when clients enter a gentle trance-like state where they can witness experiences that were previously exiled from awareness. This isn't about hypnosis or losing control—it's about creating enough internal safety that buried experiences and emotions can safely emerge.
A client once described this as "watching a movie of my life, but I'm finally seeing the full story instead of just the parts I was allowed to remember." It's in these moments of witnessing that many clients finally understand what really happened to them, often releasing beliefs they've carried for decades.
For instance, a part that held the belief "I'm stupid" might be connected to experiences of feeling unsupported academically, having undiagnosed learning differences, or lacking positive mentors. When we witness those original experiences with compassion, the part can release this burden and take on a new role in your system.
Each Person's Journey Is Unique
Your experience with parts work will be as unique as you are. I've worked with clients who immediately visualize their parts in vivid detail, while others connect through physical sensations or emotional shifts.
Some examples of how people experience their parts:
Noticing a sudden feeling of tightness in your chest when a certain topic arises
Hearing a critical inner voice that sounds like a parent or authority figure
Seeing an image of yourself as a child in a specific memory
Feeling a shift in your posture or energy when different parts are present
Simply noticing different thought patterns or reactions to situations
Even if you're used to traditional "talk therapy," know that we can work with parts without explicitly naming or identifying them. I'm always conceptualizing your internal system in terms of parts, whether we're directly discussing them or not.
No Need to Get It "Right"
There's something I tell all my clients: there's no wrong way to do this work. You don't need to see, hear, or feel your parts in any particular way. You don't even need to consciously know they're there.
What matters is showing up with openness to the process. I'm here to attune to your system and needs in each session, helping you connect with whatever parts are present and ready to be known.
The most beautiful moments in this work often come unexpectedly—when a client suddenly understands a pattern they've struggled with for years, or feels compassion for a part they've always criticized. These insights emerge naturally when we create enough space and safety for your system to reveal itself.
Whether you're new to IFS or have been exploring your parts for years, I invite you to approach this work with gentleness and curiosity. Your inner system has developed in exactly the way it needed to help you survive and navigate your unique life experiences. Now we get to know these parts with compassion, helping them step into new, more fulfilling roles in your life.
