How to Do IFS Parts Mapping: A Beginner-Friendly Guide
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a newer form of psychotherapy that helps to depathologize clients and view them as complex systems of parts. IFS takes a systems approach to individual therapy and assumes all people are made up of different parts of themselves.
Much like the movie Inside Out, these parts all serve different roles and functions. Our parts are actually highly adaptive and usually show up at some point in our lives to help us. Parts can serve roles such as the planner, the part of us who always keeps us on time and scheduled, or the bedrotter, a part that needs to spend time in bed after long, busy weeks.
You can see how these parts both serve important roles. They help keep us productive and prevent us from burning out. Dick Schwartz, the pioneer of IFS, often says there are no bad parts. Instead, parts sometimes get a little overexcited and begin to hypermobilize in their roles. Imagine our planner part jumping into overdrive and filling up every free moment of our schedule, or our bedrotter part keeping us in bed for days at a time.
Often, the things that people come to therapy for are simply parts that are working in overdrive. Instead of taking an approach of “fixing” parts, Internal Family Systems views parts as important employees just trying to keep the company running. Rather than scolding parts or putting them on a PIP, IFS takes a softer approach of befriending parts and building healthier connections with them.
Once we get to know our parts, we find that they are working their hardest to try to keep us safe, often protecting us from feeling the effects of deep, early childhood wounds.
Internal Family Systems therapy helps clients better connect with their parts and heal the deeper wounds underneath the symptoms. For that reason, IFS is growing as an effective and popular form of therapy.
While working with an IFS therapist can be a helpful way to connect with and heal parts, we can also practice aspects of parts work on our own. The activity below will help guide you through finding a part and then invite you to explore it through drawing.
Drawing a Part
What you’ll need: Blank paper and coloring utensils
Start by sensing into your internal system and getting curious.
Then begin to notice any thoughts that might be arising. Is there a critical voice emerging that’s saying this activity will never work? Is the planner part running through your to-do list for the rest of the day? Do you have ruminating thoughts about a social interaction that happened a few days ago?
Just notice them.
Next, take a moment to notice any body sensations that may be arising. Do you feel tightness in your chest? Is your jaw clenching? Do you feel jittery energy?
Just notice your body.
Then notice your emotions. Are there any strong feelings arising? Is anxiety creeping in? Do you notice excitement for an upcoming event? Are there any feelings of sadness or loss?
Just notice them.
Once you have taken an inventory of your thoughts, body sensations, and emotions, try leaning into one that feels most accessible. Maybe it is a thought process you have often or a body sensation that feels familiar. Try welcoming this part into awareness.
Start noticing if the part has any visual qualities attached to it. Is it a color, a texture, or a shape? Does it look like a person? What clothes is it wearing? How is it holding its body?
Once you have a clear image of the part, try drawing it in any way that feels right.
Congrats! You have just found and drawn your first part.
You can do this activity many times to connect with different parts in your system. You may find that parts appear in different ways, with different images, thoughts, and feelings attached to them. Through this type of work, you can begin to better understand your internal system and the roles your parts play.
Interested in learning more about IFS therapy? Feel free to reach out. The Calm Mind Therapy team would be happy to connect.
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Calm Mind Therapy is a boutique mental health practice located in Ardmore, PA, specializing in the care of children, adolescents, and adults. Our mission is to provide the Main Line with high-quality mental health services for all ages. Our goal is to help our clients achieve emotional well-being and build a life worth living. Serving clients in Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Wynnewood, Narberth, Radnor, Lower Merion, Haverford, Havertown, Villanova, Swarthmore, Devon, Berwyn, Malvern, Bala Cynwyd, and more.
