Many trauma victims endure years of therapy that never offers any lasting improvement. In fact, they often think that there is very little chance of actually healing from their trauma. The best they can expect to experience is some relief from their symptoms.
The Internal Family Systems Model’s approach to therapy is very different from more traditional methods because healing is possible. Today, we will discuss how that healing takes place.
What Does it Mean to Heal a Part?
Every person on the face of this earth has an internal family system. That system is comprised of the Self and various Parts. For trauma victims, the Parts often assume responsibility for their own areas as a way to help the individual cope with past traumas. Those Parts come to the forefront and may even act on their own, apart from the Self.
Traumatized Parts carry heavy burdens that keep them stuck in their own, unique roles. For example, when a person experiences verbal abuse as a child, they may have a Child Part as an adult that other Parts (such as Anger, Fear, etc.) feel responsible for protecting.
However, healing is possible when the injured Parts are free to unburden themselves. They must be able to open up about their emotions and beliefs, and they must believe that the Self understands and empathizes with their pain.
What is Witnessing?
Some Parts may be eager to share everything they’ve gone through. However, it can take time to form a trusting and honest relationship with Parts that are not as eager or forthcoming. Once a trauma client has become aware of and met a certain Part, and once a relationship of trust has been established, witnessing can begin to take place in that relationship.
Witnessing involves the Self experiencing their own history with compassion and empathy. It may begin with the therapist encouraging the client to say something like, “Anger, will you show me what you would like me to know about my past?” Notice how the Self speaks directly to a specific Part with curiosity and not judgment.
As the client witnesses the event, they may experience any of the following:
The therapist should encourage the client to learn as much as possible from this Part’s vulnerability. The goal is to communicate to the Part that the client understands what occurred and how terrible the traumatic event was.
Releasing the Burden
Once the Part has opened up and feels heard and understood, the therapist may encourage the client to ask the Part if it’s ready to release that heavy burden. It may not be ready to right away, and that is okay. With additional discussion and by communicating empathy, eventually, the Part will relinquish the burden and healing can begin.
It can take several therapy sessions to develop that level of trust. However, while it can be emotionally painful, once a Part has unburdened itself, other Parts are more likely to want to be healed as well.
Is IFS Therapy Right for You?
If you have tried other, more traditional forms of trauma therapy without success, it may be time to consider the Internal Family Systems Model. This method has shown to be effective, and I can help you get started.
Please contact me today to make your appointment.
