Internal Family Systems therapy offers a compassionate way to understand the different parts of you that carry fear, pain, shame and protective responses. I’m Jennifer Nurick, a Level 2-trained IFS therapist and Master’s-qualified Clinical Psychotherapist with 21 years’ experience. I offer online IFS therapy to adults across Australia and internationally.
I specialise in attachment wounds, childhood trauma and recurring relationship patterns. My approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), attachment-based therapy, somatic psychotherapy and, where appropriate, EMDR and energy healing.
Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts, emotions or behaviours, IFS helps you become curious about the parts of you connected with them. As you build a relationship with these parts, we gently explore the more vulnerable emotions often held beneath their protective patterns. As each part begins to feel understood and supported, greater inner resolution can emerge, along with increased compassion, clarity, choice and zest for life.
What Is Internal Family Systems Therapy?
Internal Family Systems is a non-pathologising approach developed by Dr Richard Schwartz. It understands the mind as naturally containing different “parts,” each with its own feelings, beliefs and protective roles.
You may have a part that worries about being abandoned, another that criticises you before anyone else can, and another that withdraws when relationships feel overwhelming. These parts are not flaws or signs that something is wrong with you. They often developed to protect you from pain, rejection, shame or emotional overwhelm.
IFS also recognises that beneath these protective responses is a wise, compassionate core known as the Self. Self is associated with qualities such as curiosity, calmness, clarity, courage, compassion and connection. IFS therapy helps you access more of this inner leadership so you can relate to your parts with understanding rather than judgment.
If you would like to hear me explain IFS in more depth, check out my podcast ‘What is IFS Therapy?’, available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
How Does IFS Therapy Work?
In an IFS session, we may begin by noticing a thought, emotion, bodily sensation or recurring pattern that is causing distress. Rather than analysing it only intellectually, you are invited to become curious about the part connected with that experience.
We might explore:
- What the part is feeling or trying to prevent
- When it first took on its protective role
- What it fears would happen if it stopped working so hard
- How it affects your relationships and daily life
- What it needs from you now
- Whether it is protecting a younger, more vulnerable part
The process is collaborative and moves at a pace that respects your protective system. You remain in control of what you explore, and you do not have to force yourself to revisit experiences before you feel ready.
Over time, protective parts can begin to trust that they no longer have to manage everything alone. This can create space for vulnerable parts to receive the compassion, witnessing and support they may not have received when painful experiences first occurred.
What Can IFS Therapy Help With?
People seek IFS therapy for many different reasons. It may be particularly helpful if you experience:
- Anxious, avoidant or disorganised attachment patterns
- Childhood trauma, emotional neglect or complex trauma
- Fear of rejection or abandonment
- Reassurance-seeking and relationship anxiety
- Withdrawal, shutdown or difficulty tolerating intimacy
- Persistent self-criticism, shame or perfectionism
- People-pleasing or difficulty setting boundaries
- Emotional overwhelm or disconnection from your feelings
- Conflicting inner voices or difficulty making decisions
- Recurring relationship cycles that feel difficult to change
IFS can help you understand the protective intelligence beneath these patterns. Instead of asking, “What is wrong with me?” we begin asking, “What is this part trying to do for me?”
How Can IFS Help With Attachment Wounds?
Attachment wounds are often carried by younger parts that learned closeness was unpredictable, unsafe or unavailable. Protective parts may then develop strategies such as clinging, pleasing, controlling, withdrawing, numbing or avoiding vulnerability.
A part with anxious attachment may become highly alert to changes in another person’s tone, distance or availability. An avoidant part may minimise needs, detach from emotions or feel trapped when someone becomes too close. Other parts may alternate between seeking connection and pushing it away.
IFS helps you build a more secure relationship with these parts from your adult Self. As they feel understood, they no longer need to react as intensely. This can support greater internal security and healthier ways of communicating, setting boundaries and remaining connected during relational stress.
You can learn more about my work with anxious and avoidant attachment patterns.
How Can IFS Support Trauma Healing?
Trauma can leave parts of us carrying fear, grief, shame or beliefs formed during painful experiences. Other parts work hard to keep those feelings out of awareness through overthinking, perfectionism, emotional numbing, hyper-independence or constant activity.
IFS offers a gentle framework for approaching trauma without forcing access to painful memories. We first build relationships with the protective parts and understand their concerns. When there is sufficient trust and stability, we may work with the vulnerable parts they protect.
The goal is not to erase your history. It is to help parts release burdens from the past so they are less likely to shape your present-day choices, relationships and sense of self.
What Is My Approach as an IFS Therapist?
My style is warm, relational and collaborative. I have completed Level 2 training in Internal Family Systems and have also supported IFS training programs in Australia as a Program Assistant. I also receive monthly supervision specifically focused on my IFS practice, supporting the ongoing development, depth and integrity of my work.
I integrate IFS with attachment-based psychotherapy, somatic psychotherapy, EMDR and trauma-informed relational work. I have worked in private practice for 21 years and hold a Master of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy. I am the author of Heal Your Anxious Attachment, which draws on attachment theory, parts work and somatic approaches to support greater internal and relational security.
Where appropriate, I can also include a spiritual or energetic dimension in therapy. This is always guided by your preferences and beliefs. You can read more about my approach to spiritual therapy and energy healing.
My aim is to help you understand yourself with greater compassion, release the stuck stress of the past and respond to present-day situations from your adult Self.
Online IFS Therapy in Australia and Internationally
I offer online IFS therapy to adults across Australia and internationally. Working online allows you to attend sessions from a private and familiar space, which many people find supportive when exploring vulnerable parts and experiences.
During an initial session, we discuss what is bringing you to therapy, the patterns you would like to change and whether my approach feels suitable for your needs. You do not need any previous experience with IFS or parts work.
You can also view my Psychology Today profile for additional information about my qualifications, specialties and therapeutic approach.
Frequently Asked Questions About IFS Therapy
Is IFS the same as inner-child work?
IFS and inner-child work share some similarities, but IFS provides a broader framework. It works with vulnerable younger parts as well as the protective parts that manage emotions, relationships and daily life. It also helps you develop access to Self as a source of internal leadership.
Do I have to relive traumatic memories during IFS therapy?
No. IFS does not require you to force yourself into traumatic memories. The work usually begins by developing trust with protective parts and respecting their concerns. Trauma is approached carefully, collaboratively and at a pace that feels manageable.
How long does IFS therapy take?
The length of therapy depends on your history, goals and the complexity of the patterns you want to address. Some people notice meaningful shifts within a small number of sessions, while longstanding attachment or trauma patterns may benefit from more sustained work. We can discuss likely timeframes during your first session.
Can IFS help anxious and avoidant attachment?
IFS can help you identify the parts involved in attachment responses, including parts that fear abandonment, seek reassurance, withdraw or avoid vulnerability. Developing a more compassionate relationship with these parts can support greater emotional regulation and more secure ways of relating.
Can IFS therapy be done online?
Yes. IFS is well suited to online therapy because much of the process involves guided internal attention, reflection and dialogue with parts. You will need a private space, a reliable internet connection and enough time after the session to transition back into your day.
If you are looking for an experienced, Level 2-trained IFS therapist who specialises in attachment wounds, childhood trauma and relationship patterns, I invite you to reach out.