IFS Treatment Plan

What is internal family systems (IFS)?

Internal family systems (IFS) is a psychotherapy model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s. It is based on the idea that the mind consists of multiple subpersonalities, or "parts," within an internal system, each with unique emotions, beliefs, and roles. The IFS model categorizes these parts into Managers, Firefighters, and Exiles, all working to protect the individual (IFS Institute, 2024). At the center of this system is the core Self, which embodies qualities like compassion, clarity, and calmness.

IFS therapy aims to help clients access their core Self and develop self-leadership to heal wounded parts. Protective parts such as Managers and Firefighters attempt to extinguish emotional pain from Exiles, often using unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse or self-harm. By fostering self-awareness, IFS therapy encourages individuals to approach their internal struggles with self-compassion, allowing for personal growth and emotional healing.

IFS therapy is used to address trauma, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Unlike traditional models that pathologize distress, the IFS model views all parts as valuable, helping individuals relate to them as they would to family members, thus achieving psychological harmony.

What is an IFS Treatment Plan?

An IFS Treatment Plan is a structured guide used in family psychotherapy to help clients navigate their inner parts and promote healing. This plan outlines key therapeutic steps based on the internal family systems model, ensuring the therapeutic process remains clear and goal-oriented. It helps clients understand their extreme roles, track progress, and work toward achieving mental balance in everyday life.

A comprehensive IFS Treatment Plan includes identifying presenting issues, assessing the client’s emotional state, and setting treatment goals focused on integrating parts and fostering self-compassion. It also involves exploring inner parts, such as Managers, Firefighters, and Exiles, while developing talk therapy interventions to address past trauma and behavioral patterns like substance abuse. Regular progress tracking ensures that interventions remain aligned with the client’s needs, adapting as necessary.

6Fs framework in IFS

The 6Fs framework is a structured approach within the internal family systems model that helps clients effectively engage with their inner parts. It guides the therapeutic process by facilitating communication between parts and the person's core, promoting mental balance, and fostering self-compassion.

1. Find: Identify a specific part that plays a role in the client’s internal struggles.
2. Focus: Direct attention to this part and recognize its influence on everyday life.
3. Flesh it out: Explore the part’s emotions, beliefs, and role, particularly its extreme roles in response to distress.
4. Feel towards: Encourage the client to approach this part with curiosity and self-compassion instead of avoidance.
5. BeFriend: Develop a trusting relationship with the part, acknowledging its protective intent.
6. Fear: Identify the fears that prevent this part from changing, addressing concerns about the healing process and loss of control.

By using the 6Fs framework, an IFS therapist helps clients recognize protective parts that may contribute to substance abuse, self-criticism, or emotional repression. This structured approach within family psychotherapy strengthens self-awareness, allowing clients to develop a more compassionate and self-led relationship with their inner parts.

How does it work?

The IFS Treatment Plan by Carepatron streamlines family psychotherapy, helping clinicians integrate the internal family systems model into their practice. Follow these steps to access and implement the treatment plan effectively.

Step 1: Access the treatment plan template

Click “Use template” to open and customize the IFS Treatment Plan in the Carepatron app. The template is easy to modify and features fillable tables. This ensures a structured yet flexible approach, allowing clinicians to tailor treatment plans to each patient’s unique needs.

Step 2: Use the template for treatment planning

Use the IFS Treatment Plan to outline presenting concerns, explore inner parts, and establish structured treatment goals. The template provides predefined sections for assessing extreme roles, identifying protective strategies, and tracking progress, ensuring a comprehensive and adaptable approach for patients undergoing IFS therapy.

Step 3: Discuss problems and goals with patient

Engage the patient in identifying their inner parts, mapping emotional conflicts, and setting achievable treatment goals. Encourage self-awareness and explore the impact of substance abuse, trauma, or distress on their internal system. This collaborative discussion strengthens self-compassion, empowering patients to engage actively in their healing process.

Step 4: Provide additional patient education and next steps

Ensure the patient understands their IFS therapy journey, emphasizing the importance of mental balance and ongoing self-exploration. Provide educational resources, encourage self-awareness, and schedule follow-ups to assess progress. The IFS Treatment Plan serves as a roadmap, guiding clinician and patient toward sustained emotional integration and personal growth.

Benefits of using this treatment plan

This template enhances efficiency by offering predefined sections for documenting presenting concerns, extreme roles, and treatment goals, reducing administrative workload and ensuring consistency in care.

This plan supports self-awareness and self-compassion by guiding patients through structured introspection and allowing clinicians to track progress systematically. It improves treatment planning by integrating evidence-based IFS therapy principles, ensuring a personalized and adaptable approach for each patient.

Additionally, the template enhances clinical documentation by maintaining organized, comprehensive records of sessions, interventions, and adjustments over time. It also fosters collaborative care, making it easier to communicate with multidisciplinary teams when coordinating treatment.

Reference

IFS Institute. (2024). What is internal family systems? | IFS institute. https://ifs-institute.com/