Treatment Approach

Approach to Treatment

My approach to trauma therapy is largely informed by the Internal Family Systems Model (IFS) and supported by extensive trainings in somatic therapies that deal with how the effects of trauma can live on in our body as well as our mind.   

The IFS approach is unlike more traditional talk therapies in that it considers the many feelings, thoughts, and impulses that make up our inner world to be coming from individual “parts” of our personality. Most of the time, we operate on automatic without having to think about what action to take or how to respond to a situation – like driving a car in light traffic. But when the usual route to our destination is closed, we have to figure out a new way. This “figuring out” can be experienced as inner talk between parts of us that hold differing points of view. We may hear from one point of view that thinks we should take the back road, while the other says the freeway might be faster. This kind of inner talk goes on all day long as we move through the world. Usually, such minor tensions get easily resolved and we can keep moving forward in our life. 

But when the effects of prior traumatic events persist, the event will not feel like it is something that happened “back then”; instead, you may continue to have distressing reactions to reminders of that event as if it's still happening.  Because of this, your inner system will find ways to protect you from re-experiencing those unpleasant feelings and memories related to the original trauma.   

The bigger and more impactful the original trauma, the more effort is required by your inner system to prevent those bad feelings. Living with this inner tension between controlling and distracting behaviors can occupy lots of mental and physical energy, interfering with the life you would prefer to be living.  This may take the form of avoidance of people or places associated with the traumatic event; or, controlling behaviors to manage the risk of triggering trauma memories; or, ways to distract, numb or do whatever it takes to stop those bad feelings and memories if they do begin to arise.  The latter can take the form of binging on Netflix or social media, overworking, over-shopping, or using drugs or alcohol to keep those memories at bay. 

IFS offers a roadmap to understand and work with these responses that may be affecting you in ways that you do not like. Engaging with your inner system of parts will be the first step in healing from the original trauma.

As healing progresses and parts of your inner system that carry the burden of the past traumas are able to transform, a palpable shift occurs in how you feel about yourself and how you interact with the world around you. 

For a brief explanation of how IFS works, watch the 5 minute video by Richard Schwartz, PhD, founder of this model of therapy.