Internal family systems therapy
IFS Therapy in Murrieta, CA
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You know what you need to do
Set the boundary, have the hard conversation, finally rest. And then another voice shows up: absolutely not, that's a terrible idea.
So you're stuck. Fighting with yourself. One part of you knows exactly what you need. Another part is convinced it's dangerous.
What is IFS Therapy?
Internal Family Systems is built on a simple idea: you're not one voice, you're many.
An internal committee — different parts, with different jobs, different fears, different agendas. And a lot of the time, they're at war with each other.
You might have:
The part that desperately wants to be cared for
The part that insists everything falls apart if you stop
The part that wants to be honest about how you feel
The part that's certain honesty will make people leave
None of these parts are bad. Take chronic overworking: underneath it is usually a part convinced that if you stop, you'll fail — that your worth depends on your output. That part likely formed a long time ago, when being helpful felt like the only safe thing to be. It's not trying to burn you out. It just had an outdated idea of what "safe" means.
This is one piece of how I work — I often combine IFS with EMDR and somatic therapy. See my full integrated approach →
And Then There's You
IFS calls it Self — not another part, but the you underneath all the reactivity and protection. Naturally calm, curious, compassionate, clear. When parts step back, Self is what's left and it can hold the grief, the fear, the anger, without needing to fix or run away from any of it. It just witnesses, holds space, and offers what the parts needed all along..
The answer isn’t more willpower
Most therapy tries to convince you to just do it anyway. Push through the resistance. Use willpower.
In IFS we get curious about what's blocking you. What's it protecting you from? What does it think will happen if you stop, rest, say no, ask for help?
When that part's fear is actually heard — not argued with, not shamed — it relaxes.
And suddenly the thing you've been trying to force becomes possible. Not because you pushed harder but because the part finally felt safe enough to move.
IMAGINE…
You trust that you can handle whatever comes up
Not in a "grit your teeth and push through" way. In a "I've built the capacity to be with hard things" way.
You stop fighting the part of you that's trying to protect you
The part that pushes you to overwork, or shuts down in conflict, or people-pleases — it's not the enemy anymore. You know what it's afraid of, and it doesn't have to run the whole show to keep you safe.
You stop needing other people to validate your reality
Something happened. You know it happened. You don't need someone else to confirm it or explain it or make sense of it for you anymore.
you’re ready to…
Stop Fighting Yourself
FAQS
Common Questions About IFS Therapy
(Internal Family Systems)
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IFS Level 1 Training is an intensive, roughly 90-hour program — small practice groups, hands-on work in both therapist and client roles, not a weekend workshop or something learned from a book. I'm one of only three therapists trained in IFS serving Murrieta and Temecula.
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IFS is an evidence-based model — it's listed in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and has a growing body of clinical research behind it. The language of "parts" and "Self" can sound abstract at first, but the process itself is structured and grounded, not woo. Most clients find it makes intuitive sense fairly quickly, even if they were skeptical going in.
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Sessions are conversational, not scripted. I might guide you to notice where a feeling shows up in your body, ask what a part is afraid of, or invite you to get curious about a reaction instead of judging it. There's no lying down, no hypnosis — just focused, guided attention on what's happening inside you.
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No — most people find it clicks once we're working with an actual part together, not as an abstract idea.
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No. Everyone has internal parts with different feelings and reactions — IFS just gives you a way to work with them intentionally.
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No. IFS works well for everyday internal conflict — self-criticism, people-pleasing, procrastination — not just significant trauma.
Now OFFERING
EMDR Intensives For Faster Relief
In intensives, we have the space to build momentum. You don’t have to wait week after week to pick up where we left off. You’ll have time to settle in, go deep, and come out feeling more complete.
You’ll also get pre- and post-session support so the work doesn’t feel too big or too sudden. It’s held, structured, and paced with care.