Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is an integrative approach to individual psychotherapy developed by Richard C. Schwartz in the 1980s. It combines systems thinking with the view that the mind is made up of relatively discrete subpersonalities. The IFS method promotes internal connection and harmony to bring the mind back into balance, aiming to heal wounded parts and restore mental balance. The first step is to access the core Self and then, from there, understand the different parts in order to heal them. In the IFS model, there are three general types of parts: exiles, protectors, and firefighters.

IFS therapy is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts. IFS is much more than a non-pathologizing evidence-based psychotherapy to be used in a clinical setting. It is also a way of understanding personal and intimate relationships and stepping into life with the 8 Cs: confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, and connectedness.

IFS therapy is a type of talk therapy that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or families within an individual. It teaches clients how to become their own therapist by putting them in contact with a hidden potential self, which is their best or deeper self. IFS therapy is used not only in clinical settings but also in other professions such as legal mediation, school administration, life coaching, and religious leadership.