Parts work (IFS) · Ottawa & online
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy in Ottawa
When you’re at war with yourself.
“Part of me wants to change. Another part of me is terrified.” If that sounds familiar, you already understand the basic idea behind IFS. Different parts of you may want different things, and each usually has a reason. IFS helps us slow that conflict down, understand what each part is trying to do, and find a less punishing way forward.
Making room for the parts of you that pull in different directions.
Who IFS therapy may help
IFS may be worth considering when you keep running into the same internal argument:
- An inner critic that gets louder after every setback.
- People-pleasing you cannot switch off, even when it costs you.
- Self-sabotage that shows up just as things start going well.
- Perfectionism that feels less like a standard and more like a bodyguard.
- “Logically I know I’m safe and capable. My body doesn’t believe it.”
- Talk therapy helped you understand the pattern, but the pattern is still running.
You do not need a trauma diagnosis to do parts work. IFS can be used for anxiety, shame, indecision, relationship patterns, or the sense that one part of you keeps undoing what another part wants. It can also be part of therapy for complex trauma.
What is Internal Family Systems therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS), often called parts work, is a psychotherapy model that treats inner conflict as meaningful rather than random. It starts with a familiar experience: one part of you can want change while another is trying hard to prevent it.
These parts are not separate people or personalities. They are patterns of emotion, belief, and behaviour that developed for a reason. A critical part may be trying to prevent failure. A people-pleasing part may be trying to prevent rejection. A part that shuts down may be trying to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
The aim is not to get rid of any part of you. We slow things down, learn what a part is protecting, and help you respond with more choice. IFS uses the word Self for the steadier, more curious state from which you can listen without being completely taken over by the fear, anger, or shame in the moment.
What happens in an IFS therapy session?
We usually begin with something current, not the hardest memory of your life. You might bring in a moment when you froze, lashed out, overexplained, or agreed to something you did not want.
I may ask what you notice in your body, what thoughts show up, and what that reaction seems afraid would happen if it stopped doing its job. We work on getting a little space around the reaction, enough for you to be curious about it instead of arguing with it.
You will not be asked to perform a role or pretend a part is literally another person. You can speak in ordinary language, pause whenever you need to, and tell me when a question does not fit. Therapy should make your experience clearer, not force it into a model.
When your body reacts before words arrive
Sometimes a protective reaction arrives as a wave of panic, numbness, tension, or the urge to leave. In IFS, this is often described as being “blended” with a part. In plain language, the reaction is so close that it feels like all of you.
I draw from somatic therapy to help you notice activation and come back to the room before we ask you to look more closely at what is underneath it. That may mean orienting to your surroundings, feeling your feet on the floor, or finding a pace your body can tolerate. Regulation is part of the work, not a test you have to pass before therapy begins.
How I combine IFS with EMDR and other approaches
IFS can help us understand why a protective pattern is there. When trauma memories are part of the picture, I may also use other approaches when they fit your goals and readiness:
- EMDR therapy may help us work with memories connected to a part’s fear, shame, or sense of danger.
- The Flash Technique may be used as preparation when focusing directly on a memory feels like too much.
- CBT skills can offer practical support for thoughts and decisions between sessions.
I do not use every method with every client. We decide together what belongs in the plan, and we review whether it is helping rather than letting therapy run on autopilot.
Can parts work help in relationships?
Inner conflicts often show up between people. One person’s angry, protective reaction can meet the other person’s urge to withdraw, defend, or fix. Before long, both people are reacting to the cycle instead of responding to each other.
In couples therapy, an IFS lens can give partners a shared way to notice what has taken over. Saying “a part of me is bracing for criticism” often leaves more room for a real conversation than treating the reaction as the whole person.
Your culture shapes your parts
Ideas about independence, family, responsibility, and what it means to be a good person are shaped by culture. For some South Asian and Middle Eastern clients, protective parts developed around family duty, honour, belonging, or the need to carry distress without naming it.
We look at how your parts make sense in your actual life. I will not assume that individual independence is the answer, or ask you to discard the relationships and values that matter to you. Sessions are offered in English, Pashto, and Urdu/Hindi.
IFS therapy in Ottawa and online across Ontario
Ripple Effect Psychotherapy offers IFS-informed therapy in person at 9 Melrose Ave in Hintonburg, near Wellington Village, and online across Ontario.
Some clients want to leave the house and sit in a room with another person. Others find it easier to notice internal reactions from home. We can talk about which format fits during the free consultation.
Fees and practical details
- Free 15-minute consultation. No forms, no pressure, just a conversation about fit.
- Individual session (50 minutes): $200.
- Insurance: you pay per session and receive a detailed receipt with my CRPO registration number (#11921). Most Ontario plans cover Registered Psychotherapists. I don’t bill insurance directly.
- In person at 9 Melrose Ave in Hintonburg, Ottawa, or online across Ontario. No referral needed.
Questions people ask about IFS therapy
Can IFS therapy help with anxiety?
It may. IFS looks at anxiety as a protective response rather than a flaw you need to fight. We get curious about what the anxious part expects, what it is trying to prevent, and what helps it feel less responsible for keeping you safe. Depending on what is driving the anxiety, I may also draw from EMDR or somatic therapy.
Who can benefit from IFS therapy?
IFS may be useful when perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-criticism, indecision, shutdown, or self-sabotage keep repeating even though you understand the pattern. It may also be used as part of therapy for trauma and relationship difficulties. The consultation is a chance to talk about what is happening and whether this approach fits.
Is IFS therapy evidence-based?
IFS has a growing research base. A randomized pilot study found preliminary support for IFS for depressive symptoms, and a 2026 randomized trial found an IFS-based group program feasible and acceptable for adults with PTSD. I use research alongside your goals, history, and response to the work.
How long does IFS therapy take?
There is no honest session count I can give before I understand what you are dealing with. A focused pattern may need less time than work involving long-standing trauma or several overlapping concerns. We set goals early, review progress openly, and change course if the work is not helping.
Does having “parts” mean multiple personalities?
No. “Part of me wants to go and part of me wants to stay” is an ordinary way people describe inner conflict. IFS gives that experience a structure so we can understand the beliefs, feelings, and protective reactions involved. You remain aware and in control of the session.
Can IFS therapy be done online?
Yes. IFS therapy can be offered by secure video to clients across Ontario. You need a private place where you can speak freely and a reliable internet connection. If online work does not feel grounding enough, we can discuss in-person sessions in Hintonburg.
One small ripple is enough to start.
A free 15-minute call. No forms, no pressure to tell your story before you’re ready.
Book a free 15-minute call