It’s easy for trauma survivors to get frustrated with their unconscious responses. Nobody wants a rapid heartbeat, heavy breathing, or cold sweats, says Richard Schwartz, author of Internal Family Systems Therapy. But by understanding that these are defensive responses as opposed to simply “negative” ones, he says, trauma survivors are in a better position to control them.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is well-suited to treating trauma, Richard says. According to an IFS approach, panic is actually a person’s first line of defense against trauma. It’s essentially an inner part that’s trying to protect another one that was damaged by an earlier traumatic event.
In this brief video clip, Richard explains how trauma survivors can have a dialogue with the damaged inner parts—the “Exiles”—by first consulting their inner “Protectors.” First, he asks the client to go inside and identify the Protector. Whether it’s characterized as a wall-like defense or a ring of flames, the client has taken the first step in a dialogue about how and when their triggered responses operate, and whether they’re even necessary at all.
Richard Schwartz
Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in response to clients’ descriptions of various internal parts. He focused on the relationships among these parts and noticed systemic patterns across clients. When their parts felt safe and could relax, his clients would spontaneously feel confident, open, and compassionate. Dr. Schwartz dubbed this state the Self and discovered that clients knew how to heal their parts when they were in Self. Dr. Schwartz is often a featured speaker for national professional organizations. He has published over fifty articles and many books about IFS. Website: https://ifs-institute.com
Rich Simon
Richard Simon, PhD, founded Psychotherapy Networker and served as the editor for more than 40 years. He received every major magazine industry honor, including the National Magazine Award. Rich passed away November 2020, and we honor his memory and contributions to the field every day.
