IFS Therapy in Broomfield and Online Across Colorado
Heal from the inside, one part at a time
You know what you "should" do. You've read the books. You can even name your triggers.
And still, when something goes wrong, a part of you takes over. Maybe it's the part that panics when a text goes unanswered. Maybe it's the inner critic that won't let a mistake go. Or maybe it's the part that goes numb and far away when life feels like too much.
IFS therapy offers a different way to meet those reactions. Instead of fighting them, we get curious about them. Because they aren't flaws. They're parts of you that learned to protect you, often a long time ago.
“All your parts are welcome here.”
- Richard Schwartz, creator of IFS
What Is IFS Therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of therapy built on a simple idea: your mind is made up of many parts. One part might work hard to keep everyone happy. Another might feel scared, ashamed, or alone. Another might shut everything down when things get too loud.
This is normal. Everyone has parts. And in IFS, no part is "bad." Even the ones that cause pain are trying to help in their own way.
IFS also teaches that under all these parts is your Self. This is the calm, curious, kind core of who you are. Trauma can bury it, but it can't destroy it. When you lead from Self, your parts don't have to work so hard. They can finally rest.
Dr. Richard Schwartz created IFS in the 1980s. He was a family therapist who noticed his clients described their inner lives like a family. One part fought with another. One part tried to shield a younger, hurting part. So he used what he knew about families to help people heal from the inside.
Research on IFS is growing. In a pilot study of adults with PTSD and childhood trauma, 12 of the 13 people who finished 16 sessions of IFS no longer met the criteria for PTSD. They also had less depression and dissociation.
How IFS Therapy Works and Who It Can Help
I use IFS therapy with adults living with:
Trauma and PTSD
Complex trauma
Anxiety
Dissociation
Depression
In our sessions, we slow things down. When a strong feeling shows up, we don't rush past it. We turn toward it and ask: What part is this? What is it afraid would happen if it stopped? What does it need?
Over time, your protective parts start to trust that you can handle things. As they relax, we can gently reach the younger parts that still carry old pain and fear. In IFS, we call that pain a "burden." Healing happens when those parts finally get to set their burdens down.
Through this work, many clients:
Feel calmer in their body and less on guard
Notice a reaction without getting swept away by it
Speak to themselves with more kindness and less shame
Feel more present in their lives and relationships
Talk therapy can help you understand your story. But understanding isn't always enough. Many trauma survivors know exactly why they react the way they do, and still feel stuck. IFS works with the parts that hold the pain, not just the thoughts about it. It also lets your system set the pace. No part has to share before it's ready. That makes IFS a gentle fit for complex trauma and dissociation, where moving too fast can backfire.
I often blend IFS with other approaches. With EMDR therapy, IFS helps protective parts feel safe enough for memory work. I also pair it with the Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM), a body-based approach that builds a deep sense of inner safety. The Flash Technique and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) are two gentle ways to ease the sting of painful memories, and parts work fits well with both. For some clients, IFS is part of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Each choice is made to fit you, not a script.
My Experience With IFS Therapy
I'm Anna, the therapist behind Courage to Heal Therapy. I've worked with trauma, anxiety, depression, and dissociation for 6 years, and I've used IFS for 4 of those years.
My IFS learning comes from workshops and continuing education trainings, ongoing IFS consultation, and a lot of reading and self-study. I'm also trained in working with dissociation, which shapes how carefully I pace this work. My approach is IFS-informed, and parts work is woven into much of what I do, even when we're using another method.
I chose IFS because it treats people as whole, not broken. So many clients come to me sure that something is wrong with them. IFS offers a different story: your parts adapted to help you survive.
I've watched clients meet a part they used to hate with real compassion for the first time. Something shifts in the room when that happens. That's why I keep doing this work.
I offer IFS therapy in person in Broomfield, CO, and online across Colorado. My practice is neurodiversity-affirming and LGBTQIA+ affirming. Every part of you is welcome here.
The parts of you that have worked so hard for so long don't have to carry it all alone. Change is possible, even if you've felt stuck for years.
“Even the parts of us that feel the most hopeless or stuck are not beyond healing.”
-Richard Schwartz, creator of IFS
“I’ve tried therapy before and nothing really changed.”
This is one of the most common reasons people hesitate to try again.
You understand your patterns. You can even spot your triggers. But your reactions still feel automatic.
That isn’t a failure of therapy, or of you. Often, one part of you understands everything logically while another part still reacts as if the danger never ended. Insight alone doesn’t always reach that second part.
In IFS, we work with the part that’s reacting, not just the story about it.
We notice which part is activated, what it’s protecting, and what it needs to let go. Change comes when that part finally feels safe enough to shift.
“Talking to parts sounds a little strange.”
You don’t have to believe in parts for IFS to help. Most people start by simply noticing a feeling or a sensation in their body.
“Won’t this just be more talking?”
IFS focuses on what you feel right now, not just what you think. Many clients say it feels very different from therapy they’ve tried before.
“What if I’m too stuck to change?”
Feeling stuck often means your protective parts are working hard. We don’t push past them. We earn their trust, and that’s when things start to soften.
Frequently Asked Questions About IFS Therapy
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Many women I work with have already tried talk therapy, journaling, or self-help, but still feel stuck. IFS (Internal Family Systems) takes a different approach: instead of analyzing your thoughts or pushing through your symptoms, it helps you connect with the parts of you that carry pain, shame, or fear – and builds a relationship with them from a place of compassion, not judgment. Healing happens from the inside out.
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Yes. Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is well-supported for working with trauma and PTSD. It helps you understand and gently relate to the different parts of you that carry pain, fear, protection, or overwhelm, rather than trying to suppress or push symptoms away.
Many people with PTSD find that IFS reduces symptoms like emotional reactivity, intrusive memories, hypervigilance, and inner conflict. It also helps build a stronger sense of internal safety and self-compassion over time.
IFS is especially helpful when trauma feels complex or when traditional talk therapy has felt too intense or not fully effective. A trained therapist will guide the process at a pace that supports stability and safety throughout the work.
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This is such a common fear. Many women I see have survived by staying strong, busy, and in control. IFS honors those protective parts of you – it doesn’t try to tear down your defenses, but gently invites them to soften at their own pace. We move slowly and safely, always respecting your inner system's readiness. You’ll never be pushed to go deeper than you feel prepared to.
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That’s very common, especially when you are new to IFS or when trauma has made inner experiences feel distant, confusing, or overwhelming.
In IFS therapy, you are not expected to already know how to connect with your “parts.” Part of the therapist’s role is to help you slow things down and gently develop that awareness over time. Many people start by simply noticing thoughts, emotions, body sensations, or patterns in their reactions, even if they do not yet feel clearly separate or distinct.
If connecting feels difficult, that is often important information in itself. It can reflect protective parts that have learned to keep things contained or out of awareness. Rather than forcing connection, IFS meets this with patience and curiosity so that safety can build first.
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Yes. IFS can be supportive for people with autism, ADHD, or bipolar symptoms, but it often needs to be paced and adapted to fit your nervous system.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, we focus on what feels safe, manageable, and grounded for you in each session. This may mean going slower, staying more present-focused, and avoiding overwhelm or over-interpretation.
IFS can be especially helpful for neurodivergent clients because it does not pathologize your experience. It helps you understand different internal states like overwhelm, shutdown, impulsivity, or intensity as parts that are trying to help in their own way.
For bipolar symptoms, we also prioritize stability, pacing, and appropriate support, which may include coordination with other providers when needed.
The most important factor is not the diagnosis but whether the work is being done in a way that respects your system and feels workable for you.
Ready When You Are
You don’t need to have it all figured out before reaching out. Maybe part of you wants help and another part wants to wait. That’s okay. Both parts are welcome here.
Let’s start with a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll talk about what’s bringing you in and whether IFS therapy feels like the right fit. No pressure to decide on the spot.
