[Video] Dr. Richard Schwartz: An 8-Minute Introduction to IFS
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a powerful model for understanding the mind and supporting healing. Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, IFS helps us see that we all have an inner system of “parts” that respond to life’s challenges in different ways.
In this 8-minute clip, Dr. Schwartz offers a grounded and accessible walkthrough of the core framework of IFS—explaining how overwhelming or traumatic experiences can force parts of us into extreme roles, and how healing becomes possible when we meet those parts with compassion, curiosity, and connection.
As he says in the video: “When a client has trauma, the most sensitive parts of them often get locked away—and what takes over are protectors doing whatever it takes to survive.”
This perspective offers a powerful way to understand what keeps clients stuck—and how to support movement toward healing.
On-Demand Workshop (includes demonstration) with Dr. Richard Schwartz!
We’re so glad to share this 90-minute workshop with Dr. Richard Schwartz — Healing the Wounds of Attachment: IFS Tools for Shame, Perfectionism, and the Inner Critic Learn more and register here >>
On-Demand Workshop (including Demo) with Dr. Richard Schwartz!
We’re so glad to share this 90-minute workshop with Dr. Richard Schwartz — Healing the Wounds of Attachment: IFS Tools for Shame, Perfectionism, and the Inner Critic
In this on-demand workshop, Dr. Richard Schwartz invites clinicians to explore how shame, harsh inner critics, and perfectionism often form as protective responses to early attachment wounds—and how these parts can quietly keep therapy from moving forward.
Using the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, Schwartz demonstrates how to slow down and work with these protectors rather than against them. You’ll learn how to recognize when shame-based systems are shaping the therapeutic process, gauge clients’ access to Self energy, and support healing as clients develop trusting Self-to-part relationships that foster safety, connection, and attachment repair.
Together, we will explore how to:
- Recognize when shame-based systems are contributing to stuckness, emotional avoidance, or harsh self-judgment in therapy
- Work with inner critics and perfectionistic parts in ways that reduce internal conflict rather than reinforce shame
- Support attachment repair by helping clients build trusting, compassionate relationships with their protective parts
- Assess whether clients have enough access to Self energy to work safely with attachment wounds
Whether you’re newer to IFS or looking to deepen your skills, this session will offer practical tools and insights to support healing, connection, and attachment repair.
Learn more and register for the On-Demand Workshop >>
About Richard C. Schwartz, PhD
Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. He is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, and has published five books, including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model. Dick lives with his wife Jeanne near Chicago, close to his three daughters and his growing number of grandchildren.
It is always a pleasure to listen to Dr Richard Schwartz speak about IFS. You can hear the Self energy speaking through his parts. At this moment, I do therapy at home. IFS and Self-compassion has worked wonders wonders for me! I would recommend his book Introduction to Internal Family Systems. A part in my system unburdened while reading that book. It was incredible. That was 3 years ago.
Thank you Richard for all of your contributions to the mental health field!!
It is always a pleasure to listen to Dr Richard Schwartz speak about IFS. You can hear the Self energy speaking through his parts. At this moment, I do therapy at home. IFS and Self-compassion have worked wonders wonders for me! I would recommend his book, Introduction to Internal Family Systems. A part in my system unburdened while reading that book. It was incredible. That was 3 years ago.
Thank you Richard for all of your contributions to the mental health field!!
He looks well today. Must be walking the talk!