Discover Healing Through Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
Parts work therapy at Albuquerque Family Counseling offers individuals and couples a powerful path toward healing trauma, resolving internal conflicts, and strengthening relationships. Our award-winning practice has served the Albuquerque community for years, and we provide personalized Internal Family Systems therapy tailored to your unique needs and goals.
Parts work recognizes that each of us contains different inner parts—distinct aspects of our personality that developed throughout our lives in response to experiences, particularly childhood trauma and family dynamics. Our experienced therapists guide you in understanding and harmonizing these parts through IFS therapy, creating pathways to deep healing and lasting transformation.
Parts work
Feeling Pulled in Different Directions? We'll Help You Feel Whole Again
What Is Parts Work Therapy?
Parts Work therapy, particularly Internal Family Systems (IFS) developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, is a powerful therapeutic approach that views the mind as naturally composed of multiple inner parts. These aren't separate personalities but rather different aspects of yourself that sometimes create internal conflicts or emotional distress.
In our Albuquerque practice, we help clients identify three main categories of parts within their internal family system:
Protective Parts: These parts work to shield you from emotional pain. They may appear as perfectionism, people-pleasing, or your inner critic. While protective, they can sometimes interfere with relationships and personal growth.
Vulnerable Parts: Often young parts carrying wounds from childhood trauma or difficult experiences. These inner child aspects hold emotions like hurt, fear, or shame that influence your daily life and relationships.
The Core Self: Your true essence—compassionate, wise, and capable of healing. IFS therapy strengthens your connection to this Self, enabling you to lead your internal system with self-compassion and clarity.
How We Use Parts Work Therapy to Help You Heal
Our therapists integrate Parts Work with other evidence-based therapeutic approaches to create comprehensive treatment tailored to your specific situation. Whether you're dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, or relationship challenges, we adapt our approach to meet your needs.
For Individuals
Through IFS therapy, we help individuals:
Process and heal from childhood trauma
Resolve internal conflicts that create anxiety or depression
Develop deeper self-awareness and self-compassion
Transform the harsh voice of the inner critic
Access hidden parts that hold creativity and joy
Build confidence and emotional resilience
Our Parts Work process begins with helping you identify your inner parts and understand their protective roles. Using techniques like voice dialogue and somatic therapy, we guide you in developing relationships with these parts, ultimately creating internal harmony that translates into greater peace in your daily life.
For Couples
Couples who have been together for years often find that familiar conflicts keep recurring. Through Internal Family Systems therapy, we help partners understand how their protective parts trigger each other, creating cycles of disconnection. Our approach helps couples:
Recognize when protective parts interfere with intimacy
Share vulnerable inner child parts safely
Develop empathy for each other's internal struggles
Address sexual issues and lack of intimacy
Navigate life transitions like parenthood or empty nesting
Build deeper connection from their core Selves
We integrate IFS with the Gottman Method to provide research-based techniques that strengthen your relationship while honoring the complexity of each partner's internal family system.
The IFS Therapy Process at Our Practice
When you begin Parts Work therapy at Albuquerque Family Counseling, we create a safe, supportive environment where all parts of you are welcome. Our straightforward intake process through our user-friendly client portal helps us understand your goals and match you with the right therapist.
Initial Assessment and Exploration
Your therapist will help you:
Map your internal family system
Identify protective parts and their roles
Recognize young parts carrying old wounds
Understand how different parts influence your relationships
Develop self-awareness about internal patterns
Building Internal Relationships
Through various IFS techniques, we guide you in:
Establishing dialogue with inner parts
Understanding each part's protective intention
Offering compassion to wounded young parts
Negotiating new roles for protective parts
Strengthening your connection to your Self
Integration and Healing
As therapy progresses, you'll experience:
Resolution of internal conflicts
Unburdening of traumatic memories
Greater emotional balance
Improved relationships
Enhanced personal growth
A greater sense of wholeness
Integrated Therapeutic Approaches
Our therapists skillfully combine Parts Work therapy with complementary modalities to enhance your healing:
EMDR and Parts Work
For clients dealing with PTSD or trauma, we integrate EMDR with IFS therapy to gently process traumatic memories held by young parts, helping you reclaim your sense of safety and wholeness.
Somatic Therapy
Since trauma lives in the body, we incorporate somatic therapy approaches to help you access and heal parts holding physical tension or pain, creating true mind-body integration.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
We combine CBT techniques with Internal Family Systems to help you understand which inner parts generate limiting beliefs and develop practical tools for managing activated parts in daily life.
Ego State Therapy
This Parts Work approach complements IFS by providing additional techniques for working with ego states that emerged from past experiences, enhancing the overall healing process.
Who Benefits from Parts Work Therapy?
Internal Family Systems therapy effectively addresses:
Trauma and PTSD
IFS provides a gentle, respectful approach to healing childhood trauma and other traumatic experiences. Rather than retraumatizing, we help parts carrying trauma gradually unburden and transform.
Anxiety and Depression
Understanding the protective parts behind anxiety and connecting with discouraged inner parts helps clients find relief from symptoms while addressing root causes.
Relationship Challenges
Whether you're experiencing communication difficulties, lack of intimacy, or recurring conflicts, Parts Work helps both partners understand their internal dynamics and create healthier patterns.
Life Transitions
Couples adjusting to parenthood, empty nesters rediscovering their relationship, or individuals navigating major life changes benefit from understanding how different parts respond to transition.
Why Choose Albuquerque Family Counseling for IFS Therapy?
Our practice brings unique strengths to Parts Work therapy:
Award-Winning Excellence: We've been recognized by the local paper for seven consecutive years, reflecting our commitment to exceptional care.
Experienced Team: Our therapists have extensive training in IFS and related therapeutic approaches, ensuring expert guidance throughout your healing journey.
Personalized Approach: We understand that healing isn't one-size-fits-all. Every client receives individualized treatment tailored to their specific needs and goals.
Integrated Methods: By combining Internal Family Systems with EMDR, CBT, somatic therapy, and the Gottman Method, we provide comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of healing.
Community Trust: As a locally-owned practice with deep roots in Albuquerque, we've built a strong reputation for helping individuals and couples achieve lasting transformation.
Supportive Process: From our simple intake system to follow-up care ensuring the right therapist match, we make your healing journey as smooth as possible.
Research-Supported Benefits
Studies consistently show that IFS and Parts Work approaches lead to:
Significant reduction in trauma symptoms
Improved emotional regulation
Enhanced self-compassion
Better relationship satisfaction
Greater self-awareness
Increased access to inner resources
Successful treatment outcomes for depression and anxiety
Our clients report feeling more centered, less reactive, and better able to navigate life's challenges after engaging in Parts Work therapy.
What to Expect in Your IFS Journey
During your Parts Work therapy at our practice, you can expect:
A safe, non-judgmental space to explore all parts of yourself
Gentle pacing that respects your comfort level
Practical techniques you can use between sessions
Regular check-ins about your progress
Adjustments to match your evolving needs
Support in applying insights to your daily life and relationships
Your therapist will guide you through the IFS process while honoring your unique internal family system. You remain in control of the pace and depth of exploration, ensuring the work feels manageable and empowering.
Begin Your Healing Journey Today
If you're ready to experience the transformative power of Parts Work therapy, we're here to support you. Whether you're an individual seeking to heal from trauma, understand your internal conflicts, or achieve personal growth—or a couple wanting to deepen your connection and resolve ongoing challenges—Internal Family Systems therapy offers a compassionate path forward.
Our experienced therapists understand that taking the first step requires courage. That's why we've made starting as simple as possible. Through our easy-to-navigate client portal, you can begin your journey toward healing and wholeness.
Contact Albuquerque Family Counseling today to learn more about how Parts Work therapy can help you achieve deep healing, stronger relationships, and lasting transformation. Let us support you in discovering the harmony that comes from understanding and embracing all parts of yourself.
Your healing matters. Every inner part deserves compassion and the opportunity to transform. Together, we can help you build the life and relationships you desire, right here in Albuquerque.
Located in:
Albuquerque, NM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Parts Work therapy, also known as Internal Family Systems (IFS), is a therapeutic approach that recognizes we all have different aspects or "parts" of our personality. These parts develop throughout our lives in response to our experiences, relationships, and especially childhood events. We help you identify, understand, and harmonize these parts so they work together rather than against each other, leading to greater inner peace and healthier relationships.
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Parts Work therapy goes beyond discussing problems on a surface level. Instead of treating you as having a single, unified mind, we recognize that you contain multiple parts with different feelings, needs, and perspectives. This approach allows us to address the root causes of internal conflict and help you develop compassion for all aspects of yourself, creating deeper and more lasting healing.
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Getting started is simple. Reach out to us through our client portal or give us a call to discuss your needs and schedule an initial session. We will match you with one of our experienced therapists who specializes in Parts Work. After your first sessions, we follow up to ensure you feel comfortable with your therapist and that the approach is meeting your expectations. Contact us today to learn more about scheduling and to begin your journey toward greater inner harmony.
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Parts Work is particularly effective for individuals struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or internal conflict. We also work with couples experiencing relationship challenges, as understanding your own parts helps you respond more compassionately to your partner. Whether you feel pulled in different directions, struggle with self-criticism, or notice conflicting desires within yourself, Parts Work can help you find integration and peace.
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During sessions, our therapists guide you through a process of identifying and connecting with different parts of yourself. You might explore parts that feel anxious, angry, protective, or hurt. We create a safe space where you can listen to what each part needs and help them find healthier ways of supporting you. Sessions are personalized to your unique inner system and move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
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The duration of Parts Work therapy varies based on your individual goals and the complexity of your inner system. Some clients experience meaningful shifts within a few months, while others benefit from longer term work to address deeper trauma or longstanding patterns. We regularly check in with you about your progress and adjust our approach to ensure you receive the personalized care that meets your needs.
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Absolutely. Many relationship conflicts stem from our own internal parts reacting to our partner. When you understand your protective parts, wounded parts, and reactive patterns, you can respond to your partner with greater awareness and compassion. We help couples recognize how their individual parts interact and create new patterns that strengthen intimacy and connection.
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While Parts Work is highly effective for trauma healing, you do not need to have experienced significant trauma to benefit from this approach. Everyone has different parts that developed to help them navigate life's challenges. Whether you struggle with perfectionism, people pleasing, harsh self criticism, or simply want to understand yourself better, Parts Work offers valuable insights and tools for personal growth.
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At Albuquerque Family Counseling, our therapists integrate Parts Work with other evidence based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Solution Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method for couples. This integrative approach allows us to personalize your treatment plan based on what will be most effective for your specific situation and goals.
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We occasionally provide homework or practices between sessions to help you continue connecting with your parts and applying insights from therapy to your daily life. These exercises are designed to support your progress and deepen your relationship with your inner system. All homework is tailored to your comfort level and current stage of healing.