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Internal Family Systems Therapy
IFS support for Healing, Regulation, and Inner Harmony in St. Louis and Across Missouri and Illinois via Telehealth
Many people feel like there are different “sides” of themselves. One part wants change and another part is scared by it. One part feels confident, and another part feels insecure. Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, often called "parts work", is a gentle and effective way to understand these inner dynamics and create more internal cooperation instead of constant conflict.
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IFS can help you meet these parts with curiosity instead of pressure, and with compassion instead of judgment. It is a kind approach to change, and for many people, it becomes a turning point in their healing.
What is Internal Family Systems Therapy?
IFS is a psychotherapy framework that understands the mind as having different parts, each with their own stories, feelings, and protective strategies.
IFS shifts the paradigm away from seeing these parts as flaws or pathology, and instead views them as responses to life experiences with good reasons for the roles they take on.
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In IFS you learn how to:
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Recognize protective parts of yourself that work hard to keep you safe
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Meet younger or wounded parts of yourself with compassion and clarity for deep healing
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Strengthen the part of you that is calm, steady, and capable
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Build internal communication instead of suppression or self-attack
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Reduce internal conflict, shame, and self-criticism
The goal is to understand, support, and help all of the parts of yourself shift into healthier roles.
What It's Helpful For
Parts Work is effective all along the spectrum of change, whether you are looking to recover from trauma and mental health issues or just looking to understand and love yourself better. It can be used to reduce stress, maintain healthy habits, and live a more conscious and harmonious lifestyle. It can also help relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, chronic pain, and other mental health complaints.
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Through Parts Work, you learn how to become your own healer by harmonizing every part of your psyche with my gentle guidance. It is especially helpful if you feel torn, disconnected, at war with yourself, or are experiencing uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that you don’t understand or struggle to stop.
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Parts Work is an experiential, imaginative, trauma-informed, and body-based framework grounded in mindfulness. It can be deeply transformative, emotionally touching, and sometimes even fun!
Testimonial
“Emma is an incredible therapist and person. She is highly intuitive, empathetic, and is able to hold the space for you as you process your emotions and situations in your life. She is able to sort through different experiences and help you find clarity in the chaos. I highly recommend Emma as a therapist, especially using the Internal Family Systems model.”
-PAST THERAPY CLIENT
How IFS Fits Into My Larger Approach
I practice IFS as one part of a wider, integrative, and holistic paradigm that takes into account how your emotional and mental patterns, nervous system responses, lifestyle, values, and environment interact.
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My approach is grounded in a whole person lens. I look at:
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Emotional patterns and beliefs
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The nervous system and regulation capacity
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Attachment dynamics and trauma history
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How the body stores and expresses experience
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Protective strategies that once helped but no longer feel helpful
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The areas of life where you want change, clarity, or relief
IFS is one tool within this process. Some sessions are deeply parts-oriented. Others are somatic, cognitive, integrative, or focused on nervous system support. For some clients, the work takes on a spiritual dimension. For others, it is clinical, practical, and secular.
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IFS itself is one "part" of a wider whole, leading you closer to the transformation and growth you seek.
Qualifications
Emma Donovan, MA, LPC, LCPC, is a Depth Hypnosis Practitioner and Applied Shamanic Counselor. She also completed the highest level of official IFS training (level 3) in Barcelona, Spain. She has also completed an IFS-inspired Coaching course.
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She has created several parts work meditations that have been played over 100,000 times, and has taught Parts Work-inspired courses to thousands of students.
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Currently, Emma uses Depth Hypnosis and a shamanic understanding as her primary theoretical approaches. Depth Hypnosis is similar to IFS in many ways, but there are some differences. Emma has personally found Depth Hypnosis to be more powerful, efficient, and effective than IFS. Depth Hypnosis can do everything IFS can do, and more. Learn more about Depth Hypnosis here.