★ PTSDIY · Field Manual ★ Part IV ★
Chapter 22
Internal Family Systems
Every part has a job
FM 22-IFS-101Ongoing
22-1.Mission brief
IFS views the mind as a team of parts. Some are protectors: the one that stays on alert, the one that drinks, the one that shuts down. Others carry the pain from the trauma. IFS doesn't fight protectors; it gets to know them, so they can stand down and let the wounded parts heal.
22-2.Intel
Small early studies, including a pilot with PTSD, show promising results. Large controlled trials don't exist yet. Many people find the language intuitive, especially if "a part of me wants to… and a part of me doesn't" sounds familiar.
22-3.The team
| Part | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | Prevent pain by controlling everything | Hypervigilance, perfectionism, workaholism |
| Firefighters | Put out pain fast when it breaks through | Drinking, rage, numbing, risk-taking |
| Exiles | Carry the original hurt | Shame, terror, grief |
| Self | The calm, curious core underneath | The one doing the noticing |
22-4.Field procedures — meet a protector
| 01 | Notice a reactionPick one strong, recurring reaction: snapping at people, shutting down. | 2 min |
| 02 | Find it in the bodyWhere do you feel it? | 2 min |
| 03 | Get curiousAsk it, silently: "What are you afraid would happen if you stopped doing this?" | 5 min |
| 04 | Thank itIt has been trying to protect you. Acknowledge that, even if the job no longer fits. | 1 min |
22-5.Rules of engagement
Getting to know protectors is safe to try alone. Working with exiles, the parts carrying the trauma, should happen with an IFS-trained therapist.
22-6.Common faults & corrections
| ✕ | Fault: Trying to get rid of a partCorrection: Parts don't leave because you fight them. They relax when they're understood. |
Companion episode — [IN PROGRESS]
PTSDIY · FM 22-IFS-101 · Part IV22