When you’re defensive, hurt, or reactive, it can feel like there’s no choice. This step-by-step guide shows how to unblend from burdened parts and regain agency.

Joe is a respected leader who does everything right when a crisis hits — managing his reactions, solving problems, and holding it together under pressure. Yet the harder he tries to stay in control, the more reactive his world becomes. This story explores how curiosity, rather than control, opened the door to deeper clarity and more sustainable change.

A story from an IFS coaching session exploring appreciation, responsibility, and what happens inside when parts feel unseen, followed by a gentle journaling exercise..

Before exploring parts with the Internal Family Systems model, permission matters. This article explains why negotiating the use of IFS creates safety, trust, and more effective healing for clients and practitioners alike.