Dr. Richard Schwartz: IFS Therapy Demonstrations & Tips

Mar 04, 2025

Internal Family Systems Therapy Demonstration

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach offers a fascinating window into our inner world. Through a guided exploration, we can uncover the parts of ourselves that drive our behaviors, thoughts, and emotions.

When Schwartz prompted Huberman to locate his frustrated, angry part physically, Huberman immediately sensed it “somewhere between the middle of my midsection and up, like, right behind my forehead.” This physical awareness of our emotional states is a powerful first step toward understanding them.

Initially, Huberman felt aversion toward this part—”it’s very unpleasant.” This is a common reaction to our more challenging emotions. We push away what causes discomfort. Yet when invited to become curious rather than judgmental, Huberman noticed an immediate shift: “it kind of drops down a little bit and kind of moves in a little, maybe softens a little bit.”

This illustrates a fundamental principle of personal growth: what we resist persists, but what we observe with curiosity often transforms.

When asked what this part wanted Huberman to know, the answer came quickly: “I can dissipate.” The emotional energy, when acknowledged, began to spread through his body without the previous intensity. This demonstrates how our awareness can diffuse emotional charges that feel overwhelming when concentrated.

Probing deeper, Schwartz asked what this part feared would happen if it didn’t “take over.” Huberman’s response revealed a core value: “I wouldn’t be able to discern the truth.” The part was protecting his relationship with truth, particularly around his own motives and feelings. Huberman explained, “I’m very, very sensitive to… when someone else tells me how I feel.”

This truth-protecting part resembled “a titanium teddy bear” in Huberman’s mind—tough, solid, and immovable. But beneath this protector lay deeper concerns: the fear that “if you can’t hold on to your truth, then nothing will make sense” and a reluctance to judge others harshly.

The protective part was actually restraining another aspect that could become “very judgmental of the other person.” Huberman found this judgmental energy “energetically wasteful” and “incredibly sad,” revealing how our protective mechanisms often shield us from emotional states we find threatening.

Huberman’s reflection on his desire to see the best in others—”it’s my nature to try and imagine as much goodness in the intent of the other person as possible”—shows how our internal parts align with our deeper values and aspirations.

This brief IFS demonstration reveals how our “problematic” emotions often serve protective functions that merit understanding rather than elimination. By approaching our internal family of parts with curiosity instead of judgment, we can begin to transform our relationship with challenging emotions and behaviors.

Working with Internal Family Systems Therapy

The Power of Internal Family Systems Therapy: Why Becoming Your Own Therapist Matters

In the realm of therapeutic approaches, one method stands out for its unique perspective on self-healing: Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Unlike traditional psychodynamic or CBT models where the patient-therapist relationship mirrors external world dynamics, IFS empowers you to become your own therapist—a concept that resonates deeply with modern discussions about self-parenting.

There’s profound value in learning to parent yourself. Many of us discover this through life experiences—living alone forces you to cook and clean for yourself, just as running a laboratory reveals where you lack maternal instincts or perhaps overemphasize paternal ones. These environments become mirrors reflecting both our weaknesses and strengths in self-care and self-management.

What makes IFS particularly revolutionary is how it conceptualizes our inner world. Rather than viewing ourselves as a single, unified entity, IFS recognizes that we contain multiple “parts”—each with distinct roles, emotions, and beliefs. These parts often include protective elements that shield us from vulnerability and pain.

As Schwartz explains, some of these protectors can manifest as judgmental voices within us. Yet instead of fighting against them, IFS encourages curiosity. That judgmental part you fear or resent? It’s likely a protective mechanism trying desperately to keep you from harmful relationships—becoming judgmental precisely because you haven’t listened to its warnings.

While IFS was initially kept within therapeutic settings due to concerns about trauma responses, it has gradually become more accessible to the general public. Schwartz notes that initially, he resisted bringing IFS directly to non-professionals because some psychological systems—particularly those shaped by significant trauma—require delicate handling. Accessing vulnerable “exile” parts without proper guidance can trigger extreme protective responses.

The beauty of IFS lies in its framework for self-understanding. By recognizing that critical or fearful aspects of yourself aren’t actually “you” but rather parts trying their best to protect you, you can begin a different kind of relationship with your inner world. There’s tremendous value in simply acknowledging these protectors, approaching them with curiosity rather than judgment, and recognizing their positive intent despite their sometimes problematic expression.

This shift in perspective—from battling your demons to understanding your protectors—creates space for profound inner healing. It transforms internal conflict into potential collaboration, all without requiring another person to mediate the process.

In essence, IFS offers a path to psychological autonomy. While working with a trained IFS therapist provides added safety when exploring deeply traumatic material, much of the work begins simply with recognition and curiosity toward our protective parts—a journey many can start on their own.

Interactive IFS Exercise with Dr. Richard Schwartz

## An Interactive Journey into Internal Family Systems

Many of us walk through life unaware of the protective parts within us—the inner critic that finds flaws, the overachiever that never rests, or the caretaker that neglects its own needs. These parts shape our behaviors, yet remain largely unexplored.

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model offers a framework to engage with these parts. Below, I’ve adapted Schwartz’s guided exercise to help you begin this inner exploration.

### Getting to Know Your Protector

Start by identifying a protective part of yourself—perhaps your inner critic or the part that makes you work excessively. Focus exclusively on this part for a moment. Notice where it seems to reside in your body or around it. Some people find a clear location, while others simply sense its presence without a specific position.

As you maintain focus, examine your feelings toward this part. Do you resent it? Fear it? Depend on it? If you feel anything other than curiosity or openness, recognize that these reactions come from other parts of you trying to manage this protector.

Ask those reactive parts to step back temporarily. We’re not trying to suppress or amplify the target part—just understand it better. If these parts resist stepping back, that’s valuable information too. Their reluctance reveals their concerns about engaging with the target part.

### The Dialogue Begins

If you achieve a state of curiosity without an agenda, ask this part what it wants you to know about itself. Don’t intellectualize—wait for the response to emerge from that place in your body.

Follow with: “What are you afraid would happen if you didn’t do this job inside me?”

The answer reveals how it’s trying to protect you. Even if its methods seem counterproductive, extend appreciation for its protective intentions. Notice how it responds to your acknowledgment.

### Exploring Alternatives

Ask this part: “If I could heal what you’re protecting, what would you rather do instead?”

This question often produces surprising answers, revealing hidden aspects of this part that have been overshadowed by its protective role.

Then ask how old this part thinks you are. If it gives an incorrect answer (which happens frequently), gently update it and observe its reaction. Parts often operate based on outdated information, still responding to circumstances from your past.

### Building Relationship

Finally, ask what this part needs from you going forward. The answer might indicate a simple need for acknowledgment, trust, or periodic check-ins.

When finished, thank your parts for their participation and gradually return your attention to the external world with a few deep breaths.

This exercise represents just the beginning of IFS work. Even in this brief exploration, Huberman noted he accessed “a totally different location, totally different set of dynamics” than in previous work, highlighting how this approach can reveal new dimensions of our inner landscape with each practice.

Daily Check-ins with Inner Parts

# Daily Check-ins with Inner Parts: A Practice for Mental Clarity

Every morning, before you plan your day or tackle your problems, try asking a different question: How are the different parts of me doing today?

This isn’t just a one-time exercise but the beginning of a new relationship with yourself. As Schwartz explains, the initial progress you make with understanding your internal parts will reverse if you don’t maintain the practice.

“What does this part need from me today? What does it want me to know? Is it still feeling better? Do I still have compassion or appreciation for it?” These are the questions Schwartz asks himself each morning.

When Schwartz refers to “parts,” he means the distinct personalities within us—not physical body parts, though they may manifest in physical sensations that provide an anchor point.

Throughout the day, Schwartz monitors his internal state. He checks whether he’s maintaining what he calls the “C word qualities”—compassion, curiosity, calmness, clarity. Any departure from these qualities usually indicates a protective part has taken over.

Consider how Schwartz handled his preparation for Huberman’s podcast. He noticed parts of himself becoming nervous, influenced by his family background in scientific research—his father and brother both being prominent endocrinology researchers.

“I worked on it and said, ‘Okay, I get it. I get you’re scared,’” Schwartz recounts. He could physically feel this anxiety in his hands. But instead of being overtaken by it, he addressed it directly: “Just trust me. Just step back. Just relax.”

The result? A literal shift in his internal state, followed by those “C word qualities” flooding back in, creating space for a much different kind of conversation.

This daily practice of checking in with your parts transforms how you navigate challenging situations and relate to yourself. Rather than being at the mercy of whichever part happens to be dominating, you can engage with these parts consciously and compassionately.

Morning Mental Exploration Techniques

## Morning Mental Exploration: Accessing Your True Self

In the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness, our minds exist in a uniquely vulnerable state. This morning threshold offers a rare opportunity for self-discovery that most of us overlook.

When we first wake up, our protective psychological mechanisms—what Schwartz calls our “managers”—are still dormant. The very thoughts we spend our days avoiding surface effortlessly. Rather than recoiling from this phenomenon, we might consider embracing it.

I’ve begun experimenting with extending this half-awake state by keeping my eyes closed even after gaining consciousness. Sometimes I’ll attend to basic needs but maintain the delicate mental balance by avoiding visual stimulation. This practice allows me to explore challenging thoughts from a position of unique mental clarity.

Schwartz confirms this approach: “All these things just put managers to sleep.” Our psychological defense mechanisms temporarily power down, similar to what happens during actual sleep when “your managers go to sleep, and then you have these weird dreams.” These dreams aren’t random—they’re signals from suppressed parts of ourselves trying to communicate important information.

This concept extends to other consciousness-altering practices like breathwork and psychedelics. As Huberman notes, cyclic hyperventilation can change brain activity patterns, temporarily reducing prefrontal cortex dominance. This creates another pathway to access normally protected mental territories.

What many consider “bad trips” during psychedelic experiences are actually suppressed parts of ourselves “trying to get attention,” according to Schwartz. Rather than labeling these experiences negatively, we might reframe them: “Instead of thinking of it as a panic attack or a bad trip, welcome it. Here’s a part that needs a lot of attention.”

The key transformation happens when we shift from identification with the difficult emotion to compassionate observation of it. When confronted with these challenging psychological states, Schwartz suggests asking: “How do you feel toward this really scared part that’s here now?” This simple question creates separation between your core self and the emotional experience, allowing you to respond with compassion rather than resistance.

By acknowledging these suppressed aspects with genuine curiosity and care, what might have spiraled into panic instead becomes “a hugely useful healing of something that’s in you that’s stuck in a terrified place.”

The morning mental space, with its unique neurological profile, offers a consistent opportunity to practice this form of inner work. Each day presents a new chance to explore your psychological landscape with greater awareness and less resistance.

Read Andrew Huberman

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