If you’ve been wondering if you should receive Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy as a Christian therapy seeker, or if you should practice or get training in it as a Christian therapist, you’re in the right place.
I was recently perusing a Christian Counselor Facebook group page that I’m a member of, when I came across a therapist asking this very question. She went on to share some misinformation she overheard about the model, pertaining to its origins. I scrolled through the comments and quickly came to the understanding that there are a lot of Christians out there navigating a lot of confusion around this therapy model. If therapists are confused about the IFS model, then I suspected a lot of prospective clients would be too.
I felt convicted to share about it, because full transparency, I had the same question after getting saved. I had been practicing IFS as a therapist since 2017 and seen the incredible transformations it helped people undergo in my office. Internal Family Systems Therapy offers a very unique way for us to engage with our burdens, the pain of our pasts, and the stuck feeling states, patterns of behavior and addictions we find ourselves grappling with. It then offers us a way to free those burdens so they no longer inform our day to day lives and relationships. But secular IFS misses the most important change agent available to any living, breathing creature- JESUS.
The Encounter with Christ that Changed My Life
It is still with absolute awe and a pure gratitude that is beyond the limits of language, that I share the encounter I had with the Lord in the middle of the night. God literally woke me up out of my sleep and spoke Truth over my life. My entire life I had been a seeker…and it eventually landed me on Buddhism. I was a Buddhist for 20 years (and I had gotten into New Age as well)- I thought that truth was something I needed to uncover. Turns out truth was someone I needed to uncover me. Truth has a name, and His name is Jesus. I share my full video testimonial on Youtube if you’re interested in that.
At that time, developing a personal relationship with Jesus and being deep in His word, I struggled with whether or not I should keep practicing this therapy model that I found so transformative. There were definitely some elements I was unsure about- since the IFS model has a spiritual essence to it, without any mention of our Lord and Savior.
I prayed about it a lot. And what I felt the Lord calling me to do was “make it Holy.” So, I now practice Christian Internal Family Systems Therapy.
What is Christian Internal Family Systems?
Christian IFS is an adaptation of IFS that is Christ-centered and remains Biblically faithful, honoring the Lord as the healer, the Holy Spirt as the helper, and God as the ultimate authority on everything.
I created this video for our YouTube channel, “Should I Receive Internal Family Systems Therapy as a Christian? Does IFS Contradict the Bible?” to go over all of this in-depth.
In this video I answer this question. I debunk the common misconceptions and misunderstandings that Christians have about IFS. I share where IFS organically fits and is in alignment with Scripture, as well as where changes need to be made to make it Biblicaly sound.
Please click this link to check the video out and learn more.
I’ll go ahead and give you a spoiler alert, my answer is YES! If, you can find a Christian IFS therapist licensed in your state who has adapted the model to do the things I I review in the video, then absolutely! I would pray about it and if you feel called, explore Christian IFS therapy.
Both in my personal life and in the lives of my Christian clients I have seen IFS help them deepen their relationship with the Father, grow in their faith, transform their walk, deepen their prayer life, be more Holy Spirit-led and more readily embodying the fruit of the Spirit.
God gives us all different types of gifts in this world. As we see in Scripture, sometimes He even uses nonbelievers to bring gifts to believers. While the founder of IFS, Dr. Richard Schwartz is not a believer, this model is a gift.
The internal family systems model is s a gift from God. Thank you Jesus for the endless ways you help us navigate this broken world, for the many resources you give us to help us heal and grow closer to you.
Try this out
What’s next?
- If you want to explore what Christian IFS therapy feels like in the quiet and comfort of your own home, scroll down and drop your email in the box labeled “Christ Sight.” Christ Sight is a guided Christian IFS practice I created for you to introduce you to what IFS feels like. I designed this specific practice to help you see yourself more like our Savior sees you. Please drop your email below for that.
- If you live in Texas and are curious about working together, I can offer you a free , 15-minute consultation. I offer Christian IFS therapy in your standard, weekly/bi-weekly therapy format, and I also offer Christian IFS therapy intensives. Please reach out to me at grace@throughfaiththerapy.com to learn more
- If you do not live in Texas and you are wanting Christian IFS therapy, please feel free to also reach out to me at the email address above and I will see if I have a colleague I can connect you with.
May it all be for the Glory of God.
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