Healing From the Inside Out: How Internal Family Systems Therapy and EMDR Work Together to Heal Trauma

If you feel like parts of you are constantly in conflict—one part wants to speak up, another part shuts down, one part longs for closeness, another fears it—you are not broken. You’re human. And you’re not alone.

At Heart Space Counseling Center, we use Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help clients heal trauma, release emotional burdens, and reconnect to themselves and others in deep, lasting ways. Whether you’re seeking individual therapy for trauma or couples therapy to recover from relationship wounds, this integrative approach offers a powerful path to wholeness.

What Is Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)?

IFS therapy is a groundbreaking, evidence-based model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz. It’s based on the idea that the mind is made up of distinct parts—each with its own voice, emotion, and purpose. You may have heard of parts work or inner child work—IFS offers a structured, compassionate way to do it.

IFS recognizes three main categories of parts:

• Exiles: Vulnerable parts that carry pain, shame, or trauma (often younger versions of yourself)

• Managers: Protective parts that try to control life to avoid pain (like perfectionism or overthinking)

• Firefighters: Reactive parts that distract or numb us when pain surfaces (like addiction, anger, or shutdown)

At the core of this internal system is your Self—a wise, calm, compassionate center that can lead your healing when the parts are unburdened and heard.

How IFS Heals Trauma

Trauma causes internal fragmentation—parts of us get frozen in time, carrying the pain of past events. In IFS therapy, we:

• Identify and connect with these wounded parts

• Help them safely express their pain and release the burdens they carry

• Reestablish a relationship between your Self and your parts

This process restores internal harmony, increases emotional resilience, and allows for more authentic connection with others.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a highly effective therapy used to treat trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and other emotional wounds. EMDR helps the brain reprocess painful memories so they lose their emotional charge and no longer feel like they’re happening in the present.

It uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) to activate the brain's natural healing mechanisms.

How IFS and EMDR Work Together

When integrated thoughtfully, IFS and EMDR form a trauma treatment powerhouse. EMDR can be seamlessly woven into IFS parts work to help:

• Reprocess traumatic memories without retraumatizing the client

• Support the inner child during emotionally intense moments

• Access and heal exiled parts stuck in the past

• Increase internal safety and reduce resistance to healing

At Heart Space, we tailor sessions to each client’s unique internal world, using the strengths of both models to create powerful transformation.

IFS and Trauma-Informed Couples Therapy

Trauma doesn’t just live in the past—it lives in our relationships. In trauma-informed couples therapy, we use IFS to help partners:

• Understand their own triggers and protective parts

• Speak from their most vulnerable and authentic selves

• Witness each other with compassion instead of reactivity

• Break cycles of disconnection caused by unhealed pain

IFS and EMDR can both be integrated into couples counseling when one or both partners have trauma histories that interfere with intimacy, safety, or trust.

Common Issues We Address Using IFS and EMDR

• Complex PTSD and childhood trauma

• Relationship anxiety and fear of abandonment

• Self-sabotage and inner criticism

• Emotional numbing and avoidance

• Panic attacks and dissociation

• Communication breakdown in relationships

🌿 Ready to Reconnect With Yourself and Those You Love?

You don’t have to keep living in emotional survival mode. Therapy using IFS and EMDR can help you:

• Reclaim your sense of Self

• Heal your inner child

• Release trauma from your nervous system

• Improve your relationships

• Move forward with confidence and clarity

We offer IFS therapy and EMDR in Lakewood, CO and throughout Colorado via telehealth. Whether you're seeking trauma-informed individual counseling or couples therapy, our team is here to walk with you toward healing and wholeness.

Reach out to Heart Space Counseling Center today and take the first step back to yourself.