IFS Parts Examples

How Managers, Firefighters and Exiles Manifest Themselves According to IFS Therapy

Internal Family Systems therapy, or IFS, states that multiplicity of the human mind is a normal condition. IFS therapy says that each one of us has multiple personalities that run our lives. In addition, there’s a Self beneath them that is who we really are, and this Core Self has the 8 Cs and 5 Ps of IFS.

IFS parts are in essence sub-personalities that, if non-extreme, bring is joy, awe, curiosity and spice up our behaviour and view of the world.

Multiplicity of the Mind and Sub-Personalities

The idea of multipliciy of the mind is not new, and can be traced to our language – we often say “a part of me thinks this and that”, and we generally understand that sometimes we act in a different way than usual.

This sometimes results in us being extra funny, or having a surprisingly positive set of character traits popping up.

Parts Make Up Our Persona

Overall, these parts of us contribute to our character and makes us who we are, revealing our unique persona. However, in certain cases and often as a result of trauma, we can store memories, or in this line of thought, subpersonalities, that are damaged in some way.

According to IFS therapy, this is when Parts take on extreme roles to protect the internal family of sub-personalities and the Self. They do so, because they don’t trust the Self to deal with problems and trauma.

Working With Parts via Parts Work

This whole abstraction of the human pshyche makes it possible to address Parts directly, either through talk or writing (journaling). In IFS therapy this is called Parts work.

Types of Parts in Internal Family Systems

The Protectors & The Exiles

The reason they are called Protectors is that they both guard the persona from any emerging emotional outbursts of Exiles. However, their methods of doing so differ.

While both types of Protectors guard against emerging emotions from the Exiles, Managers would do so through scrutinizing, criticizing and planning. Firefighters emerge when planning doesn’t work anymore, and they would try to “fight off the fire” with very drastic methods. 

A Representation of IFS Parts & The Self

Illustration: IFS Parts Diagram

Each Part has a role in keeping an equilibruim of the psyche, if of course isn’t taken to an extreme.

This printable poster is also available on Etsy, and as a ready to ship actual IFS therapy print.

A version of this poster is available on Etsy.

IFS Parts: Managers

The Inner Critics of the System

Managers are parts that can resemble the Core Self, and tend to occupy the personality, especially in times of stress. However, they are not the Self and they also tend to be controlling and overly perfectionistic. They can also avoid risks and be rigid or conforming.

In Jungian psychology terms, Managers represent an ego-self that is separate from the Self, but tends to try to run the show.

Extreme Parts in IFS Therapy

Disruptors in Family Systems

That is to say, in family therapy it is well-known that when a member of the family is acting in an unhealthy way, everyone shifts their behaviour.

Certain roles are played out in the family to compensate for the member of the family that’s showing extreme traits.

For example, a parent can be narcissist, which makes the whole family act in certain ways as a result of the narcissist’s demands.

Extreme Roles of Parts

So in a similar fashion if a Part has been damaged by past trauma, it takes the extreme Exile role. The Exile is oftentimes a Part frozen in time, believing that the whole person they represent is way younger.

Exiles and Trauma

How Trauma & Stressful Events Trigger Exiles

Then a person acts in ways that are unusual for them, or extreme. This comes together with a huge amount of emotional pain.

In language we say things like “I wasn’t myself when I did this”, and we sometimes can’t understand our own actions and behaviour.

Firefighters in IFS Therapy

The Ones that Come to The Resque

For example, in an attempt to not let an Exile surface, a Firefighter can make a person act in a non-productive and even harmful way. This includes drinking, drugs, agression and other harmful behaviour.

Internal Family Systems Parts in Action: Example

IFS Parts Example: How They Trigger Each Other

The most easy to understand example of IFS parts is the one of bulimic’s cycle of binge eating.

Imagine a scenario where a person with bulimia engages in a cycle of binge eating triggered by unresolved trauma stored in their Exile.

Within this framework, the individual possesses various subpersonalities or Parts—specifically, Managers and Firefighters—whose role is to prevent the emergence of emotions linked to past trauma.

1. A person with an eating disorder would try to control their eating habits, sometimes going to an extreme. This is because a Manager is trying to control the situation. A managerial part would try to avoid any other part such as a Firefighter or an Exile going online. The Manager would also employ an Inner Critic type of voice to shame the person into eating strictly.

2. Eventually the person feels some extreme emotional stress of some sorts – for example, love disappointment, troubles at work, family, etc. This is when the Exile’s pain would surface. As emotional stress intensifies, the Manager’s Inner Critic is not able to control the situation anymore.

3. Enter the Firefighter Part, which intervenes desperately to alleviate the Exile’s pain. This Firefighter’s copying mechanism of choice is overeating. The Firefighter compells the person to binge eat. In this phase, the individual acts contrary to the Manager’s directives.

4. After the binge eating episode the person feels extreme remorse and starts self-criticizing, going back to the Manager Part that is extra vigilant in pointing out all eating-related mistakes, plus a few more.

5. The cycle is now set as the next time stress occurs, the Manager has been extra critical of the person and it’s easier to fall into the trap of the eating disorder.

IFS Explained Video: Parts Example

 You can also watch this IFS therapy explained video that I just found that also gives a nice example of Parts in action.

IFS Therapy Mugs, Internal Family Systems gift ideas

If you are interested in Internal Family Systems therapy, you can also shop IFS therapist gifts such as IFS therapy mugs. Shop the 8 C’s and 5 P’s of the Self IFS therapy mug on Etsy.

8 Cs and 5 Ps of the Core Self, Printable Wokrksheet Set

Purchase this IFS poster set by clicking this link.