What is Internal Family Systems Therapy? Be Fascinated with Your Inner Orchestra. -125

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May 27, 2025

Will Halpin, a seasoned psychotherapist with over 22 years of experience, dives into Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. He likens the mind to an orchestra, with different parts like anxious flutes and perfectionist violins playing roles in emotional processes. Halpin discusses protectors and exiles, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and introspection. He shares practical strategies for navigating anxiety and highlights innovative self-care methods, such as mindful coloring and outdoor activities, to promote healing and self-discovery.

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INSIGHT

Mind as an Internal Family System

Internal Family Systems (IFS) views our mind as multiple parts communicating like a family system inside us.
These parts interact like an orchestra, sometimes harmoniously and sometimes in conflict, shaping our internal experience.

INSIGHT

Orchestra Analogy for Inner Parts

The IFS model likens our internal parts to members of an orchestra, with the self as the conductor.
The goal is internal harmony where parts cooperate under the self's leadership, creating emotional balance.

ADVICE

Embrace, Don't Banish Emotions

Instead of trying to banish or fix difficult emotions like anxiety, turn toward them with curiosity.
Understanding what these parts are trying to protect or communicate leads to healing and self-compassion.

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As part of our Summer of Encores—revisiting standout episodes while host Shawna Rodrigues focuses on her breast cancer journey—we’re bringing back this powerful and fan-favorite conversation from January 2023.

In this re-release episode of The Grit Show, psychotherapist Will Halpin joins Shawna to unpack the transformative approach of Internal Family Systems (IFS). What if your mind isn’t a battlefield, but an orchestra—filled with anxious flutes, perfectionist violins, and maybe even a snarky drummer or two?

Together, they explore how understanding your “internal parts” can lead to greater self-awareness, emotional healing, and real change. Curious about concepts like protectors, exiles, or the 8 C’s of healing? You’ll hear relatable metaphors, real-life insights into anxiety and people-pleasing, and accessible mental health strategies you can start using right away.

Whether this is your first listen or a meaningful return visit, this encore episode is packed with practical wisdom and fresh perspective on how to bring more compassion and clarity into your inner world.

Will Halpin is a psychotherapist and public health social worker with over 22 years of experience working in community health center settings and in private practice in Boston, Massachusetts. Earlier in his career, he developed programs and a comprehensive curriculum with the Boston Public Health Commission to train providers on best practices in working with people struggling with crystal meth abuse and dependence. Most of his clinical experience has been working within the LGBTQAI+ population, and specifically complex/developmental trauma and substance abuse. He has trained in a variety of treatment modalities to offer a variety of options when working with survivors of trauma, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). He also enjoys training new practitioners who are learning IFS as an assistant course instructor for over three years, working with providers from India, Canada and all over the US. When he is not at work, you can find him in the mountains, in a lake, or in the woods enjoying whatever outdoor recreation is available in that particular season.

Connect with Will - WillHalpin.com

Learn more about IFS - IFS-Institute.com

Books:

Self Therapy by Jay Earley

You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For - Dr. Richard Schwartz

When Shawna Rodrigues discovered that women hosted only 27% of podcasts, she knew something had to change. After leaving her award-winning public sector career in 2019 and launching The Grit Show, she founded the Authentic Connections Podcast Network with one bold mission: 37 by 27—raising that percentage to 37% by 2027. Because really, shouldn't it be closer to 50%?

Now she helps purpose-driven solopreneurs find their ideal clients through podcasting, starting with her proven first step: guesting on podcasts - check out her tip sheet.

Currently facing her biggest plot twist yet—a breast cancer diagnosis in early 2025—this year is about her fight, victory, and healing. Join her warrior community Being Honest and check out the podcast episode where she shares more.

Connect with her journey:

Instagram @ShawnaPodcasts | Everything else: https://linktr.ee/37by27

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