IFS stands for Internal Family Systems. It is an evidence-based approach developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz that is built on the idea that we are each made up of many different parts, rather than one unified being. Some of those parts are protective, working hard to keep us safe. Others are wounded, carrying pain or shame from past experiences. IFS online therapy helps you get to know those parts with curiosity and compassion, so they no longer have to run your life from the background.

The goal is not to eliminate any part of you. All parts are valuable and important, and all are trying to help in their own way, even that ones that feel like obstacles or symptoms. The goal is rather to help each part finally feel seen, understood, and unburdened.

IFS is not like traditional “talk therapy.” It’s more experiential (feeling into what is going on inside of you) and driven entirely by your needs in the moment. Most clients find with IFS, they feel less like they are being analyzed and more like they are being understood.

I completed Level 1 IFS training through the IFS Institute, which means I'm trained in the model's core framework. I integrate it with other evidence-based approaches depending on what fits you.

Many therapy approaches (CBT, cognitive therapy, behavioral approaches) focus on changing thoughts or behaviors directly, or, like many psychodynamic approaches, they may focus on things that happened in the past but without doing anything with those memories, so some clients struggle to experience change. IFS goes a layer deeper. Instead of asking you to think differently or push through unhelpful patterns by sheer effort, IFS helps you understand the parts of yourself that are driving those patterns in the first place. Instead of revisiting old wounds and then feeling powerless to change the impact of those wounds on your life, IFS helps you to process the pain in real time and release the burdens those parts have carried. When a part feels truly understood and no longer has to carry an old burden, change often happens more naturally and more lastingly. It is also a non-pathologizing model, meaning nothing about you is treated as a flaw or a disorder. Every part of you developed for a reason, and IFS honors that.

No. IFS is not a diagnosis-specific approach. It is well suited for anyone who feels stuck in patterns they cannot seem to break, who struggles with self-criticism or shame, who wants to build a more compassionate relationship with themselves, or who is ready to do deeper work on old wounds. Many clients who seek out IFS therapy describe themselves as self-aware people who have tried other approaches and are ready for something that goes a little further.

IFS therapy can be helpful for a wide range of experiences, including relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, people-pleasing, perfectionism, grief, trauma, and the sense of being stuck in cycles that feel impossible to break. Because IFS therapy works at the level of the parts carrying these experiences, rather than the symptoms themselves, clients often find that it addresses multiple areas of their life at once.

Yes. IFS therapy works very well in a virtual format. This is because the work is driven entirely by you, what feels okay to your system, and what your needs are during a given session, and much of the work happens internally. Because of the way IFS works, there is often a lot less talking than in traditional talk therapy modalities. My job is to guide you through the steps of the process and to bear witness to anything you choose to share. Because of that, it is not necessary for us to be in the same physical space for this to work.

IFS online sessions take place over a secure video platform, doxy.me, allowing you to do this meaningful work from the comfort and privacy of your own space. Many clients actually find that being in a familiar environment helps them feel more at ease and more able to access the deeper work. I currently offers IFS online therapy to clients throughout Virginia, Washington DC, Massachusetts, and California.

This varies from person to person and depends on what you are working through and what your goals are. Some clients notice meaningful shifts within a few months. Others choose to continue the work over a longer period as they go deeper into their system. We will work together to understand your goals and give you a sense of what the process might look like for you. The pace of IFS therapy is always guided by you and what feels right for your healing.

Yes. IFS can be a wonderful entry point into therapy, especially if you are someone who tends to be curious and self-reflective. I work to make the process feel accessible and grounding, not overwhelming. You do not need to know anything about IFS beforehand. I will guide you through the model in a way that makes sense for you and where you are starting from.

That is more common than you might think, and it does not mean therapy cannot help you. It may mean that a different approach, or a different therapeutic relationship, is what you need. In my decade and a half of practice, clients who have come to me after a bad experience with previous therapy usually did not click with the therapist, or did not resonate with the therapy modality, or both.

IFS therapy goes deeper than many traditional approaches, and the relational quality of the work matters enormously. My clients say they feel genuinely seen and valued when working with me, and many clients report this feels different from therapy experiences they have had before.

That uncertainty is completely normal and worth honoring. There may be doubting parts of you, cynical parts of you, or just scared parts of you that wonder whether this is even a good idea! The best way to find out is to have a conversation. Reaching out does not commit you to anything. It is simply a chance to ask your questions, share a little about what you are looking for, and get a feel for whether this feels right. I welcome those conversations and will be honest with you about whether I think I can help.

Absolutely. I have extensive experience and a deep commitment to working with queer, transgender, and gender expansive folks, and I identify as a queer therapist myself.

My practice is an affirming space where all of your identities are not just accepted but genuinely welcomed. My paperwork is written with all genders and sexual orientations in mind (chosen name, pronouns, etc), and I continually seek out training in queer and trans mental health to make sure I am providing the best possible care in session.

Many LGBTQ+ clients actually find that IFS therapy is particularly meaningful because it offers a space to explore all parts of themselves, including the parts that have had to stay hidden or protected for a long time.

Once you click through to the Contact Me page and submit the form, or call me at (617)675-1330, the next step is for us to schedule a brief (~20-minute), free phone consultation to see whether we seem to be a good fit. Remember, fit is one of the most important predictors of success in therapy! You will generally hear back from me within 1-2 business days to schedule the call (but often more quickly than that).

If, after the call, we decide to move forward together, we will then schedule a first therapy appointment. You will complete paperwork prior to the appointment letting me know a bit more about you. We will then meet and we will talk some about your life and your goals. Together, we will begin to identify some of the parts of yourself that you might be interested in getting to know better. And then we begin!