Mapping Your Parts in IFS: How To Get Started
Have you ever felt like one part of you wants to rest while another pushes you to keep going? Or that you can feel both excited about a new opportunity and scared to take it? Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy calls these different voices or impulses parts, and mapping them out can be a powerful step toward self-understanding.
What Does It Mean to “Map Your Parts”?
In IFS, the mind is seen as a system of many parts.
Each part has its own role, feelings, and strategies for protecting you.
Some are critical, others are playful, some carry pain, and others keep you moving forward.
Mapping your parts means gently noticing and writing down these inner voices so you can see the bigger picture of your inner world.
Instead of feeling like you’re “all over the place,” you begin to understand that your system makes sense, and every part has a reason for being there.
Why Mapping Parts Is Helpful
When you map your parts, you may notice:
Patterns of self-sabotage or procrastination
The protective roles of inner critics or perfectionists
Younger parts that carry sadness, fear, or shame
Manager parts that try to control or organise everything
Firefighter parts that use distraction, avoidance, or even overwork to cope
Bringing these patterns into view helps you relate to yourself with more compassion. You stop fighting against yourself and start building inner trust.
How to Begin Mapping Your Parts
You don’t need any special tools to begin - just a notebook, a blank page, or even sticky notes. Here are a few beginning steps to try:
Pause and Notice
The next time you feel a strong emotion or reaction, ask yourself: What part of me is showing up right now?Name the Part
Give it a short description or name, like “The Worrier,” “The Driver,” or “The Younger One.”Note Its Role
Ask: What is this part trying to do for me? Often, even critical parts are trying to keep you safe.Map the Relationships
Place different parts on paper and draw lines or arrows showing how they interact. Who argues with who, who steps in to protect, who hides?Stay Curious and Kind
The aim isn’t to judge or get rid of parts. It’s to listen and learn from them.
Parts Mapping: An Example
Take someone who often finds themselves procrastinating on important tasks. On the surface, it may look like laziness, but when they slow down and begin mapping their parts, a fuller picture emerges:
A Perfectionist part shows up first. It insists: “This needs to be done perfectly, or it’s not worth doing at all.” This part carries the belief that mistakes equal failure.
In response, a Fearful part appears. It whispers: “If you fail, people will see you as incompetent. Better not to try.” This part remembers times of criticism in the past and wants to protect against that pain.
The pressure builds until a Distractor part steps in. It says: “This feels unbearable. Let’s scroll on the phone or binge a show instead.” Its role is to numb discomfort, even if it causes stress later.
Watching all of this, a Critical part pipes up: “You’re wasting time again. What’s wrong with you?” Its harshness adds shame to the cycle.
When these parts are mapped visually, it becomes clear that they’re not random or destructive. Instead, they’re in a complicated dance to keep the person safe. The perfectionist and fearful parts want protection from failure. The distractor wants relief. The critic wants improvement. None of them are “bad,” though their strategies clash.
By recognising these dynamics, the person can step into Self-energy: that calm, curious presence at their core, and reassure each part. Instead of being trapped in procrastination, they start to understand what each part needs and find new ways to meet those needs with compassion.
Moving Forward with Parts Work
IFS therapy and mapping is not about controlling your parts. It’s about building a relationship with them. Over time, this practice helps you:
Recognise repeating patterns in your inner world
Respond to parts with kindness rather than judgment
Strengthen your Self—the calm, grounded presence that can care for all parts
If you’d like to try mapping with support, therapy can help. Working with an IFS therapist gives you a safe space to explore these inner relationships and bring balance to your system.
Book a free 20 minute connection call to begin exploring your parts in a compassionate way.
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