Setting Boundaries with Internal Family Systems: Negotiating with Your Parts
You know you need boundaries. You've read the books, listened to the podcasts, practiced saying no. But when the moment comes, you cave. You say yes when you mean no. You over-explain. You let people cross lines you swore you'd hold.
Here's what most boundary advice misses: It's not that you don't know how to set boundaries. Rather, it's that parts of you are terrified of what will happen if you do. Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy offers a revolutionary understanding of why boundaries feel impossible and how to heal the parts that block them. This isn't about learning better boundary scripts or practicing assertiveness. It's about understanding the protective system that believes boundaries = danger.
How Internal Family System Helps You Understand Your Inner World
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy views you as a system of inner “parts” led by a calm, wise Self. This article explains what IFS therapy is, where it came from, and how it can help you understand your patterns in relationships, self worth, and decision making in a kinder, more precise way.