Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Sometimes one part of you wants change while another part is doing everything it can to keep things familiar.
Understanding the approach
Conflicting reactions can make more sense when you stop asking which one is “the real you.”
IFS offers language for noticing different internal reactions—like the part that pushes, the part that avoids, the part that keeps everyone happy, or the part that expects something to go wrong.
At Common Ground, the point is not to make you memorize a model. It is to get curious about what these reactions are trying to do for you and whether they still need to work so hard.
What the work may look like
You can start with whatever shows up in the moment.
Avery may slow down a familiar reaction and ask what it is afraid would happen if it stopped doing its job. That can make patterns feel less random and less shameful.
Some sessions may use IFS language directly; others may simply use the idea of listening to competing needs without forcing one side to win.
Individual and collaborative
The language is optional. Curiosity is the useful part.
You do not have to identify or name “parts” for this way of working to be helpful.
Avery may combine IFS concepts with ordinary conversation, body awareness, or other approaches.
If the framework does not fit how you think, the work can be described another way.