Healing Anxiety with Somatically Informed IFS
In our therapy practice, we love using Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy as a compassionate way to work with clients struggling with anxiety. What makes IFS particularly effective is its recognition that anxiety isn’t simply a condition to eliminate but a protective response from parts of ourselves (hang with us here!) trying to keep our system safe.
Understanding Anxiety Through an IFS Lens
Anxiety manifests not just in racing thoughts but throughout the entire body. The shallow breathing, muscle tension, and digestive distress are somatic expressions of our nervous system’s response to perceived threats. These physical sensations aren’t random symptoms but meaningful communications from our internal system.
IFS therapy offers a unique framework by recognizing that our psyche consists of multiple “parts” or sub-personalities. When it comes to anxiety, three types of parts are typically involved:
Exiles: Vulnerable parts carrying painful emotions or memories from the past
Managers: Proactive protectors that try to prevent distress (often manifesting as anxiety)
Firefighters: Reactive protectors that attempt to distract or numb when distress is triggered
Anxiety frequently stems from manager parts that vigilantly scan for potential threats. These parts might manifest as perfectionism, constant planning, or hypervigilance—all strategies meant to maintain control and prevent vulnerability.
The Somatic Dimension of Anxiety
Traditional talk therapy often misses a crucial element of anxiety treatment: the body. A somatic approach recognizes that anxiety is stored and expressed physically. The racing heart, constricted breathing, and muscle tension aren’t just symptoms but the actual embodiment of anxiety itself.
When we experience anxiety, our body enters a state of physiological arousal, activating the sympathetic nervous system. This fight-or-flight response, while designed to protect us, often becomes dysregulated in those with chronic anxiety, particularly those with trauma histories.
IFS therapy provides a framework for understanding these somatic expressions by linking them to specific parts. For example, a perfectionistic manager part might create tension in the shoulders and jaw, while an exile carrying shame might manifest as a hollow sensation in the chest.
The IFS Approach to Anxiety Treatment
1. Building Awareness of Parts and Their Somatic Expressions
The first step in IFS treatment involves helping clients identify the parts involved in their anxiety patterns and how these parts manifest in the body. Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety symptoms, we approach them with curiosity:
Which part is creating this rapid heartbeat?
What is this part trying to protect me from?
Where do I feel this anxious part in my body?
This somatic tracking creates a foundation for the therapeutic process, helping clients develop a relationship with anxiety rather than just fighting against it.
2. Accessing Self-Energy
The core of IFS therapy is connecting with “Self-energy”—our innate capacity for calm, curiosity, compassion, and clarity. For clients with anxiety, especially those with trauma histories, accessing this Self-energy provides a crucial resource.
Somatic grounding practices are essential for helping clients access Self-energy. Simple exercises like feeling the support of the chair, noticing the sensation of breath, or tracking areas of ease in the body can help anchor clients in present-moment awareness, creating space from anxious parts.
3. Developing Relationships with Anxious Parts
Once clients can access some Self-energy, they can begin developing relationships with the parts driving anxiety. Rather than trying to eliminate these parts, IFS encourages:
Acknowledging the part's presence with curiosity
Understanding its protective role
Appreciating its intention to help
Listening to its concerns and fears
This relational approach transforms the internal system. Instead of battling anxiety, clients develop compassion for the parts trying to keep them safe, even if their strategies create distress.
4. Somatic Unburdening
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of IFS for anxiety treatment is the unburdening process. Anxious parts carry beliefs, emotions, and somatic patterns from past experiences. Through the therapeutic process, these parts can release these burdens, transforming their roles in the system.
Integrating somatic awareness enhances this unburdening. As clients work with anxious parts, they might notice physical shifts—tension releasing, breathing deepening, warmth spreading through previously constricted areas. These bodily changes often signal profound transformation occurring within the internal system.
Integration for Lasting Change
True healing from anxiety requires integration beyond the therapy room. Clients learn to:
Track anxiety’s somatic signals early, before they escalate
Check in with anxious parts throughout the day
Apply self-compassion to physical sensations of distress
Maintain boundaries that support nervous system regulation
Practice embodied Self-leadership during challenging situations
The Promise of IFS for Anxiety
What makes IFS particularly powerful for anxiety treatment is its non-pathologizing stance. Instead of seeing anxiety as a disorder to eliminate, it recognizes the protective intention behind these symptoms, honoring the body's attempt to keep us safe.
IFS creates comprehensive healing by addressing the psychological parts and their somatic expressions. Clients don’t just learn to manage anxiety; they transform their relationship with it. The racing thoughts, shallow breathing, and muscle tension that once felt like enemies become valuable messengers, guiding clients toward their needs and boundaries.
Closing Thoughts
To learn more about how IFS and somatic therapy can help you manage your anxiety, please schedule a consultation phone call today. You may check out our other blog posts on somatic therapy, EMDR/trauma therapy, and ketamine therapy to learn about our other offerings for a holistic approach.