My IFS Story
It began at a time when my life stopped making sense. Any attempt at building anything had collapsed, and deep down I knew it was because I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t.
I had been a “seeker” for years, searching for a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. It wasn’t clear what I was looking for, but I knew it had to make deep sense to me and give me a sense of self.
When I stepped into my IFS process, my inner world was in shambles. I’ve always had an inclination towards the inner world, and by then I was able to access deeper layers and parts of myself naturally, on my own, without knowing what I was actually doing. I had a sense that “something was truly wrong with me” because I had no understanding of what I was able to access and why. This was deeply affecting all aspects of my life. I was working hard to isolate in order to hide the “wrongness”. The little contact I had with others caused a lot of pain and reinforced my beliefs. There was only a shell left of what I remembered myself to be, and I had no certainty I would live through it. I also couldn’t find words to describe my experience or anyone I could trust with this.
When IFS was first mentioned to me, I had a moment of hope. It was enough to start looking for a practitioner I could feel attuned to, as I knew that was the only way it would work for me.
I interviewed a few practitioners to find the right one for me, and I started this journey of understanding my inner world.
Slowly, things started to make sense in a way I had never experienced before, and in time it began to reflect in my external environment.
The non-pathologising approach of IFS allowed me to be with my parts with curiosity, and that sense of “wrongness” revealed itself as my ability to access very nuanced inner experiences and was transforming into a sense of self. That sensitivity to nuance is what now informs my work. The more my relationship with my parts deepened, the more my decision-making shifted and my intuition strengthened.
As I started to experience a strong sense of clarity, I realised I had never really known what clarity was; I had lived in a haze.
Within me, some important questions started to emerge: How can I create inner peace and harmony? What is truly meaningful to me? What are my innate skills and gifts? How can I build structure in my life while staying connected to my needs and values? How can I create a life that allows me to move in my own rhythm, honour my inner resources, and still feel deeply fulfilled? How do I contribute to the world?. These foundational questions now sit at the centre of my work with clients.
After about two and a half years as a client, I started to notice I was becoming increasingly curious about my practitioner’s experience and what it was like to be in that role. I started contemplating training as an IFS practitioner, but not all of my parts were yet in agreement.
As I reflected on this, I understood that changing roles from a client to a practitioner is, in essence, a deepening of my own learning process and my relationship with myself and my parts. That perspective allowed me to take the step and start training as an IFS-informed practitioner.
That training was more than I could ever have imagined. I immediately connected to the deep meaning of my work, and I saw how I had somehow been preparing to become a practitioner all my life. I received clients from the very start. To my surprise, IFS was not only the modality that supported me in making
sense of my life, but also what I had been seeking for years. A sense of meaning through work and the possibility of exploring the inner world with and through my clients.
These days, I offer online 1:1 sessions. I tend to work with people who are, in their own way, exploring questions similar to those that have been guiding my own journey. My role is to support them in discovering not only their own . answers, but to also find their inner questions. IIn my work I bring in my integrated understding around needs, inspred by Nonviolent Communication. My clients have been working through life topics that are meaningful to them, from their relationship with food, to their children, partners, and families, to compassionately understanding their own emotional reactions, to uncovering the innate gifts that give their lives direction and purpose. Along the way, they have found more clarity, ease, and joy in their lives.
I also remain deeply committed to my therapy process, as my curiosity and interest in getting to know myself is only growing. I understand that my own process builds the experience that allows me to show up and support my clients in ways that are meaningful both to me and to them.
After my training with the IFS Counselling Association in Canada, I continue to attend workshops with IFSCA and the IFS Institute, and I am preparing to register for a Continuing Education Program with Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada for an Applied IFS Practice Certificate starting in the fall. I am receiving mentorship and consultation sessions from experts in the IFS field. I have formed an IFS peer support group where my peers and I support each other in our process with our clients.
I work with a sliding scale payment system in my practice, meaning that clients can choose their fee (42 to 63 euros) according to what feels accesible for them. I do this because I believe we can find sustainable ways for my clients and me to work together.
If you would like to get to know me more, we can do so through a clarity call. This is free and it typically takes 15–30 minute. You have the opportunity to feel for yourself whether I am the right person to work with, and I can also answer any questions you may have. I’d love to hear from you!
““How can I create inner peace and harmony? What is truly meaningful to me? What are my innate skills and gifts? How can I build structure in my life while staying connected to my needs and values? How can I create a life that allows me to move in my own rhythm, honour my inner resources, and still feel deeply fulfilled? How do I contribute to the world?“
What is IFS?
IFS (Internal Family Systems), developed by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz, is an evidence-informed therapy modality for ex[;pring our inner world.. It is a non-pathologizing way of exploring inner experience, meaning it does not view thoughts, emotions, or “parts” of ourselves as problems or disorders, but as meaningful protective responses that develop over time to help us navigate life. Dr. Schwartz describes this perspective in his book No Bad Parts, where he explores the idea that every part carries an intention to protect or support us in some way. He describes IFS as a way of understanding how we can experience different “parts” within ourselves, each with its own feelings, perspectives, and protective roles.
At the centre of the modality is the concept of the Self—a grounded, compassionate presence that is understood as inherent in every person. IFS supports us in becoming more aware of this natural inner state and in relating to our parts from this place of clarity, calm, and connection.
In a typical IFS session, attention is gently guided inward to notice what is present in the inner system. A person may begin by identifying thoughts, emotions, or sensations and exploring them with curiosity rather than judgment, allowing different “parts” to emerge and be met with openness and understanding rather than trying to change or push them away. As this unfolds, there is often a gradual deepening of awareness, where the intentions and protective roles of these parts become clearer over time.
The practitioner supports this process in a steady, non-directive way—helping the person stay connected to their experience, maintain a sense of safety and pacing, and offering gentle guidance so they can relate to their inner world with curiosity and access their own clarity and self-leadership.
IFS is used in therapeutic, coaching, and personal development contexts and is increasingly explored in research related to mental well-being.
It invites a different way of relating to our inner world—based on understanding rather than control, and relationship rather than suppression.
What Clients Have Shared
Disclaimer: The testimonials on this page describe personal experiences of IFS-informed facilitation for self-exploration and personal development. These services do not constitute medical, psychological, psychotherapeutic, or psychiatric treatment, diagnosis, or advice. If you are experiencing significant mental health difficulties, please seek support from a qualified healthcare professional.