Welcome! I’m glad we’re beginning this work together

Here’s a gentle introduction to how I work and what you can expect as we settle into our sessions together.

Therapy is a space that belongs to you. My role is to support you and to help you connect with the parts of you that are ready for change, growth, and healing. I view therapy as a collaborative effort, with you in the driver’s seat.

How I Work: An Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS is a way of understanding the mind that sees each of us as having different parts, those inner voices, feelings, or patterns that have developed to help us cope and move through life.

You might recognise parts like:

  • a part that works hard to keep things together,

  • a part that feels overwhelmed,

  • a part that worries about being judged,

  • a part that carries old emotional pain,

  • or a part that steps in quickly to protect you.

In IFS, all parts are welcome. They each have a positive intention, even when their strategies create difficulty.

Alongside these parts is something deeper: your Self - the calm, compassionate, grounded core of who you are. Our work together involves helping you access more of that Self energy so the parts carrying stress or hurt can be understood and supported.

The Big Picture of Our Work Together

Even though therapy isn’t a rigid step-by-step programme, IFS does have a natural rhythm and depth. Many clients find it helpful to understand the broader arc of the work.

1. Getting to Know Your System

Early sessions often involve noticing which parts show up most strongly and what they’re trying to protect. We don’t need to identify everything at once; we can move slowly, in a way that respects your whole system.

2. Building Trust and Safety

Protective parts need to feel that the work is safe and that they won’t be overwhelmed or pushed aside. Much of the early work involves listening to them, honouring their roles, and helping them feel supported by you.

3. Healing the Parts That Carry Pain

At some point, often naturally, we may meet younger or more vulnerable parts that carry old feelings or beliefs. In IFS, healing them happens gently, through compassion, clarity, and the presence of your Self.

4. Integration and Ongoing Change

As parts release burdens or soften their roles, you may notice more ease, steadiness, and inner spaciousness. Your system becomes more connected and self-led. It doesn’t mean life becomes perfect; it means you have more freedom and inner cohesion as you move through it.

A Collaborative, Non-Forcing Approach

IFS isn’t something I “do” to you. It’s an ongoing conversation with your inner world. Your system knows the pace. If you ever want more structure or more of the “big picture,” you can ask at any time.

What Our Sessions Might Look Like

Sessions often include:

  • talking through what’s happening in your life now,

  • slowing down to notice what’s happening inside,

  • getting to know any parts that feel activated or tender,

  • exploring what those parts need from you,

  • working at a pace that feels steady and safe.

The work may be emotional, practical, spacious, or creative, it’s often a mixture of one or more! We follow the rhythm of your system rather than pushing for a particular outcome or agenda.

I’m an active therapist, which means I ask questions, offer reflections, and support you in going deeper where it feels helpful.

Optional Therapy Journal

Many clients find it helpful to keep a therapy journal as we work together. This isn’t homework or an expectation, but rather an invitation to create space for reflection between sessions, in whatever way feels natural for you.

A journal can be a place to:

  • note what feels important after a session,

  • capture thoughts or emotions that arise during the week,

  • map or describe parts that show up,

  • write to or from a part that wants your attention,

  • gather insights or questions you’d like to bring to future sessions.

There’s no right or wrong way to use it. Some people write daily, some only occasionally. Some prefer drawing or mapping parts visually. A journal can deepen your connection with your inner world and create continuity from week to week, especially when parts shift between sessions.

You Don’t Need to Prepare Anything

Rest assured, you don’t need to arrive with a plan, a list, or a perfectly organised story. Whatever shows up, whether thoughts, feelings, silence, confusion, or hope, becomes part of the work.

If different parts of you feel nervous, unsure, eager, or protective as we begin, all of that is welcome. We’ll make space for everything that arises.

If Something Feels Unclear or Difficult

It’s entirely normal for parts of you to feel differently about therapy at different points. If something feels confusing, uncomfortable, or out of step, bringing that into the room is often where the most meaningful work happens.