What Is Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy begins with a profound and empowering truth: — you are beautifully complex.
Inside each of us lives a constellation of "parts" — inner voices, protectors, exiled wounds, and wise inner guidance. These parts carry stories, emotions, fears, and hopes. Some want to keep you safe. Others carry pain. All of them are trying to help, even if their strategies feel overwhelming or confusing.
IFS gently invites you to get to know your internal system — not with judgment, but with compassion and curiosity.
Together, we work to uncover the parts of you that are burdened, misunderstood, or stuck in old survival roles. And through this process, you begin to reconnect with your Self — the grounded, loving, intuitive center within you.
“There are no broken parts — only misunderstood ones, waiting to be heard, honored, and integrated back into wholeness”
“There are no bad parts”.
This is the core principle of IFS: every part of you is trying to protect you, even if it’s using outdated or painful methods.
Through the IFS process, you will learn how to:
1. Identify and compassionately relate to different inner parts (such as the inner critic, people-pleaser, perfectionist, inner child, etc.)
2. Understand the roles those parts have taken on — often to protect past wounds
3. Release burdens your system has been carrying for years, sometimes decades
4. Reclaim clarity, self-trust, and emotional balance
5. Cultivate an inner relationship built on love, not fear
This is not just therapy — it’s a return to your wholeness.
IFS at Hawaii Holistic Therapy: How We Work
IFS fits beautifully within our holistic model.
Here, we don’t separate your mental health from your body, spirit, or ancestral lineage.
We integrate IFS with:
1. Somatic tools to support nervous system regulation and body awareness
2. Ritual and sacred cycles work to honor internal seasons and thresholds
3. Mindfulness and story-based healing to deepen your connection to Self
4. Lineage healing practices to tend to intergenerational wounds
We believe true transformation happens when the body, psyche, and spirit are all invited to the table.
What Issues Can IFS Help With?
IFS is deeply effective in treating a wide range of challenges, including:
1. Anxiety and nervous system dysregulation
2. Depression and emotional numbness
3. Childhood trauma and complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
4. Inner child healing
5. Perfectionism and people-pleasing
6. Grief and unresolved loss
7. Postpartum depression + identity shifts in motherhood
8. Relationship and intimacy struggles
9. Self-sabotage and shame cycles
10. Burnout and disconnection from purpose
11. Spiritual awakening and existential questions
12. Shadow work and integration
You don’t have to carry it all alone anymore.
We’re here to support your return to inner balance and sovereignty.
How Does Internal Family Systems Work?
Each session is a gentle exploration of your inner world.
You’ll be guided to connect with different parts of yourself — often through guided imagery, felt sense awareness, visualization, or mindful inquiry.
You may meet:
1. Protective parts (like the inner critic, controller, overachiever)
2. Wounded exiles (parts holding deep sadness, fear, or shame)
3. The Self — your wise, grounded, compassionate center
From there, we build trusting relationships with these parts, support healing at the root, and allow your system to move toward integration, peace, and internal alignment.
What People Are Saying
“Working with Maisa through parts work has been life-changing. I used to feel overwhelmed by my emotions and stuck in self-sabotaging patterns I didn’t understand. Through parts work, I began to meet those parts of myself with compassion instead of shame. For the first time, I feel connected to my inner world — and empowered to move forward with clarity and self-trust.”
FAQ’s About Internal Family Systems (IFS) / Parts WorkTherapy
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Unlike approaches that focus only on behavior or thoughts, IFS honors the full complexity of your inner life.
Rather than trying to get rid of symptoms, IFS helps you understand why they're there — and gently transforms them from the inside out. -
IFS is safe, non-pathologizing, and empowering. It’s especially helpful for individuals who’ve experienced trauma, attachment wounding, or complex emotions they struggle to name or manage. It can also support those navigating spiritual awakening or life transitions.
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That depends on your goals and readiness. Some clients feel shifts after a few months, while others engage in longer-term healing work. We move at the pace your system can safely hold.
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Yes — at Hawaii Holistic Therapy, we often weave IFS with somatic practices, ancestral healing, CBT, and mindfulness. Your path is unique, and we tailor the process to meet your needs.
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You’ll be gently guided to tune in to your internal experience. Through curiosity and dialogue, you’ll begin to understand your parts, listen to their messages, and bring healing where it’s most needed.
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We offer individual and relationship therapy sessions with flexible options to support your healing:
1-on-1 Therapy Sessions
Available online across Hawaii and select time zones globally.
45-Minute Session – $175
60-Minute Session – $200
Couples & Relationship Sessions
Available online and in-person on Oahu.
60-Minute Session – $220
90-Minute Deep Dive Session – $320
These sessions are ideal for partners navigating communication struggles, intimacy, conflict, or life transitions. We also work with those in non-traditional relationships and conscious uncoupling processes.
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At this time, some of our providers accept Kaiser, HMSA, and UHA and some providers are out-of-network providers. This means some of our therapists do not bill insurance directly, but we can provide superbills upon request if you'd like to submit for reimbursement with your insurance company.
Many of our clients choose to pay privately for the flexibility, privacy, and holistic approach we offer.
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We offer a limited number of reduced-fee spots based on need and availability. If finances are a concern, feel free to mention it in your consultation call. We’re happy to explore options that work for you.
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We invite you to book a free consultation call. You’ll get to ask questions, share your story, and feel into whether this work is right for you.
Make an Appointment with us
Curious if IFS therapy is the right fit for you?
Let’s begin with a conversation.
Click below to schedule your free clarity call. I’ll personally reach out to explore what’s bringing you to therapy and share how I can support you
I offer online therapy for individuals and couples across Hawaiʻi.
If you have questions or want to connect before scheduling, feel free to send a message using the contact form. I’ll get back to you directly.
You deserve a space to be witnessed, softened, remembered, and reclaim who you truly are.
I’m here when you’re ready.
