When It's Used

IFS therapy can treat individuals, couples, and families. It can effectively treat a variety of conditions and symptoms. These include Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Phobias, Trauma, and Substance use. Physical health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

General functioning and well-being IFS may not be appropriate for patients with severe mental illnesses that involve psychosis or paranoia, such as schizophrenia. Describing a person as having “parts” may be unproductive or harmful for those patients.

For example, a small randomized controlled trial found that IFS could help with pain, physical functioning, depressive symptoms, and self-compassion in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Another found that IFS was effective in treating depression symptoms among a sample of young women. Still, IFS does not have as strong of an evidence base as other forms of therapy.