IFS for Anxiety & Panic: What a Session Actually Feels Like (With Mini Role‑Plays)
What We Do
We thank protective parts (Perfectionist, Planner, Critic, Avoider) for working so hard. We learn to appreciate how they’re trying to protect you from the Clamp and recognize that they haven’t been able to make the Clamp go away.
Why It Helps
Protectors soften when respected. They like the idea of us helping with anxious parts, like the Clamp, that take over.
Mini Role‑Play
T: “Can you ask the protector if it has been able to make the Clamp calm down?”
You: “It hasn’t been able to help the Clamp. It usually just tells it to shut up.”
T: “If we could help the Clamp feel calmer, would the protector like that?”
You: “Yes. Then it wouldn’t have to work so hard.”
T: “Okay. See if the protector will give us some space so we can work with the Clamp in a new way that actually brings it help.”
You: “Okay—the protector gave me space.
IFS for Anxiety and Panic Attacks
IFS says we all have an inner “team” of parts (for example, the Worrier, the Perfectionist, the Inner Critic, the Soother) and a core, compassionate Self. Anxiety often comes from protective parts working overtime to keep us safe. Instead of trying to crush those parts, IFS helps them trust you, so they can relax and let you lead. (If you’re new to IFS, that’s really the heart of it.)
How Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Helps You Heal from Childhood Abuse
In therapy, you might:
Notice your internal voices or reactions without judgment
Identify which part is activated (“That’s my inner critic” or “That’s the shutdown part”)
Build relationships with those parts from your core Self—the calm, wise part of you that’s not burdened by trauma
Unburden the pain those parts have been carrying—often pain that started in childhood but never got healed
Your Treatment Plan for Narc Abuse
Healing from narcissistic and borderline abuse takes time—but it doesn’t have to be confusing. Below is a clear, three-phase roadmap I use with clients. It blends Internal Family Systems (IFS), nervous system regulation, and evidence-based boundary techniques to help you feel safe, strong, and free again.
5 Ways Childhood Trauma Follows You
Childhood trauma doesn’t just stay in childhood. It gets carried in your body, your brain, and your relationships.
Here are 5 powerful ways that abuse shows up in adulthood, even if you thought you were “over it.”
Child Abuse 101
“Emotional abuse involves a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth.”
It leaves no bruises, but it can shape your beliefs for life:
“I’m a burden.”
“I can’t trust anyone.”
“If I make a mistake, I’ll be rejected.”
13 Lies Narcissists Use to Keep You Stuck
They’ll claim cancer, a heart issue, or something dramatic the moment you pull away. The goal is to trigger your empathy and stop you from leaving. You can expect that they will NOT be showing you any paperwork or evidence to back up their claims. You will NOT be invited to those doctor appointments.
How Narcs Disrupt Your Sleep (And Why)
Sleep deprivation weakens your emotional resilience and decision-making. That works in their favor.
You’re easier to manipulate when you’re exhausted. They hope to get a big reaction out of you so they can call you the problem.
What Gaslighting Really Feels Like
You say, “I felt hurt when you ignored me last night.”
They respond, “I wasn’t ignoring you. You’re just paranoid.”
Now you're not only hurt. You're questioning if you even have the right to feel hurt.
But What If I’m the Narc?
You start to carry their voice in your head. The voice that blames you. That minimizes your pain. That tells you you’re “too much,” “too dramatic,” or “too sensitive.”
Narc Abuse 101
When you’ve been gaslit for months or years, therapy gives you space to breathe again. It helps you put words to your experience. It helps you feel seen and sane.