Discovering Somatic IFS: Enhancing Collaboration and Healing Through Somatic Work

Introduction

In the field of psychotherapy, Somatic Internal Family Systems (Somatic IFS) offers an innovative approach to healing that combines the principles of body-centered therapy with the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework. Developed by Susan McConnell, Somatic IFS integrates somatic practices such as movement, breathwork, and touch, allowing clients to access deeper layers of their internal experience. In this model, the body’s wisdom plays a key role in facilitating emotional regulation, resilience, and healing. By combining the insights of IFS with somatic awareness, Somatic IFS encourages therapists and clients alike to create a more embodied path to recovery from trauma, anxiety, and other emotional challenges (McConnell, 2020).

For me, the fusion of somatic and psychotherapeutic approaches resonates deeply with my own journey as a therapist. Before stepping into the world of psychotherapy, I spent many years working with the body—first as a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist in the U.S., and then as an IYT-500 Registered Yoga Teacher, specializing in gentle Kripalu yoga. My early career revolved around the body’s capacity for healing, long before I began formal training in working with the mind. In that space, I learned the value of breath, touch, and movement, witnessing firsthand how these elements could unlock deeply held tensions and emotions in the body.

As I moved into psychotherapy, I found myself drawn to modalities that bridge the body and mind. While I now work primarily in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic IFS speaks to my ongoing interest in how we can integrate somatic awareness with parts work. The IFS model has profoundly informed many of the practices I’ve incorporated into my work with clients, particularly through Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) by Dr. Janina Fisher. Somatic IFS expands on these principles by acknowledging that our emotional lives and past traumas are not just stored in our minds but also in our bodies. The somatic techniques—whether through breathwork, mindful movement, or gentle touch—allow for a more complete and embodied healing experience.

This approach intrigues me because of its potential to offer a deeper connection between body and psyche, something I have always appreciated in my therapeutic work. I am excited to share Somatic IFS with you, as it represents a meaningful evolution in how we think about trauma recovery and emotional well-being, blending the wisdom of the body with the therapeutic insights of IFS.

Understanding the Foundations of Somatic IFS

The IFS Model

At the core of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is the understanding that the human mind consists of distinct parts, each with unique roles, emotions, and motivations. These parts are not merely metaphors but represent real, often conflicted, aspects of an individual’s psyche. Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS, categorizes these parts into three main types: Managers, Firefighters, and Exiles.

•Managers are the proactive parts that work to prevent emotional pain by maintaining control over day-to-day activities. Their role is often to ensure that an individual is functioning in a way that minimizes vulnerability.

•Firefighters are the reactive parts that jump into action to suppress overwhelming emotions when Exiles are triggered. Their efforts may include numbing or distracting behaviours such as substance use, overeating, or dissociation.

•Exiles are the parts that carry the individual’s most painful emotions and memories, often related to trauma. Because of their burden of suffering, other parts seek to protect the system by keeping Exiles at bay (Schwartz & Sweezy, 2020).

Central to the IFS framework is the concept of the Self—an inner leader that embodies qualities of compassion, curiosity, and calm. The Self is distinct from the parts and serves as the healing agent in therapy, guiding the parts toward reconciliation and integration. Schwartz emphasizes that the Self, when accessed, provides the capacity for inner leadership, allowing for greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and emotional healing (Schwartz & Sweezy, 2020).

IFS therapy focuses on helping clients access their Self and establish a relationship with their parts, promoting a sense of internal harmony and reducing inner conflict. By facilitating communication between the Self and the parts, IFS allows individuals to move toward healing by addressing the underlying burdens carried by their Exiles, rather than simply managing or suppressing these painful emotions.

While the IFS model offers a powerful approach to understanding the internal landscape of the mind, Susan McConnell expanded this model by recognizing the vital role the body plays in storing and processing emotional experiences. McConnell’s Somatic IFS introduces the use of somatic practices—such as breathwork, mindful movement, and touch—to access parts of the self that verbal communication alone might not reach. These practices bring the body’s experiences into the healing process, acknowledging that trauma and emotional burdens are not just mental phenomena but are also held in the body. By integrating body-based practices, Somatic IFS enhances the therapeutic process, offering clients a pathway to explore and heal parts of themselves that may not otherwise be accessible.

Somatic IFS helps clients become aware of how their physical sensations—such as tension, pain, or restlessness—are often linked to the emotional burdens carried by their parts. For example, protective parts such as Managers and Firefighters work hard to suppress or avoid pain, and this effort can manifest physically in the form of body tension or discomfort. By paying attention to these bodily cues, clients can begin to access their more vulnerable parts, like Exiles, and allow their protective parts to soften and relax. The body serves as a gateway to deeper emotional work, helping clients connect with their body’s wisdom and fostering a more embodied experience of healing. Through somatic awareness, clients can achieve a fuller understanding of how their emotions, thoughts, and body are interconnected.

McConnell suggests that somatic techniques such as breathwork, movement, and touch play a key role in this process by offering clients a deeper sense of connection between their body and emotions. For example, focusing on breathwork can help soothe anxious or reactive parts, while mindful movement offers a way for clients to express emotions that may be too overwhelming or abstract to verbalize. Touch, when used ethically and with consent, can serve as a grounding force for clients, supporting them as they navigate intense emotions or memories. These somatic techniques help clients regulate their nervous system and promote emotional balance, allowing them to move toward greater self-awareness and healing.

McConnell’s approach aligns with research showing that trauma is often stored in the body and cannot always be fully processed through cognitive means alone. In The Body Keeps the Score, van der Kolk argues that physical sensations play a crucial role in accessing and healing trauma, as the body holds unprocessed emotions and memories from past experiences. By integrating somatic practices into the IFS framework, McConnell provides clients with a more comprehensive path to healing. This approach allows them to work through trauma not only on a cognitive level but also on a physical level, creating the opportunity for deeper and more lasting recovery.

Somatic IFS offers a holistic model of healing that recognizes the inseparable connection between mind and body. While traditional IFS therapy provides a robust framework for understanding and working with internal parts, somatic practices add a crucial dimension by helping clients experience their emotions in an embodied way. By tuning into the body’s signals and responses, clients can access their parts, such as Exiles, more safely and deeply. For instance, when a client experiences physical tension in their shoulders or tightness in their chest, these sensations may reflect the efforts of protective parts trying to suppress emotional pain. The therapist can guide the client to engage with these physical sensations as a way to open communication with the underlying parts that need attention. This somatic engagement allows parts to unburden themselves, creating space for the client to release trauma that has been stored in the body for years.

In integrating somatic practices with the IFS framework, Somatic IFS offers a comprehensive approach to healing that addresses both the mind and body. This blend of somatic awareness and parts work allows for a deeper connection with the self, facilitating a more complete and embodied healing process. By paying attention to physical sensations and using somatic tools, clients can access and heal parts of themselves that might otherwise remain unreachable through traditional verbal therapy alone. As McConnell emphasizes, “the body holds the key to unlocking parts of the self that words alone cannot reach,” offering a pathway to profound emotional and physical transformation.

Integrating Somatic IFS into Therapeutic Practice

In Somatic IFS, the therapist plays an integral role in guiding clients through the process of connecting with their internal parts while fostering a safe space for somatic exploration. The relationship between therapist and client becomes a co-regulatory experience, where the therapist helps clients attune to both their mental and physical sensations. Unlike traditional talk therapy, Somatic IFS asks therapists to engage in a multi-dimensional way—paying attention not only to verbal communication but also to the client’s body language, breathing patterns, and non-verbal cues. The therapist’s ability to create a grounded and supportive space is crucial, allowing clients to explore their bodies’ responses to trauma, anxiety, or deeply held emotional pain without feeling overwhelmed.

The therapeutic alliance in Somatic IFS is not just a supportive relationship but a shared process of discovery. McConnell emphasizes that the therapist’s attuned presence enables clients to feel safe enough to engage with their internal parts, particularly those carrying burdens of trauma or pain. The therapist models curiosity and compassion toward the body’s signals, encouraging clients to adopt the same gentle, non-judgmental approach toward their own physical sensations. This process allows clients to develop trust in their body’s capacity to reveal important information and to connect with their core Self, which Schwartz describes as the compassionate, calm, and curious internal leader. In this way, the therapist helps clients shift from being overwhelmed by their emotions or bodily sensations to becoming empowered and curious about what their parts are communicating through their bodies.

A key strength of Somatic IFS lies in its flexibility and adaptability to meet the specific needs of each client. This approach is particularly valuable when working with trauma survivors, as it allows therapists to adjust the pace and intensity of somatic interventions according to what feels safe and manageable for the client. For example, a client dealing with chronic pain may benefit from interventions that focus on breathwork to calm the nervous system. By guiding the client through conscious breathing techniques, the therapist can help them regulate their body’s response to pain, allowing protective parts to soften and making it easier to access the underlying emotional burdens contributing to the pain. Similarly, clients struggling with emotional dysregulation—such as anxiety or overwhelming emotions—might benefit from mindful movement. Movement serves as a way for clients to connect with their body in a grounded and safe manner, offering a non-verbal way to express emotions that may be too intense or abstract to articulate through words.

Tailoring the approach in Somatic IFS involves being mindful of the client’s pace and readiness to engage with somatic techniques. Clients with a history of trauma may need to move slowly when accessing bodily sensations, as even subtle physical experiences can be overwhelming. McConnell highlights the importance of adjusting interventions to meet the client where they are, ensuring that the therapeutic process remains client-centred and trauma-informed. By offering a range of somatic practices—including breathwork, movement, and attuned touch—therapists can create a more personalized therapy experience that addresses both the emotional and physical dimensions of healing. For instance, breathwork may help soothe anxious or protective parts, while movement can offer clients a way to explore emotions that are difficult to verbalize. Attuned touch, when used ethically and with consent, can provide grounding and support, especially for clients who struggle with dissociation or feel disconnected from their bodies.

Integrating somatic techniques with the IFS framework enables therapists to address a wide range of clinical issues, from trauma and anxiety to depression and chronic pain. By working with both the mind and the body, Somatic IFS allows clients to experience a more holistic and embodied healing process. This approach helps clients develop a deeper awareness of how their body holds emotional experiences and provides them with tools to navigate their inner world with greater self-compassion and resilience. Ultimately, Somatic IFS empowers clients to reconnect with their Self, allowing them to lead their own healing journey with the support of a therapist who honours the wisdom of both their mind and body.

The Transformative Power of Somatic IFS

The transformative power of Somatic IFS lies in its unique ability to bridge the gap between mind and body, offering clients a more holistic approach to healing trauma and emotional distress. By integrating body-centred practices into the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework, Somatic IFS empowers clients to connect with their parts in a more embodied and meaningful way. This connection fosters not only self-awareness but also emotional regulation, as clients learn to attune to their body’s signals and respond with compassion and curiosity. In traditional talk therapy, clients may struggle to access or express deeply held emotions, but Somatic IFS provides an avenue for them to engage with these emotions through the body, unlocking parts of the self that may have been unreachable through words alone.

The body’s wisdom plays a vital role in this process. Trauma and emotional distress are often stored in the body, manifesting as tension, pain, or disconnection. Somatic IFS invites clients to tune into these physical sensations and recognize them as messages from their internal parts. By working with these bodily cues, clients can begin to understand how their protective parts, such as Managers and Firefighters, have been working to shield them from emotional pain. At the same time, clients are given the tools to access their more vulnerable Exiles—the parts of themselves that carry the weight of unresolved trauma or suppressed emotions. Through this embodied process, clients can start to release the burdens they’ve been carrying, both physically and emotionally.

As Susan McConnell emphasizes, working with the body enhances the therapeutic experience by providing clients with a deeper, more grounded sense of their internal world. She explains that “working with the body creates a richer experience for the client and opens doors to parts of the self that words alone cannot unlock.” This approach not only helps clients access their core Self—the compassionate, calm, and curious leader within—but also enables them to foster greater resilience and self-compassion. The body becomes a powerful ally in the healing journey, guiding clients toward a more integrated and balanced relationship with their parts.

The transformative potential of Somatic IFS is particularly evident in its ability to address trauma. Trauma affects both the mind and body, and traditional therapies often fall short of fully addressing the physical manifestations of trauma. Somatic IFS offers a way to engage the body in the healing process, allowing clients to work through trauma not just cognitively, but somatically as well. By creating a safe space for clients to explore their body’s responses, therapists help clients move toward a more complete and embodied healing. This process fosters a sense of empowerment, as clients learn to trust their body’s wisdom and embrace their capacity for healing.

Ultimately, Somatic IFS offers clients a path toward profound emotional and physical transformation. By integrating somatic awareness with parts work, this approach provides clients with the tools to heal at the deepest levels. The combination of mind and body in the therapeutic process allows for lasting change, helping clients release old patterns, resolve trauma, and cultivate a more compassionate relationship with themselves.

Conclusion

Somatic IFS provides a deeply integrated and embodied approach to healing that invites clients to explore their internal parts while attuning to the wisdom held within their bodies. By weaving somatic practices such as breathwork, movement, and touch into the Internal Family Systems framework, therapists can offer clients a more holistic and transformative healing experience. This approach empowers clients to access deeper layers of their emotional and physical selves, fostering not only self-awareness but also resilience and self-compassion. The process of engaging both mind and body allows for a more comprehensive resolution of trauma and emotional distress, supporting clients in cultivating lasting change and greater inner harmony.

For both therapists and clients, Somatic IFS offers a rich opportunity to explore the profound connection between the mind and body. It serves as a reminder that healing is not just a cognitive process but an embodied journey that can unlock doors to deeper self-understanding and growth. We encourage those in the therapeutic community to explore the potential of Somatic IFS and to embrace the possibilities it offers for fostering meaningful, long-lasting transformation.

Learn more about Susan McConnell’s work and Somatic IFS, visit her website at EmbodiedSelf.net.

Let’s Continue the Conversation

If the ideas in this blog resonate with you or someone you care about, I invite you to take the next step. Whether you’re a therapist seeking support with integrating Somatic IFS into your practice, or someone navigating the complexities of trauma, anxiety, or emotional healing and looking for compassionate, affirming guidance, I’m here to help. You may book an individual therapy session or peer consultation with me to explore how we can build meaningful, affirming connections together. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to connect with me. And be sure to bookmark this blog for future somatic therapy explorations and insights.

References

McConnell, S. (2020). Somatic Internal Family Systems Therapy: Awareness, Breath, Resonance, Movement, and Touch in Practice. North Atlantic Books.

Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2020). Internal Family Systems Therapy. Guilford Press.

van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.