Physiological Changes during Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

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cityu.schoolSchool of Health and Social Sciences
cityu.siteEdmonton
cityu.site.countryCanada
dc.contributor.authorMunro, Kristin
dc.date.accessioned2022-10-20T20:01:33Z
dc.date.available2022-10-20T20:01:33Z
dc.date.issued2022-08-23
dc.description.abstractTrauma and attachment breaches create negative physiological health and psychological distress. Internal Family Systems is a relatively new therapeutic framework that has effectively reduced symptoms of various mental illnesses. However, little is known about the connection between Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) processes and the physiological changes (and associated positive health outcomes) in adult individuals when they are treated for their attachment breaches during IFS trauma-informed therapy. The emerging trends in sensorimotor literature claim trauma and attachment injuries require an approach that addresses the cognitive, emotional, and physiological aspects to bring about healing. Addressing this gap in research is essential to understand the benefits of IFS more fully. Therefore, I posed the following question: How do the steps of IFS correlate to the physiological aspects of healing trauma in adult individuals? This paper aims to examine the link between physiological changes and IFS processes to aid clinicians to create specific treatment plans to help clients achieve positive physiological and psychological health outcomes. Eleven critical articles were obtained from the City University database, then reviewed and critically analyzed for this paper. Upon examining the gap in research between IFS processes and physiological changes, the literature (although scarce) pointed to a connection between some states evoked by IFS therapy (relaxation, self-leadership, and self-forgiveness) and specific physiological changes such as increased heart rate variability, which is connected to longevity and better cardiovascular health. The process of IFS, through creating a state of self-leadership and reducing the internal system's extreme behaviours, longings, thoughts, beliefs, and urges, can create physiological change and positive health outcomes.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11803/1915
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.institutionCity University of Seattle (CityU)
dc.subjectinternal family systems
dc.subjectself-forgiveness
dc.subjectphysiological change
dc.subjectparts
dc.subjectattachment breach
dc.subjecttrauma
dc.titlePhysiological Changes during Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
dc.typeCapstone
thesis.degree.disciplineCounseling
thesis.degree.grantorCity University of Seattle (CityU)
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Counselling
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