Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy in Houston
A part of you wants things to change. Another part isn't so sure.
Maybe one part longs for rest, closeness, or a different way of living. Then another part steps in. "That's not safe."
It criticizes you. Keeps you busy. Talks you out of taking risks. Pulls away from people before they can disappoint you. Convinces you to stay exactly where you are.
If you've ever felt like you're fighting yourself, you're not imagining it.
IFS starts with a simple idea: those reactions aren't random. They're parts of you that developed for good reasons, even if they're getting in your way now. Instead of trying to silence those parts or force yourself to "get over it," we get curious about them. As they begin to feel understood, they often don't have to work so hard.
That's where change begins.
Over time, many people find they trust themselves more, feel less overwhelmed, and respond to life from a place that feels steadier, calmer, and more connected.
What is IFS?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapy approach based on the idea that we all have different “parts” of ourselves. You don’t have to think of those parts as literal. It’s a way to understand why you can want two completely opposite things at the same time.
One part wants to speak up. Another worries people will leave.
One part wants to slow down. Another insists you have to keep producing.
One part wants closeness. Another pulls away when someone gets too close.
IFS helps you get curious about what each part is trying to protect and what it might need from you.
Over time, people may feel more grounded, less reactive, and more able to choose how they respond instead of falling back on old survival patterns.
Who benefits from an IFS approach?
IFS may be a good fit if you understand your patterns but still feel caught in them:
“I know why I do this, but I keep doing it.”
“Part of me wants change, but another part feels scared.”
“I overthink everything and can’t stop criticizing myself.”
“I push myself until I shut down or burn out.”
IFS can help you explore anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, trauma, attachment wounds, grief, and major life changes. Together, you can get curious about what these patterns are trying to do and build a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
Rooted Therapy offers IFS therapy in Houston and online across Texas.
What happens in an IFS session?
Every session looks a little different, but here's a simple example.
You might come in saying,
"I know I need better boundaries with my family."
As we explore, we notice: One part desperately wants to say no. Another feels guilty for even having needs. Another believes conflict means rejection.
Instead of deciding which part should win, we get curious about each one.
Over time, those parts often become less extreme because they no longer have to carry their burdens alone.
You don't have to prepare anything or know the "right" thing to say. We'll move at your pace, following what's most important to you that day.
Our therapists who bring IFS into session
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Lauren Palmer
MA, LPC · Practice Owner
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with thoughtful, high-functioning adults who understand themselves pretty well but still feel stuck in anxiety, perfectionism, trauma, or painful relationship patterns.
FOCUS AREAS
High-Functioning Anxiety
Trauma & Attachment
Perfectionism
Relationship Patterns
Burnout & Disconnection -
Alyssa Garcia
MS, LPC-Associate, Bilingual English/Spanish
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with adults and couples navigating grief, relationship changes, and the tension between family or cultural expectations and figuring out what feels true to them.
FOCUS AREAS
Grief & Loss
Trauma & EMDR
Family, Culture & Belonging
Relationships & Attachment
Life Transitions & Identity -
Chloe Espenan
LMSW
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with adults, couples, and teens (13+) navigating depression, codependency, substance use, complicated relationships with food, and coping patterns that aren’t working anymore.
FOCUS AREAS
Depression
Codependency
Substance Use & Process Addictions
Disordered Eating Patterns
Anxiety & Self-Criticism -
Michelle Saltzer
MA, LPC-Associate
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with adults and couples who overthink, people-please, avoid conflict, and struggle to say what they need, especially in their closest relationships.
FOCUS AREAS
Anxiety
People-Pleasing
Self-Criticism
Relationships
Fertility, Perinatal & Postpartum
Couples Therapy -
Lauren Bigelow
LMSW
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with adults and couples navigating burnout, grief, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and the exhaustion of being the person everyone else relies on.
FOCUS AREAS
Neurodivergence
Chronic Illness
Grief & Loss
Burnout & Caregiver Fatigue
Anxiety & Perfectionism
Perimenopause -
Haley Macek
MS, LPC-Associate
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with adults, teens (13+), and couples who feel disconnected from themselves, stuck in painful relationships, or exhausted from trying to be who everyone expects them to be.
FOCUS AREAS
Anxiety & Depression
Trauma
Relationships & Attachment
LGBTQIA+ Identity & Belonging
Support After Sexual or Domestic Violence -
Sana Maaz
MA, LMFT-Associate
WHO SHE WORKS WITH
Works with adults and couples feeling lost, disconnected, or unsure of who they are anymore, especially in the aftermath of trauma, anxiety, or major life change.
FOCUS AREAS
Trauma & Attachment
Anxiety
Couples & Relationship Patterns
Cultural Identity
Life Transitions
Self-Discovery & Identity Shifts
Why IFS Feels Different
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Even the parts you dislike developed to help you survive something.
Your inner critic may have tried to keep you from making mistakes.
Your anxiety may have learned that staying alert felt safer than relaxing.
Your avoidance may have protected you from rejection.
IFS doesn't try to eliminate these parts, but it helps them find healthier roles.
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Many people come to therapy believing they're lazy, broken, too emotional, too much, or not enough.
IFS starts from a different assumption.
Nothing inside you is your enemy.
Every part makes sense once you understand its story.
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Insight matters.
But insight alone doesn't always create change.
IFS helps people move beyond simply understanding themselves intellectually. It creates experiences that allow old protective patterns to soften, making change feel less forced and more natural.
IFS FAQs
What makes IFS different from other therapy approaches?IFS pays attention to inner conflicts, like wanting closeness while also pulling away. You and your therapist explore what each response may be trying to protect, which can help you approach yourself with more curiosity and choice.
Can IFS therapy help with anxiety or trauma?IFS may help you explore anxiety, trauma, self-criticism, and relationship patterns. In therapy, you and your therapist can decide whether this approach fits your needs.
How do I start IFS therapy in Houston?Rooted Therapy offers IFS-informed therapy in Houston and online across Texas. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to ask questions and see if we feel like a good fit.
