Different Types Of Parts
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy has three types of parts: Managers, firefighters, and exiles. I will begin by explaining exiles since they are the reason managers and firefighters do their job. An exile is a part that holds pain, which is why it tends to be exiled into the subconscious by other parts. An exile can hold the pain of sadness, loneliness, abandonment, shame…etc. Exiles tend to be younger parts. If someone was bullied in school and felt rejected by others, an exile might have taken on the pain from that event and it will hold that memory within it. Even though the rejection occurred in the past, the exile carries that pain with it to adulthood. Whenever that person is close to feeling the pain of rejection, then the managers and firefighters step in so that the person avoids feeling the emotional pain of the exile.
Managers are proactive in their job, which is keeping emotional pain from consciousness and seeking social approval. They employ various strategies. The following are some examples of managers: Intellectualizer, the “checklist,” inner critic, perfectionistic, worry, stress…etc. These parts do not hold pain, but rather do a job. The intellectualizer tries to make sense of the situation while the inner critic demands better performance. When the managers do not do their job well enough, emotional pain is close at hand. When emotional pain gets close to consciousness, the firefighter parts come in.
Firefighters have reactive strategies. Their job is to “put out the fire” (e.i., not feel emotional pain) no matter the cost. The following are some examples of firefighters: Drugs, alcohol, viewing pornography, binge eating, using social media for hours, numbing, dissociation…etc. Since the behaviors of these parts are usually socially unacceptable, they may seem like “bad” parts. However, these parts also have a good intention, which is to prevent you from experiencing emotional pain by soothing you in some way.
Managers and firefighters are protectors. Protectors have the burden of avoiding the pain of exiles. If you were to get to know those parts, you would find that they feel burdened by their job. However, rather they feel forced to do their job since they do not know a better way to help you.
The hope that IFS offers these parts is that they do not have to continue engaging in their burdensome job. There is a better way, which involves working alongside other protectors, collaborating with your inmost self, and healing the exile. Parts tend to feel alone in their job, but once collaboration is made possible, there can be more inner harmony and more helpful, effective action. As a Catholic IFS therapist, I have seen that when the exile can give its pain to God and receive what God intended for it, the protectors can relax since they do not need to keep protecting you from intense pain. Instead, they can take on a new and preferred job, a job which they can enjoy rather than be burdened by. God wants to unburden your parts and give them rest. God wants your protectors to enjoy their vocation. How great is our God!
