Most of us weren’t handed a manual on healthy communication as kids. Instead, we absorbed our communication habits from our family of origin—our first teachers. These early interactions often shape how we express and receive love, frustration, and everything in between. With effort, you can untangle miscommunications and stitch together a more meaningful dialogue with your partner.

You’ve been meeting with your Internal Family Systems Therapist for a few months now, and all the parts work has been so beneficial. Until one day, you just lose it with your spouse and your next therapy session isn’t for another week. SO what do you do? Your parts are activated, your spouse is mad and you’re lost in the weeds. Here are some ways Internal Family Systems therapy can help couples who are fighting.

The honeymoon phase of a relationship lasts between 18-24 months. Then, so often, after 2 years together they start to feel the romance fade, the spark disappear and the connection fray. But there are some practical things couples can do to keep their connection strong and find meaning in the daily grind.

EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful form of psychotherapy that helps heal emotional turmoil caused by traumatic experiences. This post will explore how it works, how it’s executed, and it’s benefits.

Fighting couples may be endearing in rom-coms, but in reality, conflicts can cause stress and heartache. Yet, disagreements are inevitable and can even be beneficial. It’s all about how you handle them. So, how often is “normal” to argue in a healthy relationship? The truth is, it varies.

Trauma affects the nervous system by triggering the body’s stress response leading to states of hyperarousal and physical/emotional dysregulation. This leads to us feeling completely flooded or overwhelmed and not being able to think logically. Parasympathetic breathing can help re-regulate your body, bring your logical thinking back online, and help you feel more in control.

It’s an unfortunate reality that many of us didn’t get the parenting we desired when we were little. It’s not that our parents were bad or didn’t care - likely they did the best they could with the tools they had. This is where Internal Family Systems Therapy can be a valuable tool for reparenting. The process whereby we learn to parent various parts of ourselves and help integrate and live in true self.

When anger flares up, sometimes communication can feel impossible. Learning to express your feelings constructively when angry is essential for everyone, especially couples and couples therapy can really help to nurture this skill. Mastering this skill can transform potentially damaging arguments into productive discussions that strengthen your relationship.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR therapy is a powerful treatment for trauma and PTSD, helping individuals process and integrate traumatic memories. While EMDR can provide significant relief, being aware of potential side effects is essential.

Conflict is inevitable in relationships, but resolution is crucial for maintaining a healthy bond. The key lies in finding resolutions that don’t leave lingering hurt or resentment. By accepting that differences will arise, couples can focus on constructive problem-solving and effective communication to strengthen their relationship through these strategies.

When we encounter someone who is suffering, our inclination can often times be to meet with with encouragement or positive thinking. The problem is, this often times makes things worse for the person on the receiving end. Here’s a helpful two step process that can help in aiding you to connect with someone experiencing trauma.

Our deepest needs and longings from childhood are not romantic ones, but ones that foster a deep and abiding connection. We need it to flourish and thrive. If this connection isn’t nurtured, it can affect our relationships as we get older.

You might be surprised to learn that Internal Family Systems changes happen differently than expected. IFS therapy doesn’t aim to manage parts away. Instead, it brings all parts, even the troublesome ones, into connection with your core Self.

EMDR Therapy offers a unique approach. This innovative psychotherapy combines elements from various treatments to relieve psychological trauma. It’s proven effective for people of all ages worldwide, tackling PTSD, anxiety, and panic disorders.

Whether it’s neglect or other unresolved issues, these early experiences often manifest in difficulties forming healthy bonds later in life. While everyone has valid needs, what happens when they’re not addressed during our crucial developmental years? Here is an explanation of how the complex interplay between past and present might affect our adult lives.

In IFS Therapy, each part has a voice, emotion and role to play and when life gets loud, the parts get overwhelmed and run to safety  - making room for the firefighters to emerge out of habit. But part of emotional health means slowing down, and making time for these parts to be seen, acknowledged, and validated.

Individuals grappling with Attachment Trauma often encounter challenges in forming and sustaining interpersonal connections. This trauma, rooted in early development, often reveals its actual impact in adulthood.

Safe base and secure attachment can still be created long after childhood, but it takes deep intentionality and safe relationships with healthy others. Many people report that they are able to heal attachment wounds through healthy romantic relationships with the help of couples therapy.

Internal Family Systems therapists help you process trauma by facilitating connection with your parts. And it’s all guided by you, the client, not an external person or circumstance.

EMDR therapy is primarily used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it has shown effectiveness for various other conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression, and phobias. EMDR therapy can also address issues like low self-esteem, chronic pain, and addiction. Its versatility makes it a valuable tool in mental health treatment.