Healing

Dr Richard Schwartz on Internal Family Systems and the parts of us trauma changes

Name: Dr Richard Schwartz on Internal Family Systems and the parts of us trauma changes
Uploaded: 2026-01-01
Duration: 3 min 40 s
Description: Watch Dr Richard Schwartz, creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS), explain parts, exiles, protectors and the Self. A short scene from the documentary Traumality. Three and a half minutes with the founder of IFS on exiles, protectors, firefighters and the Self.

Three and a half minutes with the founder of IFS on exiles, protectors, firefighters and the Self.

3 min 40 sec from the feature documentary. No sign up needed.

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Internal Family Systems, developed by Dr Richard Schwartz, starts from a hopeful idea: we are all born with parts that have talents and qualities to help us, and trauma forces some of them into extreme roles.

In this scene he explains how wounded parts get locked away as exiles, how protectors and firefighters work hard to keep that pain out of reach, and how the Self can meet each of them with curiosity rather than a fight.

Why IFS sees difficult behaviours as protective parts rather than pathology
What exiles, managers and firefighters are trying to do for us
How the Self helps parts release their burdens and return to their natural roles