Exploring Internal Family Systems (IFS) Within the Context of The statechanged Method

HOW PARTS WORK AND NERVOUS SYSTEM STATES INTERTWINE — AND WHY INTEGRATING IFS INTO THE STATECHANGED METHOD DEEPENS YOUR HEALING

Internal Family Systems (IFS) and The statechanged Method both begin with a simple, powerful truth: You are not just one thing. You are a collection of parts, shaped by memory, experience, survival — and various nervous system states.

IFS helps us understand our inner world as a system of sub-personalities (or “parts”) that each carry specific beliefs, emotions, and protective roles. The statechanged Method maps these experiences through the lens of the nervous system — how our states of Regulation, Activation, Depletion and Overload shape what we feel, believe and embody.

When used together, these two frameworks create a compassionate, body-based approach to healing — one that honors your emotional experiences and the physiology beneath them.

IFS AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM: HOW THEY ALIGN

In IFS — Internal Family Systems:

• You are made up of parts (e.g., Inner Critic, Protector, Exile)
• All parts are welcome and serve a purpose, even when they feel “negative”
• Healing happens when you relate to your parts from your core Self — the calm, curious, compassionate center of who you are
  

In The statechanged Method:

• Your inner world is influenced by your nervous system state
• Each state (Regulation, Activation, Depletion, Overload) affects which parts step forward, how you feel, and what you believe
• Healing begins when you recognize your state and regulate your body, so you can access your most grounded self

Together, these two approaches provide a clear map: Your state shapes which parts are active. And your parts influence how you stay in — or shift out of — states.

HOW PARTS SHOW UP IN DIFFERENT NERVOUS SYSTEM STATES

In Regulation (Ventral) — Your Self Energy Is Accessible

In a regulated state, you feel like you. Calm. Connected. Curious. You can access compassion for your parts, hear them without fusing to them and respond instead of react.

• Common parts here: Inner Leader, Inner Caretaker, Witness, Wise Self
• Example mindset: “I see that part of me is scared — and I can support it.”
• Supportive practice: Journaling a dialogue between Self and a younger part

In Activation (Sympathetic) — Protector Parts Take Over

In Activation, your system is on high alert. You may feel anxious, urgent or perfectionistic. Protector parts come online — trying to keep you safe by staying in control, overfunctioning, or lashing out.

• Common parts here: Inner Critic, Overachiever, Fixer, Pleaser
• Example mindset: “If I don’t keep it together, everything will fall apart.”
• Supportive practice: Pause and ask, “What is this part protecting me from?”

In Depletion (Dorsal) — Exile or Collapsed Parts Dominate

In Depletion, the system is shut down. You may feel numb, invisible or like you’ve disappeared. This is often when younger, wounded Exile parts — those carrying shame or worthlessness — rise quietly to the surface.

• Common parts here: Inner Child, Silent Protector, Resigned Responder
• Example mindset: “I don’t matter. I can’t do this.”
• Supportive practice: Offer gentle presence. Place a hand on your heart and whisper, “You’re not alone.”

In Overload (Freeze) — Parts Feel Fragmented or Frozen

In Overload, the system is flooded and frozen. Your parts may feel disoriented, afraid or disconnected. You might feel like many conflicting parts are active at once — or none at all.

• Common parts here: Fragmented Inner Teen, Dissociated Witness, Fearful Protector
• Example mindset: “Everything is too much. I can’t even think.”
• Supportive practice: Use simple sensory orientation — “I see the window, I hear the fan” — to return to the present before engaging with parts.

USING THE STATECHANGED METHOD TO SUPPORT PARTS WORK

IFS invites you to meet your parts. The statechanged Method helps you understand what state you’re in when those parts arise — and how to regulate so that your Self can lead.

Try This Flow:

1. Name your state. “I’m in Activation right now.”
2. Notice which parts are online. “My Inner Critic is really loud.”
3. Regulate the body first. Use breath, touch or movement to shift into Regulation.
4. Re-engage from Self. Ask: “What does this part need me to understand?”
5. Close with compassion. Thank your parts for showing up — even the hard ones.

IFS + NERVOUS SYSTEM WORK = HOLISTIC HEALING

When you work with both your nervous system and your parts, you stop fighting yourself. You begin to see that even your anxiety, shutdown, and shame are trying to help in the only way they know how.

And when you learn to meet those parts from a regulated, grounded place — not just mentally, but somatically — real integration begins.

Your body and your inner world are not separate. They speak to each other constantly. The more you listen, the more safety you can create — inside and out.

Where to Start

The statechanged Method Workbook includes prompts and tools to help you combine parts work with nervous system tracking — so you can regulate your state and relate to your parts more compassionately.

You can also take our Free Nervous System Assessment Quiz to identify your baseline state — and discover what kinds of internal support your parts might need right now.

Explore our Digital Downloads for guided IFS-inspired journaling, somatic inner child work and state specific tools to bring your system back to center — one part, one breath at a time.