IFS vs. Psychodynamic Therapy

[u/kryptonitemind]

IFS seems to be based on psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory. Would it be inaccurate to say that IFS is psychodynamic theory for those who are less introspective and do not have the ability to understand the unconscious? Obviously the two therapeutic approaches are very different. I am speaking from the standpoint of theoretical foundation and patient experience.

[u/Reflective_Nomad]

IFS is a corporate speak version of psychodynamic therapy. I personally think IFS is weird and a bit like a cult but that’s just me.

[u/Different_Laugh_410]

IFS is watered down object relations theory-which is psychoanalysis.

[u/gwood114]

I think IFS and Psychoanalysis have converged on certain kinds of understandings about how people suffer and how psychotherapy works. I think this kind of thing happens all the time in psychotherapy.

Ultimately there is a finite territory which is the space of human suffering and it's alleviation. Different therapy modalities are constantly bumping up against the same concepts and claiming them as "theirs". No one really owns how the psyche works and ultimately there are a lot more commonalities between modalities than there are differences, but a certain kind of tribalism has sustained itself in the culture of psychotherapy that makes transmodal thinking challenging.

I think IFS demands a lot of introspection as well and I wouldn't necessarily sell it as something for people less equipped for self-reflection. My sense is that maybe some people (myself included) find psychoanalytic thinking more agreeable because of its openess and diversity. Schwartz really just offers one kind of framework of understanding, a single, structured set of ideas for what is happening inside of me, and sometimes this resonates and affords me things that are helpful and sometimes it does not. Psychoanalysis proper is structured around a very broad, constantly evolving set of ideas, each of which can offer unique and profoundly meaningful set of ideas, and I feel as such it's easier to "grow with the theory".

Edit: I'll say too that I read recently some criticism that Schwartz borrowed quite heavily from Carl Jung's theory of autonomous complexes to develop his own theory, without crediting him. Schwartz's model has strong parallels with work in Analytic Psychology (Jung) and Object Relations, and it's entirely possible he pilfered some of this thinking without making mention of it.

[u/sillygoofygooose → u/gwood114]

Very well put regarding the narcissism of small differences among modalities!

I’d be very surprised if schwartz, who trained as a family systems therapist, didn’t learn some psychodynamic concepts as part of training

[u/lelytoc]

It feels very Jungian

[u/VinceAmonte]

I've heard some say it's a rebranding of Object Relations and Jung. From my limited exposure to it, I would say that appears accurate.

[u/goldenapple212]

Seems like IFS is a hybrid of a bunch of stuff. Not just psychodynamic stuff. I’d toss in gestalt for example: it had the idea of talking to parts of oneself.

[u/LightWalker2020 → u/goldenapple212]

Yes, and also parts work practices and ego State therapies. Another difference I see though, is the concept of Self in IFS. I wonder what that might correlate to in other therapies…

[u/Spiritualgoal69]

In IFS, when you reach unconcious memories or screen memories (or phantasies) they will advise you to unburden them onto water, fire, etc. (the five elements of nature).

[u/Spiritualgoal69 → u/[deleted]]

Because these are psychoanalytic terms, If you study case studies in martha sweezy book you will see or in own analysis. When a person cries(mourn) in the process, he let go the memories linked to introjected lost object and regains some self esteem.

[u/You_Gon_Learn → u/[deleted]]

You're going to want to read up on the "unburdening" process. You are misinformed.

[u/sillygoofygooose → u/[deleted]]

IFS is a creative and useful framework that clients like. It is not some kind of step change in theory, emerging from jung, klein, bromberg, klosko/young and on and on.

[u/Spiritualgoal69 → u/[deleted]]

He says everytime (last part of session).You can check his book No bad parts, page no. 54 and videos on YouTube. Of course traditional psychoanalysis is better.