Working with Anger in Internal Family Systems Therapy

Anger can arise in various ways in Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), depending on which part holds the anger, what function the anger serves, and whether the anger is disowned. Each situation requires a different type of therapeutic intervention as part of the IFS process. This professional booklet discusses these various circumstances and the approach that is most effective in each. It includes a transcript of an IFS session that illustrates some of these points.

Jay Earley, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, psychotherapist, group leader, author, teacher, web entrepreneur, and theorist.

He is a big-picture thinker and innovative psychological theorist. Jay is known the clarity of his teaching and writing, his creative methods of demonstrating complex ideas, and his detailed description of therapeutic technique. In his therapy work, people rely on Jay's compassionate heart and sensitivity to group process. He has a deep understanding of the nature of therapeutic change and knows how to effect profound inner healing.

Jay focuses on Internal Family Systems Therapy in all aspects of his work. He is active in the IFS community, presenting workshops every year at the IFS conference. He teaches IFS to the general public as a practice for self-help and peer counseling. He also teaches a variety of courses and workshops applying IFS and the Pattern System to specific psychological issues such as procrastination, communication, relationships, and the inner critic. Jay has published other books on IFS, including Freedom From Your Inner Critic and Resolving Inner Conflict.

Jay has created the Pattern System, a systematic approach to understanding your personality that can lead directly to psychological healing and personal growth. He has published a series of books based on the Pattern System.