EXPLORE
Two Powerful Paths
MODALITIES EXPLAINEDEMDR & IFS — integrated
EMDR reaches into the brain and body where traumatic memory lives. Internal Family Systems understands the inner parts that are organized around that trauma. Together, they form an integration that is more powerful than either approach alone.
Most talk therapy works from the top down — we think about our experiences, find language for them, and try to understand our way to healing. The integration of IFS and EMDR works differently. It engages the deeper brain structures where trauma is stored, while simultaneously honoring the inner parts — the protectors, the exiles, the managers and firefighters — that have been organized around keeping that pain at bay.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
DEVELOPED BY FRANCINE SHAPIRO
WIDELY RESEARCHED
ENDORSED by the WHO
LYNN IS CERTIFIED & an APPROVED CONSULTANT
When something traumatic happens, the brain sometimes cannot process the experience the way it would a normal memory. It gets stored raw — with all its original emotion, sensation, and meaning intact. EMDR engages the brain's natural processing system through bilateral stimulation, allowing the brain to do what it couldn't at the time: complete the processing, and file the experience as the past.
The memory does not disappear. But it loses its charge. What was once a raw wound becomes something more like a scar — present, but no longer bleeding.
WHAT A SESSION GENERALLY INVOLVES
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (IFS)Internal Family Systems
SELF-LED HEALING
PARTS-BASED MODEL
DEVELOPED BY RICHARD SCHWARTZ
IFS understands the psyche as a family of inner parts — each with its own role, its own fears, and its own history. Some parts protect us by controlling, criticizing, or keeping us busy. Others carry the burdens of pain and shame that were too heavy to hold consciously. At the center of it all is Self — the calm, compassionate core that is capable of healing every part.
In IFS, there are no bad parts. Every part — even the ones that cause pain — developed for a reason. The goal is not to eliminate these parts but to understand them, unburden them, and allow Self to lead.
WHAT IFS BRINGS TO THE WORKHOW THE INTEGRATION WORKSSame terrain, different doors.
| EMDR contributes | IFS contributes | |
|---|---|---|
| Processing mechanism | Bilateral stimulation to complete stuck traumatic processing in the brain | Parts mapping to understand what is being protected and why |
| Before processing | History taking, target identification, resourcing | Checking protective parts for fears — getting their consent before processing begins |
| During processing | Following associations, bilateral stimulation, reducing distress | IFS interweaves when processing loops — shifting from exile to protector as needed |
| Installation | Strengthening the positive cognition with BLS | Installing the 8 Cs of Self-energy — calm, clarity, curiosity, compassion, confidence |
HOW I WORKIntegrated IFS & EMDR - how it works
In practice, the two frameworks are inseparable in my work. Before any EMDR processing begins, we spend time with the parts that may have fears about going there — the protectors who have kept you safe and deserve to be consulted, not bypassed. During processing, IFS informs how I work with material that arises: if a protector blocks the work, we turn toward it with curiosity rather than pushing through.
The result is a form of EMDR that is more gentle, more thorough, and more attuned to the whole system — not just the memory being targeted, but every part of you that is present in the room.
"You don't have to understand the parts system before we begin. What matters is that every part of you is welcome in the room — and none of them will be left behind."
WHAT THIS APPROACH IS ESPECIALLY GOOD FORThe Best Fit for You
When EMDR leads
— Specific traumatic memories with a clear narrative
— Single-event or complex trauma ready for direct processing
— When the nervous system has enough stability to process
When IFS leads
— Protective parts are blocking direct processing
— Identity-level wounds with no single discrete memory
— Building Self-energy before the deeper work can begin
A free consultation call is a good place to start. It's a conversation — nothing more.
Come as you are, bring your questions.
No commitment required · Online available