Feminist-Informed Internal Family Systems Therapy with Couples

Abstract

The authors suggest an expanded approach to using Internal Family Systems Therapy (Schwartz, 1992, 1995) with couples by adding several feminist-informed therapeutic concepts. From a feminist-informed perspective, the authors present the importance of the therapeutic alliance, hierarchy within therapy, client choice, compassionate witnessing, and an expansion of the concepts of boundaries, enmesh-ment, and disengagement. A feminist-informed case example illustrates several of these therapeutic themes. In order to provide a contcxlualized reflection on the therapeutic system, the authors then go on to discuss common issues that have arisen while training therapists to provide feminist-informed IFS therapy.

Key Words:

• Feminist
• couple therapy
• family therapy
• feminist therapy