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Therapies at Ava Recovery

Internal Family Systems Therapy

Internal Family Systems Therapy in Austin

Ava Recovery is Austin's leading Texas addiction and mental health treatment center. As part of our programs, all of which are tailored to the individual, we offer different treatment approaches.

A combination of various talk therapies, group and individual therapy, and experiential therapies are the most effective ways to address substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders.

One therapeutic approach we use at our treatment center is called Internal Family Systems Therapy.

If you’d like to learn more about internal family systems therapy in Austin at Ava Recovery, our team is available at any time. Learn how finding addiction treatment in Texas can be the first step to the rest of your life.

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How Psychotherapy Works

Internal Family Systems therapy, or IFS, is a psychotherapy approach. Broadly, psychotherapy is a way to treat a range of mental health and emotional conditions. Psychotherapy aims to reduce or eliminate symptoms, and there are also specific approaches that work toward identifying the root causes of a condition. Psychotherapy can improve functionality, emotional well-being, and healing.

Many conditions may benefit from psychotherapy, including coping with stress, trauma, medical illness, loss, specific mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, and substance abuse disorders. Often, psychotherapy is combined with other medicines and therapies.

Psychotherapy can be conducted in different settings—group, individual, family, or couple environments, for example. It’s used to treat people of all ages, and both the client and therapist are actively involved participants. The sense of trust between a therapist and client is an essential factor in the progress someone makes throughout their treatment.

Psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment modality. Around 75% of people who participate in any psychotherapy program benefit from it. These therapies can improve psychological and emotional well-being and contribute to positive physical and mental changes.

There are different types of psychotherapy. These can include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and psychoanalysis.

Ava Recovery is a provider of psychotherapy, including Internal Family Systems therapy in Austin, as part of our Austin dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Learn more about our expert, medical drug & alcohol detox in Austin, Texas at Ava Recovery.

Discover how our residential inpatient treatment program in Austin can help you recover.
We take a trauma-informed approach to dual-diagnosis treatment at Ava Recovery.

What is
Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a distinct approach to psychotherapy that recognizes we’re all made up of parts or subpersonalities that work together to drive our thoughts and behaviors. All of our parts are seen as valuable and as serving an important purpose in their natural state. However, challenging experiences and traumas create struggles for some of the parts, leading to internal conflict.

Over time, the different parts of a person’s personality will create diverging ways to deal with the experience of pain. This can lead to harmful coping skills like the use of drugs or alcohol, eating disorders, or risky sexual behaviors. These are viewed outwardly as destructive behaviors, but in the concept of IFS therapy, these are seen as a way to protect yourself from experiencing the same pain as you did in the past.

When participating in Internal Family Systems therapy, the goal is to give the hurting parts of the personality the space to heal and be heard. IFS encourages participants to recognize and appreciate every part of the personality for trying its best rather than internally berating it. There’s curiosity and compassion that lead to a way for healing, which is known as unburdening in this type of therapy. Then, as there’s a progression in the therapy, the goal is to help you return to your harmonious natural state.

If you’re seeking Internal Family Systems therapy in Austin, we do offer it at Ava Recovery, along with many other forms of psychotherapy and treatment modalities. By offering Austin IFS therapy and other psychotherapeutic and holistic approaches, we seek not just to help you stop using drugs and alcohol but to heal as a whole person and to thrive in your life.

Your Path to Lasting Recovery Begins Here.

The Goals of IFS

There are three main goals of participating in IFS therapy in Austin or elsewhere. These are:

Our team of therapists are expert providers of Internal Family Systems therapy in Austin, and we can help you explore if this could be a beneficial approach for your individualized treatment plan.

Located just outside metro Austin, in Buda, Texas, we offer you a luxury environment that encourages healing and rejuvenation. Our secluded property provides you with a safe and comfortable, world-class setting where you can focus on your recovery.

We offer free consultations to anyone who reaches out for help. Did you know most major insurance carriers will cover the costs associated with treatment? Contact our trusted treatment team today to discuss your personal options for treatment.

Ava Recovery is proud to offer a variety of treatment options to provide you with a treatment plan that fits your needs. From detox to residential inpatient to aftercare and beyond, we’re with you each step of the way. Learn more about how we can help right now.

We are Dedicated to Your Healing.

When you or a loved one makes a commitment to go to treatment, the feelings can be overwhelming for the individual and family. At Ava Recovery , we are committed to building a relationship with you as soon as we make contact. We work hard to build a treatment case that is measurable and can be attained.

Internal Family Systems Therapy in Addiction Recovery

When you struggle with addiction, you probably also deal with negative self-talk. You may have an internal critic. Your substance misuse could be an attempt to silence this critic. Many people with a substance use disorder know that it’s not good for them or beneficial. Still, they’re trying to protect themselves from painful past experiences or the negative internal things they say to themselves through substance use. 

The behaviors are seen as harmful in IFS therapy, but there is also the idea that, to this point, they serve a purpose in your life. You didn’t want to become an addict, but you wanted to avoid extreme pain. However, without healthy, effective coping mechanisms, you could have come to rely on substances to numb your feelings and emotions.

When IFS is part of an addiction treatment program, there’s recognition and honor for the parts of your personality that are trying to protect you from further pain and trauma. Every part has a space for sharing its story, and then it can alleviate the need to self-protect.

When IFS is part of your treatment plan, it helps you to learn how to self-regulate and transform your internal system, promoting long-term recovery.

At Ava Recovery, we are a provider of Internal Family Systems therapy in Austin in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We also offer more traditional therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and experiential therapy, including equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Our programs meet you where you are, and we lead with compassion as we help you through this journey and into the next healthier phase of your life.

If you have questions about Internal Family Systems therapy in Austin or addiction treatment programs in general, please reach out.

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The Ava Recovery admissions team works 24/7 to ensure that we can help as many people struggling with substance abuse as we can. Verify your benefits now and we’ll get back to you right away.

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Drug addiction can ruin your life and tear your family apart. If you are struggling with substance abuse and need immediate help, call Ava Recovery toll-free today. We are committed to offering the highest quality drug treatment services to help heal the mind, body, and spirit. We strictly adhere to the best industry practices in creating the programs and services that will help you achieve lasting recovery. Call us today at  (833) 330-3009 and get on the path to sobriety.

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