IFS-informed Therapy for Adults in Richmond, VA
Internal Family Systems (IFS-informed care)
You’re managing. But something still isn’t working.
Therapy for adults who are ready to understand what’s happening inside. And find a way forward that actually fits their life.
Does any of this sound familiar?
You keep running into the same walls in your relationships, in how you feel about yourself, in patterns you've tried to change and can't. Maybe you shut down when things get hard. Or the opposite: emotions take over and you can't find the off switch. You might be your own harshest critic, or feel a low-grade anxiety or sadness that never quite goes away.
On the outside, things probably look fine. You show up. You function. But inside, there's a gap between the life you're living and the one you want — and it's exhausting to carry that quietly.
“I want things to be different. I’m just not sure how to get there…or whether I even can.”
What it’s like to work with me
The approach: Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy
I practice Internal Family Systems therapy, also called IFS or "parts work." It's an evidence-based model built on a simple but powerful idea: we all have different parts of ourselves that can be in conflict. The part that wants to change, and the part that's scared to. The part that pushes people away, and the part that craves connection. The part that's exhausted, and the part that keeps going anyway.
These aren't problems to be eliminated. They're expressions of your inner world that make sense when you understand them. IFS helps you get curious about these parts rather than fighting them, and to develop the kind of self-understanding that leads to real, lasting change.
You don't need to know anything about IFS to benefit from it. It unfolds naturally in the work.
IFS is effective for anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic self-criticism, emotional dysregulation, and difficulties in relationships. I have completed Level 1 training in the IFS model through the IFS Institute, the formal training program developed by IFS founder Dr. Richard Schwartz.
How therapy feels matters just as much as what happens in it.
Sessions feel like a real conversation with a real person. I'm direct and actively engaged, not a blank wall who just nods and reflects things back at you. At the same time, you'll feel genuinely heard, not directed or judged.
I think of my role like a GPS. You decide where we're going: what you want to work on, what matters, what change looks like for you. I help us get there. You're always in the driver's seat. You're the expert on your own experience. My job is to offer active support and guidance while making sure you feel understood every step of the way.
No one approach works for everyone, and I'm not here to impose one. We figure it out together.
What to expect in therapy
The first session is about getting oriented together. We build a real picture of what you’re struggling with. You’ll also start learning to slow down and “look inside” with curiosity instead of judgment, a foundational skill we return to throughout our work.
Subsequent sessions focus on understanding the roots of your concerns and struggles. With compassion, we explore where these patterns, feelings, and inner conflict came from. Understanding the origins changes the relationship you have with them.
Over time, you develop new ways of being. You develop skills and new ways of relating to yourself and other others. We build together a system that actually works for your life.
If you are curious if I may be a good fit for you and your needs, contact me for a consultation. No pressure, just a conversation.
I am authorized to provide telehealth services through PSYPACT which allows me to work with clients located in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
FAQs about IFS-informed Therapy with Campbell Psychological Wellness
Still have questions? Reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, schedule a free consultation.
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Campbell Psychological Wellness offers IFS-informed individual and couples therapy for adults in person in Richmond, VA and via telehealth in PSYPACT participating states.
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Many people who find their way to Internal Family Systems or “parts work” are not new to therapy. A large number have already tried other approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or skills-based treatments and gained meaningful insight. They often know what isn’t working and even what might work better but feel stuck in the “how".”
IFS focuses on that missing piece. Instead of only working at the level of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions, it helps you connect mind and body by working with different “parts” of yourself that hold patterns in place. This allows for deeper, more lasting change, not just understanding but the ability to actually shift how you feel and respond.
Learn more about how IFS can bridge the gap between insight and change.
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Yes. In Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, we absolutely focus on real-life skills and practical strategies, but we approach them a bit differently than traditional models.
In IFS, skill-building isn’t just about learning something new. It’s about helping the different “parts” of you actually use the skills you may already have. Many clients come in with strong coping tools, insight, and strategies, but find it hard to consistently apply them in moments that matter most.
IFS understands this as parts of you needing new roles or “jobs” that better fit your current life. Therapy focuses on helping those parts feel safe enough to step into these updated roles, so you can navigate your world with more confidence, flexibility, and alignment.
In other words, we don’t just add more tools. Internal Family Systems can help you fully access and embody the skills you’ve already built and develop more, so they work for you in lasting ways.
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That’s completely okay. You don’t have to understand or use the language of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for it to be effective.
One of the strengths of IFS is its flexibility. While I may be conceptualizing your experience through an IFS lens, we can use language that feels natural and comfortable to you. Instead of “parts,” we might talk about thoughts, emotions, behaviors, or even just patterns or reactions.
The focus isn’t on terminology. It’s on helping you better understand yourself and create meaningful change.
IFS-informed therapy meets you where you are. Whether you connect with the idea of parts or prefer a different way of describing your inner experience, we’ll shape the process together so it feels right, approachable, and useful to you.
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Not exactly. To put it simply, IFS is “parts work” but not all parts work follows the IFS model.
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For some clients, not always. And for other clients, not at all. It’s really about what works and feels right to you.
Demonstrations or videos often show a process called “insight work” where a client explores their internal world through something that looks like a guided meditation, which can lead to breakthroughs or profound shifts.
However, IFS can involve a process called direct access, which means that we would talk about what a thought, feeling, or behavior is doing for you. This approach tends to be more conversational and, for some, much more comfortable.
The process is always tailored to you.
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Yes, absolutely! While I often use Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy as a guiding framework, therapy is your space, and that includes room to simply talk, vent, and be human.
Whether you’re sharing pictures of your kids, talking about a great concern, or processing the back-breaking work you did in your garden this weekend, it all matters. These moments are not separate from therapy; they’re part of the process.
Some sessions may be less about structured “work” and more about releasing emotional tension, catching your breath, or strengthening our therapeutic relationship so that deeper work can feel safer or more accessible over time.
We all have different needs in different seasons. Sometimes it’s about insight and change, and other times it’s about support, connection, and being heard. There’s space for all of it.
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Not a problem at all. I offer in-office and telehealth appointments. Telehealth (video) appointments are conducted using a secure therapy portal. Some clients prefer to have the flexibility to switch between the two. Whatever works for your lifestyle, works for me.
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I am a self-pay provider (out-of-network), and do not work directly with any insurance companies.
Insurance companies typically require a mental health diagnosis, and they may limit the number of sessions or dictate the type of treatment that they consider is medically necessary. Additionally, they may require information about your therapy work such as your personal information, session content, or diagnosis.
By working with a self-pay provider, there is greater support for your privacy, more flexibility in your therapy, and a more personalized approach to care.
If you have out-of-network benefits, I’m happy to provide a superbill for possible reimbursement. For more information about rates and out-of-network benefits, click here.