6 IFS Tools Every Therapist Wishes They Had in Session (And Now You Can!)

You Know the Model. Now You Need the Tools.

You’ve done the trainings, read the books, and practiced the model. Internal Family Systems just clicks for you — the language of parts and Self feels like home. But even when you know the framework inside and out, there are still those moments in session when you find yourself thinking, “I wish I had something ready to help me with this part work right now.”

Maybe your client just discovered a critical manager for the first time and you want to help them stay curious instead of overwhelmed. Maybe they’ve gone quiet, eyes on the floor, and you’re wondering how to gently support an exile without pushing too fast. Or maybe you're heading into a session after a long morning, and you'd love something simple — something ready — to help keep the process grounded in Self.

You’re not alone.

Knowing the IFS model is one thing. Having practical, aligned tools at your fingertips is another.

That’s what this blog is here for — to help you connect the model you know so well with real-life, ready-to-use support.

What Is Internal Family Systems Therapy?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is built on the idea that our minds aren’t singular — we all have parts. These parts carry their own emotions, beliefs, and roles, and they’re often trying to help in ways that don’t always look helpful on the surface.

Of course, you already know this. But sometimes it’s helpful to pause for a moment and revisit the heart of the model — a brief grounding in the core ideas that guide so much of our work.

There are the managers that try to keep everything under control, the exiles that carry deep emotional pain, and the firefighters that jump in to numb or distract when things get overwhelming. And then there’s the Self — calm, compassionate, and clear — the part of us that can lead with wisdom when the system is in balance.

IFS therapy helps people connect to their Self, build trusting relationships with their parts, and create more internal harmony. It’s not about fixing or fighting anything — it’s about listening, witnessing, and helping parts unburden the pain they’ve been carrying for too long.

If you're using this model in your work, you already know how powerful it can be. But when you're deep in the process with a client, having the right words, visuals, or prompts in the moment? That’s where real support comes in.

Why Practical Tools Matter in an IFS-Aligned Practice

Even when you’re fully aligned with the IFS model, the day-to-day realities of therapy can make it hard to stay in that calm, connected place. Sessions can move quickly. Emotions surface. And when your client is navigating a vulnerable or blended moment, it’s not always easy to pause and craft just the right question or metaphor on the spot.

That’s where practical tools come in — not as a replacement for your skills or intuition, but as a gentle support system for both you and your client. A visual aid can help organize a chaotic internal world. A well-timed journaling prompt can extend the work beyond the 50-minute hour. A card with just the right affirmation can soften a session that’s felt a little too sharp.

Having IFS-aligned worksheets and resources on hand isn’t about being overly structured — it’s about making space for clarity, reflection, and momentum without having to create something new every time. It’s about honoring the model and the moment.

Let’s walk through the tools in the IFS Bundle — and the specific ways they can support your practice.

IFS Workbook: Bringing Structure to Deep Work

If you've ever had a client make a meaningful breakthrough and then pause — unsure where to go next — this workbook can be your gentle guide forward.

The IFS Fillable Workbook is a 105-page resource designed for both therapists and clients.

It was created to support some of the most essential parts of IFS work, including:

• Parts identification and mapping

• Unblending

• Unburdening

• Building relationships with protectors

• Supporting emotional regulation

• Navigating anxiety, trauma, and perfectionism

Whether you're working with someone new to IFS or supporting a client already deep in the process, the workbook offers a clear, structured way to continue the work — without needing to reinvent the wheel each time.

✦ What’s Included:

• 1x US Letter Color PDF (105 pages)

• 1x A4 Color PDF (105 pages)

• 1x Fillable PDF version — perfect for digital use or telehealth

• Worksheets and exercises that can be used flexibly across sessions or between appointments

🛠️ How You Might Use This Workbook in Practice:

1. During a session

   • Use the unblending worksheets when a client feels overwhelmed or unsure which part is speaking.

   • Pause mid-session to map a part that’s just surfaced — helping the client reflect without losing momentum.

   • Invite the client to narrate their experience as you go through the page together, building curiosity and connection.

     
     

2. Between sessions

   • Offer a specific worksheet as homework when a client wants to explore their protectors, but needs a gentle starting point.

   • Use the fillable version for clients in telehealth sessions — no printing required.

   • Encourage reflection by assigning a worksheet that helps clarify the burdens a part may be holding.

     
     

3. For your own clarity

   • Review the workbook between sessions to track progress or identify themes in the client’s internal system.

   • Use it as a planning tool when you're thinking about how to support a client who often blends quickly or gets stuck with their managers.

     
     

💡 Try the Free 8 C’s of Self-Exercise

Want to get a feel for the workbook before diving in? You can download a free sample that walks you through the 8 C’s of Self — Calm, Curiosity, Compassion, Clarity, Confidence, Courage, Creativity, and Connectedness.

This mini-pack includes:

• A guided visualization to connect with each quality

• Dialogue prompts for deepening the relationship with Self

• A self-rating reflection worksheet to identify where each C is showing up in daily life

It’s a gentle, focused way to introduce clients to Self-energy or to help them reconnect after a tough session ✨ Click here to download the 8 C’s of Self Free Resource ✨

IFS Flashcards: Quick Concepts for Big Moments

Whether you're introducing IFS to a new client, guiding someone through parts mapping, or just need a fast, clear way to explain a concept mid-session — the IFS Flashcards are an incredibly handy tool to have close by.

Each card presents a core IFS concept in a simple, accessible format. With 100 cards total, they cover everything from the roles of Protectors and Exiles to Self-leadership and the qualities of the 8 Cs. The language is clear, compassionate, and non-pathologizing — perfect for both professional use and client-facing education.

✦ What’s Included:

• 1x US Letter Color PDF (100 cards – 4 per page)

• 1x A4 Color PDF (100 cards – 4 per page)

• Covers key IFS principles in digestible, flashcard-style summaries

• Ideal for printing or keeping digitally accessible for reference in sessions

🛠️ How You Might Use the IFS Flashcards in Practice:

1. During session

   • Use flashcards to help clients visualize and remember key IFS concepts — especially when first introducing managers, firefighters, exiles, or the Self.

   • Offer a card to summarize a theme that emerged in session, reinforcing the language and ideas the client can take with them.

   • Use them as a check-in tool: invite the client to choose a card that reflects where their system is today, then explore it together.

     
     

2. As a teaching aid

   • Keep the cards nearby as a non-disruptive way to explain parts mapping, the 8 Cs, or the 5 Ps when a client asks a question or gets stuck.

   • Share a small set of flashcards with clients who are newer to IFS and want a low-pressure way to learn the language.

     
     

3. For your own reference

   • Use the cards as a personal study tool to stay fluent in IFS terms and frameworks, especially if you’re still integrating IFS into your work.

   • Keep a few favorite cards visible in your workspace as grounding reminders — the kind that quietly support Self-energy during a full day of sessions.

     
     

IFS Cheat Sheets: Deeper Reference to Stay Grounded in the Model

Once your client has started to get familiar with the IFS language, they may be ready for more detail. That’s where the IFS Cheat Sheets come in — a deeper, more structured reference guide that helps you (and your clients) stay grounded in the model, especially during complex sessions.

This 25-page resource is ideal for therapists looking to support their clients through trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, or emotion regulation — while staying aligned with the core principles of IFS. The content is therapist-friendly but client-accessible, with simple layouts that make even big ideas easy to grasp.

✦ What’s Included:

• 1x US Letter Color PDF (25 pages)

• 1x A4 Color PDF (25 pages)

• Organized for easy navigation — with references to Self-energy, the 8 Cs, protectors, exiles, parts work, and more

• Clear and calming visual design that makes referencing mid-session less overwhelming

  
  

🛠️ How You Might Use the IFS Cheat Sheets in Practice:

1. As a therapist quick-reference

   • Keep it nearby to refresh yourself on the 6 F’s, common parts roles, or the qualities of Self.

   • Use it to build confidence when sessions go off-script or a part emerges that you weren’t expecting.

     
     

2. With clients

   • Offer a few selected pages to reinforce what you’ve covered in session — especially helpful for clients who love visual aids or prefer to learn with structure.

   • Share concepts like “What is the Self?” or “What does unburdening involve?” to help solidify learning between appointments.

     
     

3. As part of your onboarding or prep

   • Use pages from the cheat sheet as part of a psychoeducation packet or welcome kit for IFS-informed therapy.

   • Highlight sections in your own supervision notes to track a client’s development across different systems and parts.

Together with the flashcards, the IFS Cheat Sheets offer a layered support system — from quick concepts to in-depth reference. It’s like having a session companion by your side: quiet, supportive, and always aligned with the work you’re already doing.

IFS Affirmation Cards: Gentle Support for Every Part

When a part feels misunderstood, intense, or too much, the right words can go a long way. The IFS Affirmation Cards are designed to speak directly to those parts — offering reassurance, acknowledgment, and the kind of compassion that helps soften even the most protective or wounded roles.

This digital deck of 100 affirmations is a powerful tool to support parts work related to trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, the inner critic, shame, and guilt. Each card offers a carefully worded affirmation that speaks the language of IFS — non-pathologizing, compassionate, and deeply respectful of each part’s intention.

✦ What’s Included:

• 1x US Letter PDF (13 pages, 8 cards per page – Color & B&W versions)

• 1x A4 PDF (13 pages, 8 cards per page – Color & B&W versions)

• 100 printable affirmation cards, created specifically with IFS language and themes in mind

• Easy-to-cut, therapist-friendly format

🛠️ How You Might Use the IFS Affirmation Cards in Practice:

1. During a session

   • Offer a card to a client when a part feels heavy, stuck, or scared — as a way to stay connected and soothed without needing to "fix" the part.

   • Use a card as a reflection prompt when you sense a firefighter or inner critic may be calming down but still needs reassurance.

   • Let clients choose a card intuitively and explore which part it speaks to — opening up curiosity and internal dialogue.

     
     

2. Between sessions

   • Send a PDF of selected cards to a client who’s struggling between sessions and needs gentle reminders from their Self.

   • Encourage clients to keep a few printed affirmations visible (on a mirror, a notebook, or as bookmarks) to help them stay connected to the work.

     
     

3. As part of a larger toolkit

   • Pair affirmation cards with journaling prompts, parts mapping, or after unburdening work to support emotional regulation and integration.

   • Use cards thematically — for example, selecting affirmations for protector parts when working with someone who blends frequently with perfectionism or control.

   • 
     

These cards don’t push for change — they invite presence. They’re written in the tone a part longs to hear, and they meet clients right where they are. Sometimes, just offering a part the message, “Your efforts to protect me are appreciated,” is all it takes to shift the session into a softer, more open space.

Whether used in-session or as a quiet companion between appointments, the IFS Affirmation Cards are a gentle but powerful addition to your therapy toolbox.

IFS Journal Prompts: Creating Space for Reflection and Discovery

Sometimes the most meaningful breakthroughs happen between sessions — when a client is able to pause, reflect, and connect with a part on their own. The IFS Journal Prompts are designed to gently guide that process, offering structured yet flexible support for deeper self-exploration.

This 60-prompt collection helps clients (and therapists, too) explore the emotions, beliefs, and burdens carried by their internal system. The prompts are ideal for working with parts often connected to anxiety, trauma, shame, guilt, and the inner critic — and can be especially helpful in building a stronger relationship between the Self and parts that are still learning to trust.

✦ What’s Included:

• 1x US Letter PDF – Color & B&W versions

• 1x A4 PDF – Color & B&W versions

• 60 carefully crafted prompts to support IFS-informed journaling

• Printable, easy-to-use format — ideal for both in-session use and take-home reflection

  
  

🛠️ How You Might Use the IFS Journal Prompts in Practice:

1. With clients between sessions

   • Assign specific prompts based on what came up in your last session — for example, after a firefighter part shows up, or when a client begins to sense a young exile.

   • Offer a few curated prompts for clients who want to deepen their parts work but feel unsure how to start.

   • Use journal responses as a gentle way to re-enter difficult material in your next session, allowing the client to lead the pace.

     
     

2. In session

   • Choose a single prompt to explore together when a session feels stuck or a client is struggling to identify what’s happening internally.

   • Use prompts as a soft entry point with clients who find verbal processing difficult — giving them a moment to write and then reflect aloud.

   • Invite the client to respond from the voice of a part or the Self — then reflect together on the tone and energy of each.

     
     

3. For therapist self-reflection

   • Explore the prompts yourself to get to know your own parts more intimately — especially when feeling stuck, reactive, or unsure how to approach a particular dynamic.

   • Use journaling as a pre-session ritual to help return to Self-energy before seeing clients with particularly activated systems.

     
     

These prompts aren’t just about writing — they’re about noticing, witnessing, and inviting curiosity. Each one is a small, intentional invitation to slow down and listen with care.

Whether used at home, in session, or as part of a client's ongoing integration work, the IFS Journal Prompts make it easier to stay connected to the internal system — one thoughtful question at a time.

800 IFS Therapy Questions: Your Go-To Guide for Powerful Prompts

Sometimes the difference between a surface-level response and a transformational shift is just the right question — asked at the right time. The 800 IFS Therapy Questions resource gives you a rich library of prompts to support deeper exploration, unblending, and connection across all parts of the system.

Designed specifically for therapists, this 56-page cheat sheet is organized to support Protector Parts work, Shadow Work, and broader IFS-informed therapy. Whether you’re looking to enhance flow in session, build confidence with newer clients, or keep things moving with long-term ones, this tool is a powerful companion.

✦ What’s Included:

• 1x US Letter Color PDF (56 pages)

• 1x A4 Color PDF (56 pages)

• 1x Interactive Fillable PDF for digital use

• 800 therapist-focused questions categorized for clarity and ease

• Covers Self-energy, the 8 Cs, Managers, Firefighters, Exiles, mapping, witnessing, unburdening, and more

  
  

🛠️ How You Might Use the IFS Therapy Questions in Practice:

1. During session

   • Quickly reference questions when a part shows up and you want to guide the client deeper without losing presence.

   • Use prompts to support work with specific parts:

     • “What are you afraid would happen if you didn’t do your job?” (Protector)

     • “What does this part want you to know?” (Exile)

     • “How does the Self feel toward this part right now?” (Self-to-part connection)

       
       

2. For session prep or treatment planning

   • Review sections before sessions with clients who blend quickly or who are navigating trauma-related burdens.

   • Highlight key questions to bring into supervision or use as a springboard for clinical consultation.

     
     

3. To deepen your own IFS fluency

   • Use the questions for your own self-inquiry and reflection — especially if you're navigating parts work personally or want to feel more grounded in your language during clinical work.

   • Practice building internal dialogues with different parts using these as templates.

     
     

This resource is ideal for therapists who love the model but don’t always have time to pause and brainstorm the perfect question mid-session. With these questions on hand, you’ll be better equipped to stay in flow — curious, attuned, and connected to both the client and the model.

Whether you're early in your IFS journey or looking for something to refine and streamline your sessions, this question bank meets you where you are — and helps you meet your clients with more clarity and confidence.

A Bundle Built to Support You

You already know the model. You show up every day to hold space for your clients’ parts, even when it’s messy, layered, or hard to untangle. And while the model offers a beautiful map, sometimes you need a few tools to help navigate it in the moment.

That’s what this IFS Bundle was designed for.

Whether you’re guiding a client through unblending for the first time, introducing Self-energy in a more embodied way, or simply trying to stay grounded when the session takes a sharp turn — these tools are here to back you up. They’re flexible, therapist-friendly, and rooted in the same principles you bring into the room every day.

Here’s what’s included in the full bundle:

💊 IFS Fillable Workbook – 105 pages

🧠 800 IFS Therapy Questions – 56 pages

💬 IFS Affirmation Cards – 100 cards (13 pages, 8 per page)

🗂️ IFS Flashcards – 100 cards (25 pages, 4 per page)

🔭 IFS Cheat Sheets – 25 pages

📓 IFS Journal Prompts – 60 prompts (13 pages)

Each piece was created to help you do the work you already love — with more ease, structure, and confidence.

💬 Ready to Feel More Supported in Your IFS Sessions? 👉 Click below to get the full Internal Family Systems Bundle

You don’t have to create everything from scratch. This bundle gives you ready-to-use tools that honor the model and make your sessions smoother — so you can focus on what really matters: staying present and connected.

Gentle Observation: If you’ve made it this far, I want to thank you — not just for reading, but for being the kind of therapist who’s always seeking to support your clients in more thoughtful and intentional ways.

We don’t always talk about how hard this work can feel. The weight we carry. The quiet self-doubt. The exhaustion that sometimes sits just behind our commitment to showing up well.

So here’s a gentle reminder from one mental health professional to another: you’re allowed to have support, too.

These tools aren’t just for your clients — they’re for you. To make things feel a little lighter, a little more doable, and a little more connected.

Jemma (Gentle Observations Team)

P.S.

✨ If you're a Therapy Resource Library member, you already have access to all of these resources in your library!

You can find each one here:

• IFS Fillable Workbook (105 pages)

• IFS Journal Prompts (60 prompts)

• IFS Affirmation Cards (100 cards)

• IFS Therapy Questions (56 pages)

• IFS Flashcards (100 cards)

• IFS Cheat Sheets (25 pages)

  
  

Just log in and download whatever you need — they’re all waiting for you.

Not a Therapy Resource Library member yet? You can learn more and join here to get instant access to this entire bundle and so much more.