Online IFS therapy from just $35/session with licensed therapists (PhD, PsyD, LCSW, LMHC, LMFT) trained in this compassionate, whole-person approach. At Grouport, we offer online individual therapy, online group therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, teen therapy, and virtual IOP options. IFS was listed on SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, rated effective for improving well-being and promising for anxiety, depression, and physical health conditions.
IFS works by helping you understand and heal the different "parts" of yourself that carry pain, fear, or protective behaviors developed in response to difficult life experiences. Instead of fighting your emotions, you learn to lead your inner system with compassion, curiosity, and clarity. A 2021 pilot study found that 92% of participants with childhood trauma no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD after 16 weeks of IFS treatment.
Consistently Recognized as the #1 Online Therapy pick
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At Grouport, we offer multiple ways to access IFS-informed therapy, all led by licensed clinicians. Whether you prefer individual sessions for personalized healing, group therapy for shared healing, or a higher-intensity program, our offerings are designed to help you build Self-leadership and heal from the inside out. Many members choose to combine formats for the most comprehensive support.
Our online IFS therapy is designed to help you heal from the inside out with licensed therapists trained in this compassionate approach. Here is how to get started.
Whether you're interested in group therapy, individual sessions, couples or family therapy, or IOP, you'll start by selecting the type of support that fits your needs. Complete our onboarding form and sign up directly for the plan that suits you best.
After signing up, you'll connect with a dedicated care coordinator who will walk you through available therapists, group options, and scheduling. You'll make the final choice about your care based on your goals, preferences, and schedule.
Start your IFS journey. Your therapist will guide you in understanding the different sides of yourself, what drives them, and how to respond to difficult emotions with more compassion and clarity. Between sessions, you may practice these skills in daily life. Our team will support you every step of the way.
Whether you want individual IFS sessions, group therapy for shared healing, a combination of both, or our IOP program for more intensive care, you will start by selecting the format that fits your needs and schedule. Complete our onboarding form and sign up directly.
After signing up, you will connect with a dedicated care coordinator who will discuss your challenges, goals, and preferences. They will match you with a therapist experienced in IFS and walk you through your options. You will make the final choice about your care, including which therapists you will meet with and session times.
Start your IFS journey. Together with your therapist, you will begin understanding the different sides of yourself, what drives your emotional patterns, and how to respond with more compassion and clarity. Between sessions, you may practice these skills in daily life. Our team will be here to support you at every step.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative, evidence-based approach to psychotherapy developed by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz in the 1980s. In 2015, IFS was listed on SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), rated effective for improving general functioning and well-being, and promising for anxiety, depression, physical health conditions, and personal resilience.
IFS is built on three core ideas:
IFS identifies three types of parts: Managers (parts that try to keep you safe by controlling, planning, or people-pleasing), Firefighters (parts that react when pain breaks through, often through numbing, bingeing, or emotional outbursts), and Exiles (young, wounded parts carrying pain, shame, or fear from past experiences). The goal of IFS is not to eliminate any part but to help each part unburden the extreme roles it has taken on, restoring balance to your inner system.
IFS has shown particular promise for complex trauma, depression, chronic pain, and building self-compassion. It can be used as a standalone treatment or integrated with other approaches like CBT, EMDR, and DBT.
IFS does not try to fix you because you are not broken. It helps you understand, befriend, and lead the different sides of yourself that have been carrying too much for too long.
That harsh inner critic is a part of you that learned to push you hard, usually to protect you from failure or rejection. IFS helps you understand why that part developed, appreciate its intent, and gently help it step back so your Self can lead with kindness instead of judgment. Over time, self-compassion becomes your default rather than self-attack.
Many of us bring protective sides of ourselves into relationships: the people-pleaser, the wall-builder, the conflict-avoider, the controller. IFS helps you recognize when one of these protective patterns has taken over and choose to respond from your Self instead. This means more honest communication, healthier boundaries, and deeper connection.
Unlike some trauma therapies that involve directly revisiting painful memories, IFS allows you to approach painful memories and emotions gently and at your own pace. Your mind's natural protective instincts slow things down if the work moves too quickly, creating built-in safety. This makes IFS especially effective for people with complex or childhood trauma.
Ever wonder why you overreact to certain situations or shut down emotionally? IFS helps you trace those reactions back to the underlying emotions driving them. When you understand that your anger is actually a protective response trying to shield you from deeper pain, the reaction makes sense. This understanding gives you choice: you can acknowledge what is happening inside and respond with clarity instead of reacting automatically.
Patterns like emotional eating, procrastination, substance use, or self-sabotage are driven by inner coping mechanisms that developed to manage overwhelming feelings. IFS does not shame these behaviors or try to force them to stop. Instead, it addresses the underlying pain they are protecting you from. When that deeper wound is healed, the coping mechanism naturally loses its grip.
The ultimate goal of IFS is not just symptom relief but developing the capacity to lead your life from your core Self, characterized by Dr. Schwartz's "8 Cs": calm, curiosity, clarity, compassion, confidence, courage, creativity, and connectedness. When you can access these qualities in difficult moments, you respond to life's challenges with wisdom rather than reactivity.
IFS is collaborative, gentle, and moves at the pace your system needs. Here is what the early stages of treatment look like, so you know exactly what to expect.
Your therapist will help you begin noticing and naming the different sides of yourself: the anxious voice, the inner critic, the people-pleaser, the part that wants to shut down. There is no judgment here. Every side of you is welcome. You will start to see how these inner dynamics interact and influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Before approaching deeper pain, your therapist will help you build trust with the protective sides of yourself that guard it. In IFS, these are called Managers (the planners and controllers) and Firefighters (the parts that react in a crisis). These protectors need to trust that you can handle what comes up before they step aside. This is why IFS has built-in safety: you never go deeper than your system is ready for.
With permission from your protective sides, your therapist will guide you to connect with your calm, compassionate core, then approach the younger, wounded parts of yourself with curiosity and care. You will witness what they experienced, validate their pain, and help them release the extreme beliefs and emotions they have been carrying. This unburdening process is often described as profoundly freeing.
As deeper wounds are healed, your protective patterns naturally relax their extreme roles. The inner critic becomes a supportive coach. The people-pleaser learns to set boundaries. The urge to numb or distract fades. Your inner world becomes more harmonious, and you develop the capacity to lead your life from a place of calm, clarity, and compassion rather than from reactivity.
See how our therapy options have helped our members experience life-changing results
Stephanie
“Grouport is time flexible and affordable and if it didn’t exist, I don’t know where I would go. I had looked into other places before Grouport and there really wasn’t any option like it.”
Michael
“I highly recommend this to anyone who is struggling with anxiety or depression. The therapists are top notch and have made me feel really comfortable and my anxiety has improved tremendously in only a few sessions!”
Isabel
"I joined Grouport to work on myself and to heal. I’m learning so much at every session! The change I see not only in myself but in my fellow group members is abundantly encouraging and profoundly fulfilling. Group therapy with Grouport is a powerful healing tool."
Sheldon
“I was feeling very down at the end of 2020 and I was ready to do something drastic that I know I'd likely regret. The group definitely helped show me that there are people who feel the same way as I do.”
Nancy
“The therapy from Grouport is high quality and convenient. I am becoming much more self aware and am liking myself more. My relationships at work are better and I’m much happier.”
Emily
“I like the connection you can make with total strangers and the confidentiality it comes with.”
Danielle
"Grouport can help you with your issues. Their therapists are well trained to work with you on your issues. I felt my anxiety greatly improve after only a few sessions. I highly recommend it!"
Glenn
"Grouport's approach to DBT is a real strength. This approach provides tools and methods for working with difficult emotions and getting a handle on them. It has given me hope where other approaches have failed."
IFS is a versatile approach that addresses the root causes of distress rather than just managing symptoms. It has shown particular promise for the following conditions.
IFS has shown particular promise for complex trauma and PTSD, especially for survivors of childhood trauma who may not respond fully to traditional approaches. A 2021 pilot study found that 92% of participants no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria after 16 weeks of IFS. The framework provides natural safety: your mind's protective instincts can slow healing down if it moves too quickly, preventing overwhelm.
IFS addresses depression by helping you understand the different sides of yourself: the side carrying hopelessness, worthlessness, and exhaustion, and the side that may be numbing or withdrawing to protect you from that pain. A pilot RCT with college women found IFS was as effective as CBT and interpersonal therapy for reducing depressive symptoms. IFS also builds self-compassion, which research links to sustained recovery from depression.
IFS was rated "promising" for anxiety disorders by SAMHSA's NREPP. Rather than trying to control or eliminate anxiety, IFS helps you understand the anxious part: what it is afraid of, what it is trying to protect you from, and what it needs from you. When the anxious part feels heard and understood by your Self, it often naturally relaxes its grip.
The strongest RCT evidence for IFS comes from a 2013 study with rheumatoid arthritis patients, which found statistically significant reductions in pain, physical impairment, and depressive symptoms compared to a control group, with improvements sustained one year later. IFS works with chronic pain by addressing the emotional patterns that may be amplifying or maintaining pain signals.
IFS helps with relationship issues by helping you understand which inner patterns drive your relationships: the people-pleaser that cannot say no, the wall-builder that pushes people away, or the anxious attacher that clings. When you respond from a centered, compassionate place instead of from fear or defensiveness, your relationships become more authentic, balanced, and connected.
Low self-esteem often stems from younger versions of yourself still carrying shame, unworthiness, or "not enough" beliefs from childhood. IFS helps you access these wounded inner experiences with compassion, release the beliefs they carry, and discover that your core Self has always been whole, worthy, and enough. Research shows IFS significantly increases self-compassion.
Every Grouport therapist is a licensed, accredited mental health professional with specialized training in evidence-based approaches including IFS, and extensive clinical experience in trauma, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues.
Our therapists typically have over a decade of clinical experience across diverse settings, with specialized expertise in IFS, trauma-informed interventions, anxiety, depression, complex trauma, relationship issues, and a wide range of evidence-based approaches. Our therapists are trained in IFS and other proven modalities to provide the best fit for your needs.
We continually evaluate outcomes through internal studies and outcomes studies with researchers from leading universities such as Carnegie Mellon, University of Essex, and University of Cologne.
MEET OUR THERAPISTS
a healthier future starts right here
80%of our members start with moderate to severe mental health symptoms
70% of our members feel significantly better within just 8 weeks
50% of our members achieve remission levels within just 8 weeks
80%
of our members start with moderate to severe mental health symptoms
70%
of our members feel significantly better within just 8 weeks
50%
of our members achieve remission levels within just 8 weeks
Group, individual, couples, family, IOP, and teen therapy — all online, all therapist-led. Mix and match care options to fit your needs — and get discounted pricing when you bundle.
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IFS is a versatile approach that addresses the root causes of many mental health challenges, and our licensed therapists are experienced in treating all of these challenges and more. Many members combine IFS with other evidence-based approaches to address co-occurring concerns through our flexible therapy options.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based approach to psychotherapy developed by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz in the 1980s. IFS views the mind as naturally made up of multiple "parts," each with its own perspective and role. The goal is to help you access your core Self, a state of calm, compassion, and clarity, so you can heal wounded parts and restore inner balance. In 2015, IFS was listed on SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).
Grouport provides online group therapy, individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, teen therapy, intensive outpatient program (IOP), all held virtually over video chat. We also offer a DBT self-guided program. Many members combine multiple therapy formats for comprehensive support.
Yes. Our therapists are licensed mental health professionals with training in IFS and other evidence-based approaches for trauma, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Our network includes:
✔ Licensed Psychologists (PhD, PsyD)
✔ Licensed Social Workers (LCSW)
✔ Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC)
✔ Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists (LMFT)
Traditional CBT focuses on changing thought patterns and behaviors. Talk therapy focuses on gaining insight through conversation. IFS works differently: it helps you identify and build relationships with the different parts of yourself, then heal the wounded parts that drive your symptoms. Rather than trying to change your thoughts, IFS helps you understand why those parts think and feel the way they do and addresses the root cause.
IFS typically involves ongoing sessions over several months. The PTSD pilot study used 16 weeks of treatment. However, many people begin noticing shifts in self-awareness and emotional regulation within the first few sessions. At Grouport, 70% of our members feel significantly better within just 8 weeks.
Yes. IFS translates well to online formats. The internal, introspective nature of IFS is well-suited to video sessions, and many people find it easier to access their inner world from the comfort and privacy of home. All Grouport sessions are held via secure, HIPAA-compliant video chat.
IFS therapy is available across multiple therapy formats:
✔ Group Therapy: Avg. $32/session ($140/month)
✔ Individual Therapy: Avg. $103/session ($448/month)
✔ Couples Therapy: Avg. $114/session ($496/month)
✔ Family Therapy: Avg. $148/session ($644/month)
✔ IOP: $311/week
✔ Teen Therapy: Avg. $103/session ($448/month)
Payment Options: Monthly, Quarterly (Save 10%), Biannually (Save 15%). Switch therapists anytime. Cancel anytime!
You can cancel anytime, and your membership will remain active until the end of your current billing period. After that, your plan will not renew, and no further payments will be charged. To cancel, email us at support@grouporttherapy.com and we'll send you a quick cancellation form to fill out. You can view more information on our Recurring Billing Policy.
Our therapy outcomes are backed by outcomes studies with researchers from leading universities such as Carnegie Mellon, University of Essex, and University of Cologne. 80% of our members start therapy with moderate to severe symptoms. Within just 8 weeks, 70% of members see clinically significant reduction in anxiety and depression, and 50% achieve remission levels.
IFS has shown particular promise for complex trauma and PTSD (a 2021 pilot study found 92% of participants no longer met PTSD criteria after 16 weeks), depression (a pilot RCT found IFS as effective as CBT for depressive symptoms), anxiety (rated promising by SAMHSA), chronic pain (an RCT showed significant reductions in pain and impairment), relationship issues, and self-esteem.
Grouport is available worldwide for everyone! We serve clients of all ages and backgrounds, with all sessions held virtually over video chat. We offer separate therapy groups for Adults (18+) and Teens & Adolescents (under 18). No matter where you are, you can get the support you need from the comfort of home.
Yes! We want you to feel confident and comfortable with your therapy experience. After signing up, a care coordinator will reach out to understand your needs and match you with a therapist and schedule of your choosing.
✔ You'll be able to choose your therapist.
✔ Most members are placed within a few hours, or within 24-72 hours max.
✔ Flexible options: If you ever want to switch therapists, we can easily make adjustments to ensure the best fit.
In IFS, "parts" are the different subpersonalities within your mind. There are three types:
✔ Managers: Parts that try to keep you safe by controlling, planning, people-pleasing, or staying hypervigilant. They work proactively to prevent pain.
✔ Firefighters: Parts that react when pain breaks through, often through numbing, bingeing, emotional outbursts, substance use, or dissociation. They are reactive protectors.
✔ Exiles: Young, wounded parts carrying pain, shame, fear, or worthlessness from past experiences. They are the parts that Managers and Firefighters work to protect.
Everyone has parts, and every part has a positive intent, even the ones that cause problems.
The Self is your core essence beneath all the different sides of yourself. Dr. Schwartz describes it through the "8 Cs": calm, curiosity, clarity, compassion, confidence, courage, creativity, and connectedness. The Self is not damaged by trauma; it is always present, just sometimes obscured by protective patterns. The goal of IFS is to help you access and lead from this Self, which naturally knows how to heal what hurts inside.
IFS is appropriate for most people, including individuals, couples, families, and teens. However, it may not be suitable for individuals with severe psychotic symptoms or active paranoia, as the concept of having "parts" could be confusing or counterproductive in those cases. Your therapist can help determine if IFS is the right fit for you.
Yes. IFS has been adapted for children and teens. Young people often connect naturally with the idea of having different parts and find it empowering to name and understand them. At Grouport, we offer separate therapy groups for Adults (18+) and Teens & Adolescents (under 18) to ensure age-appropriate support.
Whether you are struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship patterns, self-criticism, or simply feeling stuck, IFS can help you heal from the inside out by understanding and befriending every side of yourself. With licensed therapists, a compassionate evidence-based framework, and flexible online formats, Grouport makes it easy to get started. Take the first step toward Self-leadership today.
