Recently, a piece in the New York Times questioned aspects of Internal Family Systems therapy. Rather than reacting defensively, I see moments like this as an opportunity to clarify what I mean when I say my work is 'IFS-influenced.'
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Thoughts on therapy and what it means to move toward greater wholeness.
Recently, a piece in the New York Times questioned aspects of Internal Family Systems therapy. Rather than reacting defensively, I see moments like this as an opportunity to clarify what I mean when I say my work is 'IFS-influenced.'
Over the years, I've watched clients have profound moments of relief simply from hearing that their nervous system was trying to protect them, not punish them. So when a group of 39 neuroscientists recently published a formal critique of Polyvagal Theory, I understood why many felt unsettled.
© 2026 David Waterman. BACP Registered Psychotherapist.