The IFS worksheet sequence
| Stage | Worksheet | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Parts Map | Names the parts and their roles. |
| Self-energy check | 8 C's | Self-assessment: is the client in Self, or is a part driving? |
| Access | Unblending | Creates space between Self and a blended part. |
| Dialogue | Parts Dialogue | Structured conversation with a specific part. |
| Protector / exile mapping | Protectors & Exiles | Maps managers, firefighters and the exiles they protect. |
| Between-sessions | Self Journal | Daily check-in with parts. |
| Closing | Unburdening | Ritual for a part releasing its burden. |
Which sheet, when
Use the Parts Map in the first three sessions — clients need the vocabulary before anything else lands. The 8 C's is a check-in you can repeat weekly (it takes 90 seconds). Unblending is the workhorse — most in-session parts work opens with a version of it. Save Unburdening for after a specific protector has clearly agreed to step back.
Worksheets
- IFS Parts Map →
Name and map the client's parts.
- IFS 8 C's Self-Check →
Are you in Self, or is a part driving?
- IFS Unblending →
Create space between Self and a blended part.
- IFS Parts Dialogue →
Structured conversation with a specific part.
- Protectors & Exiles Map →
Managers, firefighters and the exiles beneath.
- IFS Self Journal →
Daily between-session check-in with parts.
- IFS Unburdening →
Closing ritual after a burden is released.
- Firefighter Meeting →
Address the crisis part that shows up in extremes.
- Inner Critic Dialogue →
IFS-informed dialogue with the critical part.
Frequently asked questions
Are IFS worksheets a substitute for training?+
No. Worksheets scaffold the in-session work — they don't replace it. IFS is an experiential modality; use these sheets as psychoeducation and between-session structure, not as a self-directed protocol.
Which IFS worksheet is best for a first session?+
The Parts Map. It gives the client the vocabulary — parts, protectors, exiles, Self — that everything else references. Follow it with the 8 C's in session two.
Can I use IFS worksheets in a non-IFS practice?+
Yes for the psychoeducation sheets (Parts Map, 8 C's, Inner Critic Dialogue). The processing sheets (Unblending, Unburdening) belong inside IFS-trained work.