IFS · Parts Work
Meeting a Firefighter Part
A guided IFS sheet for parts that put out fires with fire
Firefighters put out emotional fires fast — sometimes with fire. Don't try to talk them out of their job. Sit with them. Find what they're protecting.
The behavior or pull
When it tends to show up
1
Locate
Where do you notice this part in (or around) the body?
2
Name
Give it a name. Plain English — 'the Shut-Down One,' 'the Numb-Out.'
3
Ask
What's it trying to do for you right now?
4
Ask again
What is it afraid would happen if it stopped?
5
Thank
It's been doing this job for a long time. Acknowledge that.
6
Negotiate
Would it be willing to let you meet the one it's protecting?
Before you close
Let the firefighter know you'll come back. Parts that feel abandoned escalate. Make a real, kept appointment.