Richard D. Schwartz

Richard D. Schwartz, Ph.D., developed the Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients' descriptions of experiencing various partsmany extremewithin themselves. He noticed that when these parts felt safe and had their concerns addressed, they were less disruptive and would accede to the wise leadership of what Dr. Schwartz came to call the "Self." Because IFS locates the source of healing within the client, the therapist is freed to focus on guiding the client's access to his or her...See more

Richard D. Schwartz, Ph.D., developed the Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients' descriptions of experiencing various partsmany extremewithin themselves. He noticed that when these parts felt safe and had their concerns addressed, they were less disruptive and would accede to the wise leadership of what Dr. Schwartz came to call the "Self." Because IFS locates the source of healing within the client, the therapist is freed to focus on guiding the client's access to his or her true Self and supporting the client in harnessing its wisdom. He has published four books and over 50 articles about IFS. His books include Internal Family Systems Therapy, Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model, and co-author of Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods, the Mosaic Mind, and Metaframeworks. In 2000, he founded The Center for Self Leadership. Dr. Schwartz lives and practices in Brookline, MA and is on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard School of Medicine. See less