Parts work
IFS-Informed Parts Work in Miami and Online Across Florida
Part of you wants to rest, and another part keeps you answering emails at 11 p.m. Part of you wants to say no, and yes comes out anyway. You might hear a critical voice the moment you make a small mistake, sharper than anything you would say to a friend.
I’m Isabel Wyss, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor based in Miami. I use an Internal Family Systems (IFS) informed approach with adults online across Florida. Parts work offers a kinder way to understand these inner conflicts, and a way to change them without fighting yourself.
What IFS-informed parts work is
Internal Family Systems is a way of understanding the mind as made up of different parts, each with its own feelings, beliefs and job. Everyone has parts. They are how people adapt to what life has asked of them, and having them is no sign that you’re broken.
Beneath the parts, IFS describes a core Self: a calm, curious and compassionate presence that is still there, even when it feels buried. Much of the work is helping your parts trust that presence enough to step back a little. To me, this is what the name of my practice points to: returning home to yourself.
Protectors and exiles, explained plainly
In IFS, most parts fall into two broad groups.
- 01ProtectorsThese parts try to keep you away from pain. Some act ahead of time, like the planner, the perfectionist, the inner critic or the people-pleaser. Others rush in once pain breaks through, with scrolling, overeating, drinking, shutting down or snapping at someone.
- 02ExilesThese are younger parts that carry hurt, fear or shame from earlier experiences. Protectors work hard to keep them out of awareness, because their feelings once seemed too much to bear.
Protectors usually developed for good reasons. The inner critic may have learned that if it criticized you first, other people’s criticism would hurt less. The people-pleaser may have learned that keeping everyone happy was the safest way to belong. In parts work, we get curious about these jobs instead of trying to get rid of the part.
What parts work can help with
- People-pleasing, over-giving and trouble saying no
- A harsh inner critic or constant self-doubt
- Perfectionism and over-functioning, especially in high achievers
- Feeling torn between two choices, or having the same argument with yourself for years
- Habits you want to change but keep returning to
- Shame and old hurts from childhood or past relationships
- Trauma, when it helps to approach painful material through the parts that hold it
Many of the people I work with in Miami look capable and caring on the outside and feel exhausted on the inside. Parts work helps explain why: some parts have been working overtime for years, often without anyone noticing, including you.
What a parts work session looks like
- 01Noticing a partWe start with something present for you, like a knot of dread before a family dinner or a voice saying you haven’t done enough. We notice where it shows up in your body and your thoughts.
- 02Getting curiousWe ask the part what it is afraid would happen if it stopped, and how long it has been doing this job. The answers often make sense of a pattern that seemed irrational.
- 03Building trustAs protectors feel understood, they often soften and give you more room. People notice this as more calm, more choice or less noise in their head.
- 04Caring for what is underneathWhen protectors allow it, we gently turn toward the younger parts they guard, at a pace your system can handle.
I also bring in somatic awareness and, when it fits, EMDR. Parts work and body work sit well together, since a part often shows up first as a sensation, such as a clenched stomach or a lump in the throat.
Online sessions across Florida
All sessions are secure, HIPAA-compliant video sessions for adults who are physically in Florida at the time of the session. You can join from home in Miami, from a quiet room at work or from anywhere private in the state.
Parts work translates well to video. It is reflective and guided by conversation, and turning inward often comes more easily from a room you know well.
My training and fees
I describe my work as IFS-informed. I draw on the IFS model alongside my training as an Integrated Somatic Trauma Practitioner through The Embody Lab, my EMDR training and my Neurobiology of Complex Trauma training through the NCTSN. I hold an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lynn University.
Sessions are 50–60 minutes and the private pay rate is $175 per session. Insurance options depend on your plan, so ask during your free consultation.
To start, book a free 15-minute consultation by phone or video through my secure client portal. We can talk about what is going on and whether parts work feels like a good fit for you.
At a glance
Working with Isabel
- Isabel Wyss, LMHC (Florida MH26669)
- Online only, by secure video, for adults located in Florida
- $175 per 50–60 minute session
- Free 15-minute consultation
- Sessions in English or Spanish
Questions about IFS-Informed Parts Work
What is IFS therapy?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a model that sees the mind as made up of parts, such as an inner critic, a people-pleaser or a younger part that still feels hurt. Protector parts try to keep pain away, and exiled parts carry it. The work helps you understand these parts with curiosity and compassion, so they can ease up and you have more choice in how you respond.
What does IFS-informed mean?
It means I draw on the ideas and methods of IFS, such as protectors, exiles and Self, within my wider trauma-informed work, which also includes somatic therapy and EMDR. I don’t hold an IFS certification. If you are looking specifically for a certified IFS therapist, we can talk that through during a free consultation.
Can parts work help with people-pleasing?
Yes. People-pleasing is often a protector part that learned early on that keeping others happy kept you safe or loved. In parts work we get to know that part, thank it for its effort and find out what it is protecting. As it starts to trust that you can handle conflict or disappointment, saying no usually gets easier.
Is it strange to talk to parts of myself?
It can feel unfamiliar at first. Most people already speak this way, as in “one side of me wants to say yes, and another side is dreading it.” Parts work simply takes that seriously. You don’t have to visualize anything or speak out loud to a part. Noticing a feeling or a thought and getting curious about it is enough to begin.
Can IFS-informed therapy be done online?
Yes. Parts work is reflective and conversation-based, so it adapts well to secure video sessions. Some people find it easier to turn inward from a familiar room at home. I offer sessions online to adults who are physically in Florida at the time of each session. Sessions are 50–60 minutes and the private pay rate is $175.
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Other ways I can help
Free 15-minute consultation
Start with a free 15-minute call
Tell me a little about what’s going on, ask your questions, and see how it feels to talk. There’s no pressure to book. Sessions are $175 for 50–60 minutes, online for anyone located in Florida.
Based in Miami, FL · Online across Florida · English & Español