The LGBTQ+ community suffers from stigma and self-inflicted shame, making it exceedingly difficult for them to maintain stable mental health. The combination of discrimination and trauma from the past makes the process of self-acceptance an even heavier burden to carry. In such difficult situations, internal family systems (IFS) is a method of therapy that can have a tremendous impact on your mental health. Some Chicago therapists are now focusing on IFS for the LGBTQ+ community to enable them to reconnect with their core selves and boost their emotional health.

The Basics of Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

IFS is particularly life-changing for the LGBTQ+ community. Members of this community tend to struggle with identity and societal rejection, and IFS helps resolve some of the emotional chaos. People with self-acceptance difficulties are able to achieve emotional well-being and self-acceptance balance. This helps them heal from internal struggles and accept their true selves.

How does IFS Support LGBTQ+ Mental Health in Chicago?

At Summit Psychotherapy, we are genuinely impressed with how IFS therapy tackles the mental health of people in the LGBTQ+ community: it is both methodical and highly personal. Many people suffer from self-judgment as a consequence of social constructs. IFS therapy empowers people to let these self-critical parts speak, which allows them to understand their origins and ultimately transform them with self-compassion.

In Chicago, where services for the LGBTQ+ community’s mental health are thankfully on the rise, trained IFS therapists provide a safe environment in which trauma, rejection, and discrimination are worked on. Clients have reported profound increases in self-esteem, a decrease in anxiety, and an overall improvement in self-identity.

IFS therapy truly empowers people to reclaim their emotional well-being by allowing them to resolve internal struggles through a supportive and non-pathologizing approach. With this form of therapy, people not only heal from the wounds of the past, but are also encouraged to live a more fulfilling life surrounded by love and support. 

Ready to start your healing journey? Contact Summit Psychotherapy today at
(773) 612-6206 or complete our intake form to schedule an appointment.

Where to Find the Best LGBTQ+ Therapist in Chicago?

For optimized healing, a therapist needs to have in-depth knowledge of and experience with both LGBTQ+ issues and the IFS therapeutic approach. Few practitioners in Chicago have an adequately integrative care model. Here at Summit Psychotherapy, we meet both these criteria, and we emphasize compassion throughout the healing process.

Every patient must be able to feel that their therapist is caring and empathetic before proceeding with the Internal Family Systems therapy. During our initial meetings, we ensure patients understand our therapy methods so that there are no surprises later on. With appropriate assistance, LGBTQ+ patients in Chicago stand to gain immensely from the IFS model of therapy to begin their healing journey.

The Bottom Line

The healing process starts with understanding and accepting every aspect of ourselves. For LGBTQ+ clients in Chicago, Internal Family Systems therapy offers a unique, nurturing approach to dealing with emotional trauma while fostering psychological strength.

If you or someone you know is dealing with challenging issues of mental health in the LGBTQ+ spectrum, then IFS therapy with Summit Psychotherapy is a suitable option to pursue. Let’s talk today.