Using Internal Family Systems (IFS) in Nutrition Therapy: A Guide for Dietitians
Featuring Molly Bahr, LMHC, LPC
IFS Therapist
Helping clients navigate their relationship with food isn’t just about meal plans or food swaps. Food is emotional. It’s tied to beliefs, experiences, and even self-worth. That’s why traditional nutrition counseling sometimes falls short, especially for folks struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a powerful framework that helps us go deeper and create lasting change.
What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)?
IFS is a therapy model created by Dr. Richard Schwartz that sees our mind as made up of different “parts,” each with its own thoughts, emotions, and roles. IFS therapist Molly Bahr, LMHC, LPC adds, “The idea is to get to know and befriend these parts so we can work with them to restore a sense of harmony, balance, and self trust. Parts can transform into different roles so they can help in more effective ways. IFS was created when Dr. Schwartz worked with eating disorders and he observed clients describing different parts of them that show up. Trained as a family therapist, he noticed by working with parts the way he would with families, he was able to help resolve internal conflicts and repair their relationship with food and their body.”
When it comes to nutrition, IFS helps clients recognize the parts of them that influence eating behaviors, such as:
The Inner Critic that shames them for eating certain foods.
The Perfectionist that demands rigid food rules.
The Emotional Eater that turns to food for comfort.
The Protector that uses restriction or binging to cope.
Instead of trying to silence these parts, IFS encourages curiosity- why are they showing up? What are they trying to protect? By understanding them, clients can heal and develop a healthier relationship with food.
How Can Dietitians Use IFS?
IFS blends perfectly with trauma-informed care and weight-inclusive approaches, making it a great resource for dietitians working with eating disorders or anyone with a complicated relationship with food.
Benefits of IFS in nutrition therapy:
Helps clients understand their internal food-related dialogue.
Reduces self-sabotage and inner conflict.
Fosters a kinder, more compassionate relationship with food and body.
Gets to the root of food struggles instead of just treating symptoms.
Examples of using IFS in Nutrition Therapy
Identify the Parts: Encourage clients to recognize the different voices that show up around food. “I notice my inner critic gets loud when I eat dessert.”
Get Curious: Help clients explore these parts without judgment. “What is this part afraid would happen if you stopped following strict food rules?”
Reconnect with Self: Guide clients toward their core self so they can approach food decisions from a place of understanding rather than guilt.
Help Parts Find New Roles: Once parts feel heard, they’re more open to shifting into healthier patterns. Maybe the Perfectionist can focus on balance rather than control.
IFS Trainings + Resources for Dietitians
IFS Institute Trainings: The official training hub for IFS with Level 1, 2, and 3 courses.
IFS & Intuitive Eating Course by Marci Evans, RD: Tailored for dietitians integrating IFS into eating disorder work.
Molly Bahr Couseling www.mollybahrcounseling.com
Final Thoughts
Bringing IFS into nutrition therapy can transform the way we support our clients. Instead of just focusing on food behaviors, we can help them heal from the inside out. It’s about understanding, compassion, and real change.
Emilee Young is an eating disorder dietitian and founder of Embrace Nutrition Counseling. She supports all ages and genders in healing their relationship with food and body.
She specializes in binge eating disorder and works from a Health at Every Size and Intuitive Eating framework.
Embrace Nutrition Counseling provides virtual nutrition counseling to residents in Virginia, DC, and Maryland. Including Virginia Beach, Roanoke, Blacksburg, Charlottesville, and Richmond Virginia.
Services offered include support for- Binge Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Other Specified Eating Disorder, ARFID, Prenatal and Postnatal Nutrition.
