If you’ve ever started therapy, self-reflection, or healing work and found yourself feeling stuck or hesitant, it can be terrifying to our systems to dig deep after years of unprocessed experiences. In Internal Family Systems (IFS), we see resistance as a part: Often a deeply wise, protective part, trying to keep you safe. And in IFS, instead of trying to push it away, we pause and listen. Because resistance is almost always carrying a story worth hearing.

*Please note that this blog is not a replacement for therapy, and intended for educational purposes only.

As a licensed therapist in Denver, I provide a compassionate space for those seeking alternatives to traditional talk therapy. With training in EMDR and IFS-Informed therapy, I focus on providing individualized care designed to meet your specific needs. Explore my services by clicking here, and schedule a consultation today to begin your path to healing.

What Is a Protective Part in IFS?

In IFS, we understand the inner world as a system of “parts,” each with its own history, voice, emotions, and role. Some parts carry our pain or trauma, while other parts step in to protect us from ever feeling that pain again. These are our protectors.

Protective parts may develop strategies such as:

Avoiding vulnerability
Shutting down or numbing
Overthinking or overcontrolling
Distrusting others or yourself
Distracting through perfectionism or an overly booked schedule

These strategies often form early in life, when we needed to cope with overwhelming emotions or unsafe environments. And while they may no longer serve us in the same way, they don’t know that yet. To them, they’re still protecting us from something challenging or traumatic.

What Resistance Really Means

When a protective part shows up as resistance, it’s not sabotaging you. But rather, t’s protecting something vulnerable.

Maybe a part of you learned that opening up could lead to rejection.
Perhaps there’s fear that if you slow down, all the pain you’ve kept far away will flood in.
Maybe a critical voice is trying to push you forward so that no one ever sees you struggle.

These parts are often trying to prevent you from being overwhelmed, shamed, abandoned, or hurt. They don’t resist healing; They just don’t trust that healing is safe yet.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE IN THIS JOURNEY

Listening Instead of Pushing

Rather than trying to overpower or bypass a resistant part, IFS invites us to be curious.

We ask gentle questions like:

What is this part afraid will happen if I explore further?
How long has it been doing this job for me?
What does it want me to understand about its fears?

When you turn toward these parts with compassion, something shifts. They start to feel seen, not battled. And often, what we find is that what they really want is not for you to stay stuck, but to know that you’re listening.

From Judgment to Compassion

Many people carry shame about being “resistant” in therapy, and may hold dominant narratives that they aren’t “strong enough” or “willing enough” to change. But what if resistance was never the problem? Instead, what if it's a brilliant survival strategy?

IFS helps reframe these parts not as barriers to healing, but as key collaborators in it. They’re not in the way, but rather a part of the way forward. Healing means building a relationship with resistance, rooted in curiosity, patience, and compassion.

Getting Started with IFS-Informed THerapy in Denver

As an IFS-Informed therapist in Denver, I am passionate about supporting individuals towards lasting healing and relief. This includes tending to the parts that might feel messy, stuck, or afraid. When moving move gently, we honor all parts of you, at their pace.

If you’re interested in this modality or curious about what healing can look like for you, I invite you to reach out to schedule a phone consultation. I’d be honored to work together!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gigi Woodall, LMFT
Eating Disorder & Trauma Therapist in Denver

Hi, I’m Gigi—a Denver-based trauma therapist passionate about helping people heal and reconnect with themselves. My work focuses on exploring how early experiences, relationships, and protective parts of the self shape our inner narratives. Through a compassionate and individualized approach, I help clients challenge limiting beliefs and step into a more authentic, intuitive way of living.

My background includes working with organizations like the National Eating Disorders Association, Project HEAL, and the One Love Foundation. I’ve also worked in eating disorder treatment centers and am actively involved with the Eating Disorder Foundation and IAEDP’s Denver chapter. Currently, I’m on the path to becoming a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS).

With specialized training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and eating disorder treatment, I provide a safe, supportive space for those navigating recovery, trauma, and self-discovery.

Looking for support on your healing journey? Book a free consultation to see if we’re a good fit.

IFS Therapy in Denver: Working with “Resistant Parts”