Why Internal Family Systems Therapy Isn’t About “Fixing” You

By Melissa Johnson, LCSW | Gateway Therapy

We live in a culture obsessed with self-improvement. We’re surrounded by messages telling us to be better, do more, and fix what’s “wrong” with us. So it makes sense that many people enter therapy with the belief that they’re broken—or that therapy will help them become someone else entirely.

But here’s the truth: therapy isn’t about fixing you. It’s about understanding you.

As a trauma-informed therapist, my approach is rooted in compassion and curiosity. I don’t believe that anyone is broken. I believe we all carry stories—sometimes painful, sometimes protective—that shape the way we move through the world. And those stories make sense once we understand where they came from.

In my work, particularly using Internal Family Systems (IFS), we explore your inner world with a sense of respect for the parts of you that have been working hard to protect you—even if their strategies aren’t working anymore. Whether that’s a perfectionist part, an anxious part, or a part that’s learned to shut down, we gently get to know them together.

What if the goal of therapy isn’t to become someone new, but to reconnect with who you already are beneath the survival strategies?

You might notice that when you stop trying to fix yourself and start listening inwardly with compassion, something powerful happens. You feel a little more grounded. A little more whole. And a little more like yourself.

You’re not broken. You’re a human being who has lived through things. Therapy is a place where your story is honored, not pathologized.

Curious about what compassionate therapy could look like for you? Reach out for a free consultation or explore more about my approach to healing.