TPN and DMN - The Neural Networks of Internal Family Systems
Introduction
Here, we explore the intersection of neurobiology and psychotherapy, focusing on the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework and its application in trauma therapy. Specifically, we will focus on the various neurobiological mechanisms governing attention and emotions, and investigate how the methodology employed in IFS psychotherapy may impact brain networks involved in trauma and emotional regulation.
Central to the discussion are two key neural networks - the default mode network (DMN) and task-positive network (TPN). The DMN governs introspection and self-reflection, while the TPN handles focused external attention. Balancing these networks is key for cognitive flexibility. Trauma can throw this balance off, hyperactivating the TPN and suppressing the DMN.
Another key interest to this investigation is the functional dynamics between psychotherapy and neurobiology, and how components from each field are functionally integrated in the IFS model. I will describe how IFS techniques like parts work and cultivating the 8Cs - calmness, curiosity, compassion, creativity, clarity, courage, confidence, and connectedness - may help rebalance these networks. By evoking positive emotional states, IFS soothes the amygdala’s threat reactivity and enhances prefrontal regulation.
Critically, IFS establishes internal safety first, rather than immediately activating distress like in many other commonly used psychotherapeutic methods. This prevents over-stimulating threat networks and allows wounded parts to emerge gradually from a positively oriented mindset. The emphasis on integrating fragmented self-states offers powerful psychological mechanisms for healing and dealing with complex trauma.
Bridging the interconnected fields of neurobiology and psychotherapy, this investigation presents a theory of brain-based mechanisms through which IFS’s compassionate parts work unlocks our innate capacity for neural plasticity and integration. It provides a window into how innovative IFS therapy harnesses the brain’s plasticity to help rewrite engrained traumatic patterns.
The integration theory presented here suggests that IFS holds promise as an effective, brain-wise and compassionate approach to trauma recovery and self-leadership. Illuminating these dynamics could hold potential to significantly contribute to the cross-disciplinary understanding of healing mind and brain.
Task-Positive Network (TPN): Our Brain turned outwards
The task-positive network (TPN) is a neural network in the brain that is involved in cognitive tasks and goal-directed behavior. It is also known as the central-executive network or the cognitive control network. When a person engages in a cognitive task, the TPN becomes active and the regions within it begin to communicate with each other. This communication is thought to be essential for the successful completion of the task.
The TPN is composed of several brain regions that work together in a coordinated manner to carry out cognitive tasks. These regions include the prefrontal cortex, the parietal cortex, and the anterior cingulate cortex. The prefrontal cortex is located at the front of the brain and is involved in a range of cognitive functions, including working memory, decision-making, and attentional control. The parietal cortex, located at the top and back of the brain, is involved in spatial awareness and attention. The anterior cingulate cortex, located in the middle of the brain, is involved in monitoring and regulating cognitive processes.
The TPN is also closely interconnected with another network in the brain, the default mode network (DMN). The DMN is active when a person is not engaged in a specific task and is instead focused on internal thoughts and self-reflection. The TPN and DMN are thought to be anti-correlated, meaning that when one network is active, the other is relatively inactive.
The TPN is involved in a wide range of cognitive tasks, including working memory tasks, attentional tasks, and decision-making tasks. Dysfunction within the TPN and prefrontal cortex has been implicated in a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, and traumatic brain injury.
In other words, the task-positive network is a neural network in the brain that is involved in cognitive tasks and goal-directed behavior. It is composed of several brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, the parietal cortex, and the anterior cingulate cortex. The TPN is thought to interact with the default mode network and is essential for the successful completion of cognitive tasks.
Default Mode Network (DMN): Our Brain turned inwards
When we are not actively engaged with the outside world, our brains shift into a state of quiet reflection governed by the default mode network (DMN). This large-scale brain system becomes active when our attention turns inward, such as when we daydream, recall memories, imagine the future, or ruminate on the minds of others.
The DMN consists of several key regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, inferior parietal lobule, hippocampus, and lateral temporal cortices. Their synchronized activity enables complex cognitive functions related to the self, from autobiographical memory retrieval to envisioning future scenarios to theory of mind.
The key regions within the DMN exhibit high functional connectivity, meaning they are synchronized and communicate effectively at "rest." This functional connectivity allows for:
• Self-referential processing - Thinking about oneself and one's traits, preferences, goals
• Autobiographical memory retrieval - Recall of personal events from one's past
• Theory of mind - Mentalizing about the thoughts, intentions and feelings of others
• Construction of future scenarios - Imagining and planning for possible future events
• Internal mentation - Daydreaming, meditation, spontaneously thinking about concepts not related to current tasks or stimuli
• Default aspects of cognition - Considering possibilities, contemplating alternatives, wondering "what if?"
The DMN facilitates self-reflection and metacognitive mental states. Enabling these inwardly-focused cognitive processes helps a person to engage in complex forms of introspection and self-referential rumination.
The medial prefrontal cortex region of the DMN is associated with self-referential processing and judgments about one's own traits, abilities, and attitudes. Increased DMN activity occurs when people are engaged in introspection about their current mental state. The posterior cingulate cortex of the DMN shows increased activation during tasks that involve assessing one's own competencies and reflecting on self-performance. This suggests a role for the DMN in metacognitive evaluation and thinking about one's own thoughts and emotions.
Coordinated activity within the DMN allows for the integration of autobiographical memories and envisioning future events into a coherent sense of identity over time. This constructive self-processing enables deeper self-reflection. The DMN is activated when making judgments about one's self-efficacy, personality traits, and emotional states, which suggests its involvement in meta-cognition about the self.
The DMN is believed to support processes like mental time travel, perspective taking, and conceiving the mental states of others. The activation of the DMN enables many aspects of self-focused thought that are not tied to specific external demands, from memory to imagination to theory of mind. Its functional connectivity facilitates these internally-generated mental processes when goals and demands of the external world recede into the background.
Overall, the DMN provides a neural substrate for reflective self-awareness and metacognitive examination of our own thought processes and mental experiences. Through its coordinated activity, the DMN enables complex forms of introspection and rumination central to human consciousness.
Biomechanics between TPN and DMN
From a biomechanical perspective, the DMN shows a competitive, seesaw-like relationship with the task-positive network (TPN). Importantly, the TPN and DMN are shown to be anti-correlated, meaning that when one network is active, the other is relatively inactive. This suggests that there is a competitive relationship between the two networks, with one network inhibiting the other. When the TPN activates during goal-oriented tasks like working memory or problem-solving, the DMN deactivates, and vice versa. This inverse coupling allows us to toggle between outwardly-focused and inwardly-focused modes of thought. The TPN directs attention towards task and the external world, while the DMN facilitates self-reflection and metacognitive mental states. The brain efficiently shifts resources between the two networks as cognitive demands change.
The interplay between the DMN and TPN is vital for healthy cognitive function. Failures to properly regulate these two networks can contribute to mental dysfunction, inducing states like depression, stress and anxiety. A well-balanced see-saw enables both engaged task performance and productive self-referential thought.
The interaction between the TPN and DMN is thought to be mediated by structural connections between the brain regions that make up these networks. Neuroimaging shows that the TPN and DMN are connected by several white matter pathways, including the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (SLF) and the Cingulum bundle. The SLF and Cingulum bundle enable efficient communication between regions of the DMN and TPN. The SLF coordinates toggling between inward and outward attention. The Cingulum bundle integrates introspective functions of the DMN. Damage to these tracts can impair the normal see-saw relationship between the two networks. Disruption of the Cingulum bundle is linked to impaired default mode processing and states of mental distress like anxiety and depression. Damage to the SLF can cause deficits in attention, working memory, and other goal-directed behaviors mediated by the TPN.
These connections allow for information to be transmitted between the TPN and DMN, regulating the balance between these networks. For example, when a person engages in a cognitive task that requires attention and focus, the TPN becomes active and inhibits the DMN, allowing the person to focus their attention on the task at hand. Conversely, when a person is engaged in self-reflection or mind-wandering, the DMN becomes active and inhibits the TPN, allowing the person to engage in internal thought processes.
The interaction between the TPN and DMN is also influenced by neuromodulatory systems, such as the dopamine and noradrenaline systems. These systems are thought to play a role in regulating the balance between the two networks by modulating the strength of the connections between them.
The TPN to DMN switch
The DMN) and TPN are two interconnected but anticorrelated functional brain networks. The switch between DMN and TPN occurs rapidly, within fractions of a second. It can be triggered by the onset or offset of a task or stimuli requiring focused attention.
Neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine play a key role in signalling the switch between networks. Norepinephrine projections from the locus coeruleus suppress default mode regions to allow activation of task-positive regions. Dopamine projections from ventral tegmental area (VTA) stimulate activation of the prefrontal cortex and decrease amygdalar activity.
The salience network (SN), anchored in the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, is involved in detecting relevant internal and external stimuli and initiating network switching between DMN and TPN.
FMRI studies show decreased connectivity within the default mode network and increased connectivity in the task-positive network during attention-demanding tasks. The opposite pattern occurs during rest.
Alterations in the DMN-TPN switching may play a role in conditions like ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. An imbalance between the two networks could lead to abnormal cognitive function in these conditions.
The ability to rapidly switch between internal mentation and external focus is essential for healthy cognitive functioning. The antagonistic DMN-TPN relationship allows the brain to toggle between these two modes efficiently.
The Reward System
The brain's reward system is a collection of neural structures that regulate and control behavior by inducing pleasurable effects. It's sometimes referred to as the "pleasure centre" of the brain. The main neurotransmitter involved in the reward system is dopamine. Dopamine is released when we experience pleasure or anticipate rewards, signalling to the brain that an activity is beneficial. This reinforces behaviors needed for survival, such as eating and procreating.
Key structures of the reward system include:
Ventral tegmental area (VTA) - site of dopamine production, projects to nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.
Nucleus accumbens - involved in processing reward, motivation, and addiction. Receives dopamine signals from VTA.
Prefrontal cortex - processes rewards and assigns value to behaviors. Received dopamine signals.
Amygdala - involved in emotional processing and memory of rewards.
The reward system is activated by natural reinforcers like food, sex, and social interaction. It's also activated by other pleasurable stimuli like certain drugs, music, movies, etc. Dysfunction of the reward system can contribute to problems like addiction, depression, eating disorders, and obsessive behaviors. Understanding the reward system helps explain why we repeat behaviors, pursue goals, develop habits, and become addicted to certain stimuli. It is a major focus in neuroscience and psychology.
The role of the reward system in habit formation
When we perform an action that provides rewards or pleasure, dopamine is released in areas like the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. This dopamine signal reinforces the connection between the context/action and the reward, making us more likely to repeat the action in the future. Over time, as the behavior is repeated, direct dopamine signalling reduces. The behavior becomes more automatic and less influenced by the reward. Eventually the habit is formed and the behavior can occur without the expectation of reward. It becomes a routine response triggered by cues in the environment. However, even in established habits, the reward system and dopamine likely still play subtle roles in maintaining the habitual behavior. The cues linked to the habit continue to initiate low levels of dopamine release.
The reward system primes us to respond to cues that we associate with past rewards. Even small amounts of dopamine from an established habit make us feel more alert and attentive. If the reward is taken away completely, it can diminish the habit over time. But habits often persist even without rewards due to ingrained cue-response associations.
The reward system is especially active in the early, reward-driven phases of habit development. But components of the system support the maintenance of habits as well.
The reward system and the TPN-DMN switch
There is an interesting relationship between the brain's reward system and the switching between TPN and DMN:
Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (part of the reward system) appear to play a role in switching between these networks. Increased dopamine firing drives activation of the TPN and deactivation of the DMN. This focuses attention on tasks and rewards. Decreased dopamine shifts the brain towards the DMN for more wandering, imaginative thought.
Drugs, motivation, rewards and goals all activate the VTA dopamine system, which stimulates the TPN while suppressing the DMN. On the other hand, conditions like boredom or satiety lower dopamine, allowing increased DMN activation and self-referential processing. The reward system helps toggle between external attention and internal reflection. Dopamine signals the salience and motivational value of tasks and rewards to modulate between task-focused and default states.
Self-referential long-term memories are associated with key regions of the DMN
The brain regions within the DMN are related with activation of several introspective processes, such as our self-referential and autobiographical memories:
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a core hub of the DMN, is involved in retrieval and evaluation of self-related memories and personal semantics.
The posterior cingulate cortex, another central node of the DMN, activates when recalling autobiographical episodes and accessing personal memories.
The hippocampus and surrounding medial temporal lobe areas, linked to the DMN, play crucial roles in autobiographical memory consolidation, storage and retrieval.
Connections between DMN regions like the mPFC, posterior cingulate, and hippocampus facilitate access to prior self-related memories.
DMN activity increases when recalling personally experienced events compared to recalling non-self events.
Regions of the DMN also activate when imagining future scenarios involving one's self.
Overall, the DMN seems specialized for self-referential cognition and memory, likely due to its inward focus and reliance on past personal experiences to construct mental simulations.
However, other brain networks contribute as well. The fronto-parietal control network aids manipulation of autobiographical information during memory retrieval. The salience network helps evaluate self-relevant significance. So while not exclusively localised to the DMN, aspects of self-referential long-term memory and autobiographical thought appear to recruit key nodes of the default mode network. The DMN integrates these memories into our sense of self.
This means that we are unable to access introspective thoughts and autobiographical memories when engaged in cognitive tasks requiring attention and vigilance - because when the TPN is active, the DMN is inactive.
The Amygdala - A key structure of emotional regulation
The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure located in the temporal lobe of the brain. It is involved in the processing of emotions, particularly fear and anxiety, and plays a key role in the regulation of the interaction between the TPN and the DMN.
The amygdala is connected to both the TPN and DMN through a network of neural pathways. When the amygdala is activated, it can modulate the activity and connectivity of these networks, leading to changes in behavior and cognitive processes.
One way that the amygdala affects the interaction between the TPN and DMN is through its role in modulating attention. The amygdala is involved in the detection of salient and emotionally significant stimuli, and can influence attentional processes by directing attention towards these stimuli. When the amygdala is activated, it can increase activity in the TPN and decrease activity in the DMN, leading to enhanced attentional processing and decreased self-referential thought processes.
Conversely, when the amygdala is deactivated, the opposite effect can occur, with decreased activity in the TPN and increased activity in the DMN. This can lead to decreased attentional processing and increased self-referential thought processes.
The amygdala can also influence the interaction between the TPN and DMN through its role in modulating emotional processing. When the amygdala is activated by emotionally salient stimuli, it can modulate the activity and connectivity of the TPN and DMN in a way that is consistent with the emotional context. For example, if the emotionally salient stimuli are threatening, the amygdala can increase activity in the TPN and decrease activity in the DMN to facilitate defensive behavior.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Model
The IFS - Internal Family Systems model, developed by Richard Schwartz, is a psychotherapeutic approach that views the mind as a complex system of parts, or subpersonalities, each with its own characteristics and perspectives. The goal of IFS is to foster internal dialogue with these parts, delivering integration and harmony through Self-leadership, a state characterized by eight mental qualities, referred to as the 8 C's: Calmness, Curiosity, Compassion, Clarity, Creativity, Connectedness, Confidence, and Courage.
The practice of IFS and the cultivation of the 8 Cs could positively modulate cognitive, sensory and emotional processing through several neurobiological mechanisms that regulate the Task-Positive Network (TPN), and the Default Mode Network (DMN). Let us turn to some of those mechanisms and their functional relatedness to the IFS principles of 8 C's:
Calmness
Calmness can reduce activity in the amygdala, the brain region associated with emotional responses, particularly fear and anxiety. Through it's meditative self-exploration and cultivating a sense of calm, IFS may help reduce amygdala reactivity, leading to lower levels of stress and anxiety. This could also lead to a decrease in the functioning of the TPN, which is active when the brain is focused on tasks, and an increase in the functioning of the DMN, which is active during rest and introspection.
On the other hand, cultivating a sense of calm and peace would likely activate the prefrontal cortex, which has inhibitory connections to the amygdala. This could help downregulate amygdala activity and the "fight or flight" response. Calm could also decrease activity in the TPN and stimulate the DMN.
Curiosity
Curiosity, characterized by a desire to learn and explore, could stimulate the TPN, which is associated with directed, goal-oriented tasks. It could also modulate the DMN by fostering introspection and reflection, processes that are integral to self-understanding and personal growth.
An attitude of open curiosity could activate regions of the prefrontal cortex involved in attention and cognitive flexibility. This could further inhibit the amygdala and promote switching from a threat-focused mindset to safety and positivity. Curiosity could stimulate the DMN due to its involvement in exploring novelty.
Compassion
Compassion involves empathy and concern for others. Fostering this quality could reduce activity in the amygdala, as it involves downregulation of fear and hostility. Compassion could also stimulate the DMN, which is associated with social cognition, the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of others.
Focusing compassion inward could directly activate the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which has connections to the amygdala and limbic system. This could inhibit threat responses and promote feelings of safety. Compassion could stimulate the DMN and its role in social cognition and mentalizing.
Clarity
Clarity involves having a clear understanding of oneself and one's environment. This quality could stimulate both the TPN and the DMN, as it requires both focused attention (associated with the TPN) and introspective understanding (associated with the DMN).
Gaining psychological and somatic clarity could activate the dorsolateral and lateral prefrontal cortex, which may further inhibit the amygdala. Clarity could shift activity from the TPN to the DMN by promoting metacognitive awareness.
Creativity
Creativity could stimulate both the TPN, as it involves active problem-solving, and the DMN, as it often involves introspective thought and the generation of novel ideas.
Engaging in creative thinking and imagination stimulates areas of the prefrontal cortex involved in idea generation. This could enable top-down regulation of the amygdala. Creativity strongly activates the DMN and its role in self-referential and imaginative processing.
Connectedness
Connectedness, or a sense of belonging and acceptance, could reduce activity in the amygdala, as it involves reducing feelings of social threat. It could also stimulate the DMN, as feelings of social connection often involve introspection and reflection on social relationships.
Feeling connected to oneself and others activates regions of the prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex involved in social cognition and theory of mind. These areas modulate amygdala activity and stimulate the DMN.
Confidence
Confidence can reduce activity in the amygdala by minimizing feelings of fear and insecurity. It could also stimulate the TPN, as confidence often involves a readiness to engage in goal-directed tasks.
Developing self-confidence activates the medial prefrontal cortex and striatum, which are involved in self-representation and emotion regulation. This could further inhibit the amygdala and shift balance toward the DMN.
Courage
Courage, or the ability to face fear or adversity, could modulate activity in the amygdala by requiring individuals to approach, rather than avoid, their fears. This quality could also stimulate the TPN, as it often involves active engagement with challenging situations from a positive and self-confident perspective.
Mustering the courage to face difficult emotions and challenges from a positive predisposition strongly activates the prefrontal cortex and enables top-down control of the limbic system. This could restrain amygdala hyperactivity and optimize balance between the TPN and DMN.
The functional effect of Calm, Curious and Compassionate mindset of IFS
One of the key aims here is to propose a neuro-psychological mechanism supporting the IFS therapy effectiveness: that the fundamental IFS Self-energy of the 8 C's could have a positive impact on the Reward network, Salience network, Executive functions and brain areas line VTA, prefrontal cortex and amygdala, which in turn could balance the switching between the TPN and the DMN. Self-referential processing and updating happens when the DMN is activated and the TPN is at rest. Therefore, having a positive mindset through the IFS framing likely facilitates switching from TPN to DMN, enabling self-referential processing with a positive, non-threatening mindset.
Positive emotional states, such as happiness and joy, are associated with increased activity in the reward centres of the brain. When a person experiences positive emotions, it can lead to increased motivation and engagement with their environment. The amygdala is involved in the processing of emotions, particularly fear and anxiety, and plays a key role in the regulation of the interaction between the TPN and DMN. When the amygdala is activated by emotionally salient stimuli, it can modulate the activity and connectivity of the TPN and DMN. It thus seems likely that having a curious, caring mindset, and experiencing positive emotions could lead to decreased activation of the amygdala. Calm, curiosity and caring mindset are associated with decreased activity in the amygdala, particularly in response to emotionally negative stimuli.
If this is the case, then decreased activation of the amygdala could lead to a more balanced interaction between the TPN and DMN. Specifically, decreased activation of the amygdala could lead to increased activity in the DMN and decreased activity in the TPN. This could lead to more self-referential thought processes and a more relaxed and open-minded approach to information processing -which is a fundamental aspect of the Internal Family Systems model of psychotherapy.
How the IFS model differs from other models
Other highly useful modern psychotherapeutic systems such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy (ET) aim to change maladaptive thoughts and behaviors by directly confronting and modifying negative emotions and distressing experiences. They activate and learn from distressing states to reshape cognitions and responses.
The IFS model takes a different approach by focusing first on cultivating safe and resourceful internal dialogue using the 8 C's. This allows parts of the self that are stuck in negative emotions to be accessed and transformed from a place of safety, calm and compassion. Instead of emulating and strengthening distressing emotions, the 8 C's aim to evoke positive emotions like calm, curiosity, compassion, clarity and confidence. This activates the prefrontal cortex and inhibitory pathways that can help regulate excessive limbic system responses.
By first establishing a safe internal environment, IFS allows vulnerable parts to emerge slowly and be worked with gradually from a place of stability and self-resources. This physiological and psychological safety may enable deeper and more lasting changes compared to directly confronting and modifying distressing emotions.
The mental states of the 8 C's work to optimize balance between the threat-focused TPN and the reflective DMN, which could influence amygdalar reactivity and enable more flexible emotion regulation. In contrast, CBT and exposure therapy rely more heavily on TPN activation to directly reshape emotions and behaviors.
The key difference is that IFS works "from the top down" by first cultivating positive, resourceful states to safely engage with and transform negative emotions. Whereas CBT and exposure therapy work "from the bottom up" by directly confronting and modifying distressing thoughts and responses.
Why the Internal Family Systems approach may be effective for trauma therapy
Going to war against (coercing, harshly punishing, or shaming, for example) any social problem sets in motion reinforcing feedback loops that have the potential to destroy the system, because they escalate over time and drain the system’s resources. Richard D. Schwartz - No Bad Parts
For individuals that have had traumatic childhood experiences, the threat response system is often hyperactivated and physiological safety cues are dysfunctional. Common psychotherapy techniques such as CBT and exposure therapy can paradoxically activate this threat system further, exacerbating trauma symptoms by creating negative reinforcing feedback loops. These suppressive or confrontational techniques often provoke certain unwanted stress, leading to stress-responses such avoidance, insecurity, uncertainty or anxiety. In turn, these stressful states cause the activation of the TPN, while the DMN is suppressed. Because of their competitive relationship, presence of any type of negative emotions triggers the TPN, and renders the DMN inaccessible. Taking this mechanism into account, it seems plausible that the methods used in CBT and exposure therapy may not be effective in trauma therapy, for once because their methodology lacks functional mechanisms to access the DMN and to bypass the activation of the TPN. Without access to the DMN, it is also not possible to access self-referential processing and autobiographical memories that enable healing from traumatic experiences.
In contrast, the IFS model focuses first on cultivating a sense of internal safety and resourcefulness using the 8 C's. This allows trauma-stuck parts to emerge more slowly and safely, without becoming re-traumatized and avoiding reinforcing feedback loops. The focus on positive emotions of calm, compassion, clarity and connectedness can provide the physiological and psychological safety cues that were lacking during the original trauma.
By evoking positive rather than distressing emotions, IFS may optimize the balance between the TPN and DMN in a trauma-informed way. This could help downregulate amygdalar hyperactivity and enable more adaptive emotion regulation. In contrast, directly confronting trauma memories and emotions through CBT and exposure therapy relies heavily on activating the hypervigilant TPN. However, this TPN activation also attenuates the action of DMN, which is involved in storing and retrieval of memory. Thus, traumatic memories cannot be accessed when the TPN is active and while the DMN is inactive.
For this end, IFS approach is highly DMN-biased. The 8 C's approach promotes decrease the activity of the Amygdala, which in turn attenuates the activity of the TPN and increases the activity of the DMN. This mechanism allows individuals to enter in self-referential states and to access their memories and traumas, potentially enabling healing.
For individuals with complex or developmental trauma, the IFS model of parts work may be particularly beneficial. It seeks to understand and transform trauma-stuck parts from a place of safety and compassion, rather than directly confronting and modifying them. This could facilitate deeper healing of fragmented self-states and attachment wounds.
As a recap: the IFS focus on safety, calm and compassion may enable a more trauma-informed and positively-oriented approach that is better suited for complex trauma therapy. Whereas CBT and exposure therapy rely more on activation of the threat response system through suppression or direct confrontation, which could be retraumatizing without first establishing internal safety and resourcefulness.
Conclusion
This investigation of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and its potential effects on key brain networks has illuminated multiple mechanisms by which IFS may facilitate neural integration and trauma recovery.
The Default Mode Network (DMN) and Task Positive Network (TPN) play central roles in regulating internally versus externally focused cognition. The DMN enables self-referential processing and introspection when external demands recede. The TPN engages when we need to focus attention on cognitive tasks or external stimuli. Their balanced interaction supports cognitive flexibility.
Trauma can dysregulate this balance, hyperactivating the threat-focused TPN and suppressing the introspective DMN. IFS offers a brain-wise approach to recalibrating these networks. Engaging in internal dialogue by cultivating the 8Cs of calmness, curiosity, compassion, clarity, creativity, courage, connectedness, may modulate neural activity and connectivity through activation of the DMN, thus allowing access to recalibration of neural pathways.
The 8 C’s evoke positive emotional states, activating prefrontal regions that inhibit the amygdala’s trauma-reactive responses. This reduces TPN dominance, creating a healing window for the introspective DMN. Parts work also relies on accessing self-reflective networks associated with the DMN.
IFS further differs from CBT or exposure therapy by establishing internal safety first, rather than activating distress. This prevents over-stimulating threat networks, which could re-traumatize vulnerable parts and create reinforcing backward-loops. By working from the 'top down' to establish inner dialogue as a foundation for healing, IFS method allows time for parts to emerge safely. Its sensitivity to trauma dynamics, and focus on integrating fragmented self-states, offers a systemic but stress-free framework suitable even for complex mental health adversities.
One key ideas included here is to propose a focus on IFS’s impact on the DMN, TPN and connectivity between them. But the theory and mechanism presented here additionally elucidate how IFS aligns with a brain-based understanding of trauma. The focus on integrating fragmented self-states also resonates with polyvagal theory and several other theories with emphasis on neural re-integration.
In complex trauma therapy, the compassionate witnessing of wounded parts may stimulate networks involved in attachment and safety. IFS provides a neural environment conducive for trauma processing and making sense of challenging experiences. Over time, this may facilitate lasting change.