Richard C. Schwartz

Richard C. Schwartz is the creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, which he developed while working as a family therapist.

IFS views the mind as composed of different "parts" with distinct roles and relationships.

Schwartz noticed patterns in how these parts were organized across clients and found that when parts felt safe, clients accessed a state of "Self" characterized by confidence, openness, and compassion.

In this Self state, clients could effectively heal their parts.

Schwartz has published extensively on IFS, including books and articles, and is a prominent speaker at professional conferences.