Why should you practice mindfulness?

Unless you’re living in a cave (like a monk), you’ve probably noticed that mindfulness is everywhere. There are many well-known apps (e.g., Insight timer, Calm, etc), books, courses, yoga studios, and yes, therapy rooms. While the term “mindfulness” might sound like a wellness buzzword, its roots go back thousands of years, with deep ties to Eastern contemplative traditions like Buddhism. Over the past few decades, it’s been repackaged in clinical and scientific language, making its way into modern psychology and psychotherapy as a powerful tool for mental health. But how exactly does mindfulness relate to Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy? Can mindfulness practices be a bridge or a gateway into IFS work, and if so, how?

Firstly: what is mindfulness?  Mindfulness is best understood as a mental skill or state of being that involves paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, and without judgment. In therapeutic contexts, this often includes using an anchor, like the breath, bodily sensations, or sounds, to return attention when the mind wanders. While definitions vary slightly across disciplines, most converge on this idea of cultivating present-moment awareness with curiosity and interest.

When I introduce mindfulness to clients, I often boil it down to three basic aims:

1. Interrupting the mental stream: Learning to gently step out of repetitive, often unhelpful thought patterns by focusing on a safe, neutral stimulus (e.g., the breath, sound, or movement).

2. Developing somatic awareness: Noticing physical sensations and bodily cues as a way of grounding attention and connecting with the felt sense.

3. Emotional regulation: With time and practice, these two capacities often lead to greater emotional stability and regulation, especially in the face of stress or anxiety.

It’s a simplification, yes, but one that helps clients see mindfulness not as an abstract idea, but as a practical skill set that can support many areas of life, including the therapeutic process.

Mindfulness and the practice of IFS Therapy

As I've write about extensively on this blog, Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychotherapeutic model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz that posits we are all made up of “parts”. These parts are "subpersonalities" with their own thoughts, feelings, and intentions. In the IFS model, healing occurs when we bring curiosity, compassion, and connection to these parts, rather than rejecting or suppressing them. Central to IFS is the concept of the Self, a calm, wise, and compassionate inner presence that can build trusting relationships with our parts.

Here’s where mindfulness becomes crucial.

The first step in IFS therapy is often to notice a part however it shows up. This may include: a tightness in the chest, an anxious thought, a harsh inner voice. Without mindfulness, this internal experience tends to be automatic, reactive, and unconscious. But with mindfulness, the client can begin to slow down and notice these internal patterns with a bit of space. They start to develop the capacity to witness what is happening internally without becoming overwhelmed or blended with it. In this way, mindfulness functions as a gateway to IFS. It allows clients to access and relate to their parts from a place of clarity, presence, and curiosity, which is exactly what IFS therapy encourages.

Mindfulness as a Bridge, not an end point

One of the most underappreciated entry points to both mindfulness and Internal Family Systems (IFS) is somatic (bodily) awareness. Many clients—particularly men—already have a body-based practice, even if they don’t label it that way. Clients often casually tell me they are involved in martial arts (muay Thai, or jujitsu), weight lifting, even long-distance running. These activities demand various degrees of embodiment frequently involve noticing or control of the breath, physical attunement, and focused attention.

When a man tells me he “loses himself” during a long run or that he feels most centered after boxing or training, I see a clear opportunity to introduce mindfulness as a conscious practice. From there, it's a short step to IFS, where we begin exploring the inner landscape that reveals itself when external noise settles down. That same awareness used to track a punch or monitor breathing between sets can be turned inward to meet the Inner Critic, or the angry protector.

Clinical research continues to validate the use of mindfulness in a range of mental health treatments. It’s been shown to:

• Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

• Improve emotional regulation

• Increase resilience to stress

• Enhance cognitive flexibility

• Boost self-awareness and self-compassion

All of these outcomes create fertile ground for effective IFS therapy. When clients are more regulated, they’re better able to unblend from parts, access or remain in, Self-energy, and sustain curiosity during the internal explorations that IFS entails.

It’s also important to acknowledge that not all mindfulness practices have the same goal. A Psychologist using mindfulness-based interventions (like Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy or IFS-informed mindfulness exercises) is usually working integration of internal experience of something akin to emotional regulation. Meanwhile, a spiritual meditation teacher may be guiding students toward transcendent states, non-dual awareness, or connection with a higher power. I’m not a spiritual meditation practitioner, and my aim isn’t spiritual enlightenment, it’s psychological connection and integration. While both paths have value, I’ve found that for many clients, especially those with trauma, starting with grounded, safe, body-based mindfulness offers a stable and empowering entry point. From there, we can begin the deeper work with parts from an IFS framework.

Mindfulness isn’t a cure-all, and it’s not the only ingredient in successful therapy. But it’s often a game-changer. I’ve worked with countless clients who come in with significant anxiety, reactivity, or emotional shutdown. Even just a few sessions of mindfulness-based practice can lead to noticeable changes in their ability to pause, reflect, and shift course. That alone is huge for clients. Extending that out to IFS, when clients can stay in Self and turn toward parts with openness, that’s where deep connection begins. And mindfulness is often what opens up the possibility for this.

In today’s fast-paced, overstimulated world, learning to be present with oneself is a radical act. When clients begin to cultivate this presence through mindfulness, they start to relate differently not only to the world outside, but to their internal world, the world of parts, beliefs, memories. That’s where Internal Family Systems (IFS) shines, offering a roadmap for deep connection and integration.

So, whether you're a clinician, a client, or just someone curious about your inner life, consider mindfulness not as an endpoint, but as a starting point to slow down, tune in, and prepare the ground for the rich and transformative work that IFS invites.

About the Author

Sean Cuthbert is a Clinical Psychologist, Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) Approved Supervisor, Certified IFS Therapist, and IFS-I Approved Clinical Consultant in private practice in Melbourne, online throughout Australia, and internationally. He provides 1:1 therapy for clients, and supports professionals through individual and group supervision/consultation.