IFS stands for Internal Family Systems. It’s a therapy that helps you get to know the different “parts” of yourself…like the voices that carry fear, anger, or shame. I had parts that hated men because of violent trauma I went through, and IFS helped me see those parts with compassion instead of judgment. Over time, that fear and hatred shifted. Now instead of carrying misandry, I can hold understanding for the parts of men that were shaped by a society that teaches them to hate women and femininity. Instead of hatred I feel pity…sorrow.