Coming Home to Your Self:
Internal Family Systems: for self-discovery, healing, and inner harmony
Embark on a journey within to explore your inner landscape—your physical, emotional, and mental makeup. Each of us is a unique constellation of feelings, behaviors, and sensations. From the earliest moments of life, our ability to feel truly connected—both to ourselves and to others—can be disrupted or diminished.
Many of us have experienced trauma or challenges that shaped how we move through the world. Parts of us may have taken on roles or patterns that once served a purpose but now keep us stuck. Sometimes, our bodies hold onto unprocessed or difficult experiences, creating tension, discomfort, or disconnection.
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Through the gentle and profound process of turning inward, you can begin to meet these Parts of yourself with curiosity and compassion. This inner work opens the door to greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and healing. As you build a relationship with your internal system of Parts, you reconnect with the wisdom and wholeness already within you.
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In our sessions together, you are invited to journey inwards at your own pace. I draw from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic IFS, body-based practices, breath-work, coaching, and self-compassion exercises. My role is to create a safe, respectful space where all Parts are welcome—whether visible, hidden, or hard to reach.
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This work is ultimately about reconnection—with your Self. It's about resonating with your inner light, feeling spaciousness within your body, as well as experiencing your internal family of Parts not as something to fix, but as something to embrace. Like a conductor bringing harmony to an orchestra, you can learn to listen to, lead, and draw strength from each Part of you—creating a more harmonious and vibrant way of being.
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What is Internal Family Systems?
IFS is a form of psychotherapy which views each person as being multiplicitous in nature - we are not one dimensional; rather, we are made up of different subpersonalities, different 'Parts'. In addition to our internal Parts, we each have something called the 'Self' (aka your inner wisdom, true nature, your soul). Self and Parts make up your internal system (much like a system of family members). Using IFS therapy can help you regain Self-leadership, where you can learn to access more of your 'Self' and befriend your 'Parts', leading to a more content, enriched, calm, self-loving and authentic life. When your internal system of Parts is functioning in a more harmonious way, you experience more balance, self-leadership and the ability to tackle life's challenges from a more grounded place.
Over the years, I have found IFS to be such a wonderfully compassionate and transformative healing tool for both myself and for clients.
What I can help you with
(online or in person (in Western Algarve, Portugal))
Adolescents
Chronic illness
Grief
Other areas
I am passionate about working with adolescents. During our sessions, I draw on various tools including Inner Active cards, art therapy, sandtray objects, breathwork, journaling exercises, movement exercises and somatic awareness.
I have suffered from autoimmune illnesses since childhood and have personal experience of using IFS to help my health, particularly Somatic IFS. I am passionate about assisting people to access more self-compassion and self-care, as well as to help Parts which show up physically to soften. Reducing stress and finding more space and balance in life can make a positive difference in how we manage our physical and emotional situation. A recording of my webinar on using IFS alongside chronic illness will be posted here in due course.
Using IFS can bring about more self-compassion and a greater capacity to tend to one's personal grief journey with open arms.
​Anxiety
Self-criticism
Self-confidence
Rageful behaviour
Addictive/compulsive behaviour
Religious trauma
Recovery from disordered eating
Relationship difficulties - break-ups, divorce, attraction,
Spirituality
(please note that I am poly-affirming)
About Me
I grew up in a strict evangelical Christian household where religion and spirituality were central to my life. Although my spiritual journey since then has taken various paths, I believe my upbringing provided me with a strong foundation in spiritual practices. I was later drawn to Buddhism, mysticism, and Vedic astrology, and began a committed yoga practice in my early 20s that evolved into a spiritual sadhana. For the past 16 years of my yoga practice, I have been immersed in Shadow Yoga, a school founded by Zhandor Remete and Emma Balnaves, from whom I continue to receive invaluable guidance. This practice has profoundly shaped my life and deepened my understanding of the mind-body connection.
In my 20s, I became a stressed lawyer in London, driven by ambition and hard work. While Parts of me enjoyed the status and financial security, something inside me kept nudging, quietly but persistently, telling me I wasn’t where I was meant to be. In my 30s, I took a sabbatical, which gave me the space to listen. With time and reflection, I found the clarity—and the courage—to change direction. That shift led me toward work that feels meaningful, aligned, and far more fulfilling.
With an undergraduate degree in Psychology, I subsequently trained as a life coach and developed a natural interest in 'Parts work'. This led to me completing Levels 1 and 2 in IFS, as well as Step 1 in Somatic IFS, with plans to complete Step 2 in 2026. In my client sessions, I integrate my academic background in Psychology, training in IFS and coaching, as well as my experience of Somatic IFS and body-based practices to offer sessions for both adults and adolescents, available online and in-person in Western Algarve, Portugal.
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Qualifications/training
My qualifications and the various trainings that I have undertaken, as well as experience are as follows:-
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MA Hons Psychology
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Internal Family Systems 6 month Circle Programme
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Internal Family Systems Level 1
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Internal Family Systems Level 2 (Addictive Processes and Eating Disorders) with Cece Sykes
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Coaching Coach U certification
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Advanced Coaching Coach U certification
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Dr Robin Barre's workshop - 'Tools for the Adolescent Therapist: Internal Family Systems & Archetypal Perspectives'
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Ruth Culver's 'Drawing into Self' workshop Foundation
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Step 1 retreat in Somatic IFS
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25 years of dedicated yoga sadhana
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Assisting in live grief circles
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Frank Anderson's Life Architect workshop on IFS & Parenting
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LLB equivalent
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LPC (postgraduate diploma in law)
Erich, South Africa
When I was looking for someone to see, I wanted a coach rather than a therapist, so I booked a first session with Deborah. And I’m so glad I did.
As a coach, Deborah will sometimes ask powerful coaching questions that help me reframe deep and old beliefs.
She connects dots for me from session to session that in hindsight seem obvious — but I couldn’t spot the links for myself.
I’ve learned so much about myself in Deborah’s presence.
One of Deborah’s superpowers is her love and honouring of my parts. She models complete acceptance, and when I’m with her, even my most skittish parts seem to calm down.
Thanks to my sessions with her, my confidence has grown, my relationships have strengthened and I have made long-delayed changes in my life.
My therapeutic relationship with Deborah is one I value highly.
Lucy, UK
It is a gentle and powerful experience being guided by Deborah. I am always met with genuine curiousity and compassion during our time together. I feel safe to express whatever emotions are present, even the uncomfortable ones and there is never any judgment. I have complete trust in Deborah. I have learnt so much about myself and my parts. Our sessions feel like a mutual connection with a trusted friend who has your best intentions at heart.
Charlotte, US
I was new to IFS when I first started with Deborah. It is a really beautiful approach, which I find very compassionate and non-judgmental. Deborah is calm and reassuring to be with. Thanks to our sessions together, I am more self-compassionate and accepting of myself.
