Susan Shafer, LCMHC, LPC

How IFS, Client-Centered Work, and CBT Translate Online

Internal Family Systems helps people notice and dialogue with the different parts of themselves - the protective, wounded, and exiled parts - to reduce internal conflict and foster self-leadership. Online sessions can use reflective conversation and guided exercises to explore these internal dynamics and build compassion for difficult feelings.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space where a person’s own goals and values guide the work. In virtual meetings this shows up as careful listening, empathic reflection, and collaborative goal-setting so clients feel heard and understood while developing insight.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy offers structured tools to identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors, using practical skills such as thought logs, behavioral experiments, and skill-building between sessions. These techniques adapt well to video or phone sessions and can be reinforced through messaging and shared digital worksheets.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will help determine which combination of methods best fits a client’s concerns, goals, and preferences, and will adjust strategies over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging provides flexibility for scheduling and lets clients access therapy from home or other convenient locations. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care, practice new skills between sessions, and stay engaged when life or logistics make in-person work difficult.