When ‘Parts’ Meet Business and Medicine

For most of my career as a psychologist, I held a strong conviction – that medication cannot assist healing for psychological or emotional difficulties. Instead, my own foundation is Internal Family Systems (IFS) – a way of helping people meet the inner aspects or 'parts' of their psyche with compassion, for healing and growth. So, when I was approached to develop a programme for alcohol treatment that included a medication to reduce cravings and relapse, I had a lot of inner reactions and parts of my own.

Through my personal IFS work, I have been on an increasingly spiritual path, and I was worried that what I now view as an essentially sacred process would be transformed into a commercial 'product', with all the expertise in the clinician rather than the shared humanity. I'd read about the conflict between mental health companies backed by venture capital prioritising profit and growth over ethical practice, leading to exploitation of therapists and reduced quality of provision for clients.

I was experiencing a collision of apparent polarities – spirituality and tech; medication and therapy; increasing simplicity in my life vs the ambitions of a start-up company. Parts of me held fears of betraying my own values, others held mistrust. Other parts of me saw the opportunities for an accessible, meaningful and sustainable change programme for people struggling with drinking… one that treats the whole system rather than one symptom.

As with many journeys in IFS, when I slowed down and listened to all these internal reactions, something shifted. My father's own drinking behaviour had greatly impacted the majority of my childhood – it was no coincidence that I'd worked in alcohol research and with addictions throughout my career. Now, the opportunity to develop an innovative programme incorporating IFS for alcohol use had landed at my feet.

As a clinician and founder of a psychology service specialising in IFS, demand consistently way outstrips supply. Referrals are turned away daily with nowhere to signpost to. The popularity of IFS as a therapeutic model is growing at pace in the UK, as more and more people witness and hear of its impact on personal growth and healing. Perhaps I had an opportunity to help develop and scale a programme that threads respect and gentleness through structured protocols to treat the whole system, whilst opening the door to community and connection with something greater.

Our work is our medicine

Despite many inner parts passionate about supporting people struggling with drinking, I had no attachment to the outcome of early negotiations about my involvement. I felt my parts could be spoken for openly. They were in turn able to witness that I would take care of them in the process and stay aligned with our core values. Internal polarities softened and the process was led by this question: "How can I best serve here?".

The CEO of the company, 'Nul', was already on his own personal growth path, and familiar with IFS. He had a clear wish and willingness to incorporate speaking for parts within his work. He held strong the intention of the development of a programme that held the client experience and efficacy as priority, including where this meant less profit. An experience of the application of IFS to the process of business and programme development and team relationships allowed for a growth in trust, easy working relationships, and opportunities for inner healing.

Where IFS and naltrexone meet

The medication in question, naltrexone, is an opioid antagonist. Meta-analyses have consistently shown that naltrexone reduces the risk of heavy drinking and helps people sustain recovery (Jonas et al., 2014; Maisel et al., 2013). In UK practice, NICE guidelines recommend naltrexone as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for alcohol dependence. Importantly, it is not a 'magic bullet'. It does not erase the pain that drives drinking, nor does it repair broken relationships or tend to childhood wounds. What it does is lower the physiological pull towards alcohol, giving people enough space to engage with the deeper exploration and healing processes.

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IFS gives us a useful map for what can happen when medication is prescribed without therapeutic support. Manager parts – those highly organised, controlling aspects of the self – may eagerly 'sign off' taking medication. They like plans, structure, and solutions and often want to 'sort out' drinking to maintain control and continue their quest of self-improvement. Yet, while the managers may be temporarily satisfied, firefighter parts – those who step in to soothe pain through impulsive or numbing strategies – may still find ways to drink around the medication, avoid taking it or substitute one addictive behaviour for another.

Exiles – the vulnerable, burdened parts of us that carry shame, grief, or trauma – remain untouched in this process. Medication can quieten the surface storm but leave the deeper ocean of pain uncharted. This is why medication-only interventions can see dropout and relapse early on. Parts of the system simply aren't all on board with taking it in the first place.

When combined, naltrexone and IFS can complement one another in powerful ways. The medication lowers the intensity of craving and relapse risk. High levels of support in this early period are important, to navigate feelings of vulnerability and work with managers who can run the show but now with no readily available ways to switch off or soothe. These parts are often exhausted and long for some longer-lasting relief.

We have designed a programme that integrates both approaches. Clients begin with a medical consultation and, where appropriate, are offered naltrexone. IFS sessions form the heart of the therapeutic programme. Over the course of six months, participants engage in a blend of one-to-one therapy, group sessions, and a library of audio and video tools. We support clients to explore their drinking parts, their controlling parts, critics, the exiles beneath, as well as legacy and cultural burdens around alcohol use.

Relapse, when it occurs, is 'Relearning' and it becomes another moment of curiosity and a new trail to follow for further healing: Which part of me reached for the bottle? What were its intentions or hopes for me by doing this? What does it fear would happen if it hadn't have done this?

Self-led business: Leadership with integrity

In the same way that alcohol can wreak destruction on lives, unchecked managerial and firefighter energies in organisations can lead to burnout, unethical practices, and disconnection from core values. Yet the principles of IFS extend beyond therapy into the world of leadership and business. When leaders attune to their parts and lead with self-energy, they foster cultures that reduce harm and enhance motivation, productivity and wellbeing. A self-led business strives for sustainability, care and remains connected to the core values and intentions, alongside profit.

That's what I witnessed in this process – the same principles of negotiation and alignment that help clients in alcohol recovery also supported the way we built this programme. I have witnessed tremendous patience from the CEO in this process, a deep trust in colleagues, alongside highly capable, competent and skilled manager parts. In these contexts, even boardroom meetings can shift. Rather than speaking from parts, leaders can practice speaking for parts and from a place of clarity and calmness. This subtle but profound shift creates dialogue rooted in authenticity rather than reactivity.

Dr Zandra Bamford
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Approved IFS Clinical Consultant
Founder and Director of Therapy NorthWest
HCPC Registered