Why Do We Build Walls? Understanding IFS Protector Parts Through a Faith Lens

2026-05-28

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What does a childhood memory about spicy food have to do with healing your inner wounds? More than you'd think.In this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, gets personal — sharing a real-life example of how Internal Family Systems (IFS) actually works from the inside out. If the IFS framework has felt abstract or hard to grasp, this episode is for you.You'll hear how a small, seemingly insignificant moment in childhood can form a core belief — and how our inner system builds protector parts around tha...

What does a childhood memory about spicy food have to do with healing your inner wounds? More than you'd think.

In this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, gets personal — sharing a real-life example of how Internal Family Systems (IFS) actually works from the inside out. If the IFS framework has felt abstract or hard to grasp, this episode is for you.

You'll hear how a small, seemingly insignificant moment in childhood can form a core belief — and how our inner system builds protector parts around that wound to keep us safe.

Ellen walks through her own experience with a protector part rooted in the belief "no one will protect you, so don't need anyone" — and how God entered that story in a deeply personal, healing way.

This episode is part of our ongoing IFS series.

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

#christianpodcast #internalfamilysystems #ifs #christiantherapy #mentalhealth #FaithAndHealing #traumahealing #christianmentalhealth #HeartSetAbove

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