Why Do I Self-Sabotage? The Truth About Protector Parts

Why Do I Self-Sabotage? The Truth About Protector Parts

What if the part of you that you hate the most — the inner critic, the wall-builder, the people-pleaser — is actually trying to protect you? In this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, dives deeper into Internal Family Systems (IFS) by exploring protector parts: what they are, why they form, and how to engage them with curiosity instead of frustration or shame. You'll learn why almost all IFS work begins with protector parts — and why fighting, ignoring, or shaming these parts never leads to lasting change. In this episode, you'll learn: * Why protector parts often look like "bad parts" but are actually misguided good parts * The "8 C's" of your core self — calm, curiosity, compassion, clarity, confidence, courage, creativity, connectedness * How to recognize when another protector part has "entered the room" * How inviting God into this process changes everything Catch up on the series: 📌 Episode 1: https://youtu.be/F5X-0AYK9c8?si=G1kXhMVxog1zo9jF 📌 Episode 2: https://youtu.be/wRX99Jk9F0c?si=kWKMvzB8bfUujLBu Whether you're exploring Internal Family Systems therapy, Christian counseling, or just trying to understand your own reactions and inner conflict — this episode will give you language and compassion for what's happening inside you. -- 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

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

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

Understanding Your Inner World: Internal Family Systems & Faith

In this episode of the Heart Set Above podcast, Ellen Radcliffe, LMFT, introduces Internal Family Systems (IFS) — a therapeutic framework that helps people understand the different “parts” of themselves with greater compassion, clarity, and honesty. But this isn’t IFS disconnected from faith. Ellen explores the model through a deeply biblical lens, discussing how protector parts, wounded parts, and the “core self” relate to the Christian understanding of living in a fallen world — far from Eden, yet still created in the image of God. In this episode, we cover: • What Internal Family Systems (IFS) actually is • The difference between “parts” and your true self • How trauma and unmet needs shape our inner world This episode begins a brand-new series unpacking IFS in practical, theologically grounded ways to help Christians better understand themselves, navigate emotional healing, and grow closer to God. -- 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

How Autism Changed Our Faith (The Hard Truth) | Ep. 2

In this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, is joined by Chelsea Novak for part 2 of our Autism Awareness Month episodes. How does your faith hold up when life doesn’t go the way you planned? We move beyond diagnosis and daily life—and into the deeper, more personal question: Where is God in all of this? As autism moms walking very different journeys, we share how raising children on the spectrum has challenged, stretched, and ultimately reshaped our faith. In this episode, we talk about: * Wrestling with God in seasons of grief and uncertainty * How suffering has refined our understanding of faith * Trusting God when the future feels unpredictable * Letting go of control and embracing reality This is not a polished or perfect conversation—it’s honest, vulnerable, and rooted in real-life experience. 💬 “This journey has forced me to see everything through new eyes.” 💬 “Grief doesn’t disappear—it changes, and so does your faith.” -- 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...

From Diagnosis to Acceptance: Raising Kids with Autism | Ep. 1

In this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, is joined by Chelsea Novak for Autism Awareness Month. Join us for an unfiltered conversation between two moms navigating autism at very different stages. One is newly diagnosed. One is years into the journey. Both are learning how to carry grief, fear, and deep love—at the same time. Together, we talk about: * The emotional impact of an autism diagnosis * Grief, denial, fear—and what acceptance actually looks like * The realities no one prepares you for (hypervigilance, burnout, safety concerns) This episode is raw, vulnerable, and deeply human. Whether you're a parent, a caregiver, or someone who simply wants to understand autism better, this conversation offers a real glimpse into what life looks like behind the scenes. -- 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...