The Power of Self-Led Compassion During Darker Months
- annabellalipson
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
How Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Helps You Stay Grounded in Winter
Winter has a way of slowing us down. The days shorten, energy dips, and emotions we’ve managed to keep at bay often start to surface. For many, the darker months bring loneliness, fatigue, or a sense of heaviness that feels hard to shake.
Rather than judging yourself for feeling “off,” this season can become an invitation to turn inward to meet those tender places within with curiosity and care. That’s where self-led compassion and IFS therapy come in.
Understanding Self-Compassion Through the IFS Lens
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy teaches that we all have many “parts” within us, protective, critical, anxious, playful, and everything in between. Beneath all of them is our Self, the calm, wise, compassionate core that’s capable of leading with care.
During the winter, protective parts may grow louder:
A critical part might push you to “stay productive” despite low energy.
A numbing part may encourage binge-watching or over-scrolling to avoid discomfort.
A lonely part may crave connection but feel afraid to reach out.
IFS therapy helps you notice these parts without shame, invite them to step back, and let your Self, the centered, compassionate part of you take the lead.
Why Self-Led Compassion Matters More in Winter
When daylight fades and routines shift, our nervous system tends to slow down too. For trauma survivors or highly sensitive people, this can activate old patterns of isolation, hopelessness, or self-criticism.
Self-compassion becomes your internal light source helping you:
Regulate your nervous system when anxiety or sadness rises
Soften your inner critic so you can rest without guilt
Rebuild trust with parts that fear stillness or vulnerability
When compassion leads, healing happens naturally. You begin responding to your parts, not reacting to them.
Practical Ways to Practice Self-Led Compassion
Try these gentle, IFS-inspired approaches this winter:
Check in with your parts. Take a quiet moment each day to ask: “Who needs my attention right now?” You may notice a tired part, a sad part, or a part that’s longing for connection.
Name and validate their feelings. Instead of dismissing emotions, try saying: “I see you, sadness. I understand why you’re here.” Validation helps parts relax and feel safe.
Bring warmth to your body. Light a candle, wrap in a blanket, or place a hand on your heart. Physical warmth signals safety to the nervous system.
Invite movement and light. Gentle stretching near a window, a walk outdoors, or even a few minutes of morning light can regulate mood and energy.
Seek support when needed. Compassion also means asking for help. Therapy offers a safe space to meet your inner world with guidance and care.
Common Mistakes (and Gentler Alternatives)
❌ Pushing yourself to “snap out of it.”
✅ Instead, honor your body’s natural need for rest and stillness.
❌ Ignoring or judging uncomfortable feelings.
✅ Practice curiosity — ask what each feeling is trying to protect or express.
❌ Believing you have to “fix” your parts.
✅ Healing begins when you simply listen to them with compassion.
Meet the Therapist: Annabella Lipson, LMHC
Annabella Lipson is a trauma-informed therapist at Peaceful Living Mental Health Counseling. She integrates IFS and EMDR approaches to help adults reconnect with their inner strength and find peace within themselves even during life’s darker seasons.
About Peaceful Living Mental Health Counseling (PLMHC)
At PLMHC, we believe healing starts with understanding and not judgment. Our therapists provide trauma-informed care for children, teens, and adults, both in-person in Scarsdale/Westchester, NY, and virtually across NY, CT, and FL.
If this season feels heavy, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Compassionate help is available.
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🌿 Ready to reconnect with your Self this winter?
Book your Free 15-Minute Consultation with Annabella Lipson, LMHC, and begin your journey toward warmth, balance, and inner peace.
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