🔼: [[💡 Protector Parts]] #### Proactive Protectors (Managers) Proactive Protectors (known as "Managers" in [[⭐️ Internal Family Systems|IFS]]) are careful, cerebral, and forward-thinking[^1] [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]] who run our day-to-day lives to keep us safe and prevent the [[💡 Exiles|Exiles]] they protect from being [[💡 Trigger|triggered]] or hurt again. [[🔑 Protectors are dedicated to maintaining their idea of safety, balance and homeostasis]], but Proactive Protectors are specifically committed to making sure our [[💡 Exiles|Exiles]] are never [[💡 Trigger|triggered]] or wounded again — most often by taking control of other parts, people, situations, places, or things. They often readily admit to being tired of their role.[^2] Proactive Protectors all have several things in common: - They carry [[💡 Burdens 🪨|Burdens 🪨]] of fear and responsibility, and they fear the unknown.[^1] - The need to control, both inner and outer environments, to prevent or avoid anything that might trigger our exiles. - They're scared, exhausted, and often constantly working. - Many of them are [[💡 Polarization#Proactive Protectors vs Proactive Protectors|polarized with each other]], as they're [[🔑 Protectors are dedicated to maintaining their idea of safety, balance and homeostasis|🔑 trying their best to keep you safe]] in opposite ways, and they'll alternate [[💡 Blending|taking over]] or one will try to lock up the other and make them a [[💡 Protectors-in-Exile|protector-in-exile]]. - When liberated from their role, many become their healthy opposites. They often become advisers, consultants, coaches, or cheerleaders. They're no longer [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]], they just become one of your many parts, doing what they were meant to do.[^3] ###### See Also - [[🔑 Hold labels loosely]] - [[🔑 Proactive Protectors and Reactive Protectors are more alike than different]] - [[Protector Strategies 🛡️]] [^1]: [[📖 ✅ IFS Online Circle]] Month 2: The Protective System & Fears of the Protectors [^2]: [[📖 ✅ IFS Online Circle]] Month 2: The Protective System & Fears of the Protectors - Month 3 with Toni Herbine-Blank [^3]: [[📖 ✅ IFS Online Circle]] Month 2: The Protective System & Fears of the Protectors - Month 2 with Richard Schwartz