Innovations and Elaborations in Internal Family Systems Therapy
From the back cover: “Here Richard Schwartz and other master IFS clinicians illustrate how they work with a wide variety of problems: racism, perpetrator parts, trauma, addiction, eating disorders, parenting, and grief. The authors also show creative ways of putting into practice basic IFS techniques that help parts to unblend and to unburden both personal and legacy burdens.”
My Chapter is entitled “Self-led Grieving: Transitions, Loss and Death”
Self-Led Grieving Powerpoint
This PowerPoint informs the didactic part of a presentation at numerous IFS conferences. It reviews bereavement theories and how they inform an IFS understanding. Complicated loss and associated protectors are described as is the oscillation between grief and restoration which can be Self-led.
IFS for Therapists #2: Therapist Challenges
This video includes identifying and working with common therapist parts that may “hijack” in session. There is discussion about the importance of not allying with one half of a polarity as well as not ascribing a gender to a part. The IFS model is contrasted with other therapeutic modalities and the variety of system presentations is discussed. Addressing clients with mistrustful parts is addressed as well as some of the gifts that working with this model can afford the therapist.
Spirituality in Systemic Practice: An IFS Approach ~ Tom Holmes
Originally published in Journal of Systemic Therapies Vol 13(3) (Fal 1994): 26-35.
“This was the beginning of a remarkable process where the client appeared to have a direct
encounter with God. It left me wondering what I had just observed, and how is it that a client in
my office at a community mental health center had just had a spiritual epiphany .”
IFS for Therapists #3: Working in Session
This video identifies client parts that commonly seek to direct the session. Tips are offered on how to discern and work with parts holding the dominant narrative so that other parts may be heard. This video features a guided meditation to facilitate more Self-energy being present (also available as a stand-alone video: Tips for Therapists 3A).
There is discussion about listening for polarities as well as how to assess for Self-energy as different parts present.
IFS for Therapists #3a: Meditation for Self-Energy
This brief video is a stand-alone meditation designed to facilitate more Self-energy being available in the system.
IFS for Therapists #4: Common Dynamics
Describing how parts engage with each other internally and naming the positive intent of the protective parts. Common protective strategies are identified with suggested interventions including how to discern the self-like part. The mechanisms whereby protectors inform our perception is discussed (how “parts hijack our eyes”) and there is some discussion on working with shame that contrasts IFS curiousity with CBT reframing. The video closes with a beautiful story from Tara Brach’s work, “The Good Fairy” which, from an IFS perspective, reports the intervention of a guide in session.
IFS for Therapists #5: Working Between Sessions
This video describes a variety of ways of getting to know parts in everyday life (i.e. not necessarily during a therapy session) to facilitate more Self-leadership. Methods described include sandtray, art, checking-in, offering appreciations, different styles of journalling and more.
IFS for Therapists #6: Working with Protectors
Focusing on the proactive and reactive aspects of the personality’s protective system (“Managers” and “Firefighters”) this video offers a variety of ways to work with them. The difference between a part’s concern and its opinion is differentiated and the often central role of the “figuring it out” part is identified along with suggestions about how to invite it to work in greater alliance with the Self. This video ends with a clip featuring the poignant voice of a young exile.
The Drive for Authenticity: Understanding Inner Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity
Viewing gender and sexual orientation through an IFS lens to understand their diversity. Shame is acknowledged as being internalised from broader (and trusted) systems rooted in heterosexist and cisgendered assumptions. Self-compassion towards parts holding shame can help heal the system.