Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a non-pathologizing, powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy that has taken the therapy world by storm in the past decade. It is a non-pathologizing, powerfully transformative, and evidence-based approach that rests on the principles of family systems theory and an experiential approach. The book offers an in-depth consideration of the steps and techniques involved in applying the systems concepts of family therapy to the intrapsychic realm.
The book is revised with over 70 new material, providing an authoritative presentation of IFS therapy. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a great resource for citing sources in APA Style, 7th edition. Students must do this every time they summarize, paraphrase, or quote another individual’s work. All internal citations correspond to an external citation on the “References” page.
In-text citation includes formats for interviews, classroom and intranet sources, and personal communications. In-text citations in general include paraphrases and direct quotations. Paraphrasing or summarizing the main findings or takeaways from a research article is the preferred method of citing sources in an APA paper.
The role of the therapist in IFS is crucial in its development and contribution to its best practice. The book provides an in-depth consideration of the steps and techniques involved in applying IFS therapy to substance use, eating, gambling, and more.
In conclusion, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a powerful, transformative, and evidence-based approach to treating addictions. It is a non-pathologizing, powerful, and evidence-based model that has taken the therapy world by storm in the past decade.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Internal family systems therapy, 2nd ed. | by RC Schwartz · 2020 · Cited by 1256 — This book is the authoritative presentation of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, which is taught and practiced around the world. | psycnet.apa.org |
| IFS Bibliography, APA Style | Internal family systems family therapy. In F. Dattilio (Ed.), Case studies in couple and family therapy: Systemic and cognitive perspectives (pp. 331-352) … | ifs-institute.com |
| Internal family systems therapy: New dimensions. | by ME Sweezy · 2013 · Cited by 52 — Internal family systems therapy: New dimensions. Citation. Sweezy, M., & Ziskind, E. L. (Eds.).. Internal family systems therapy: New dimensions. | psycnet.apa.org |
📹 How to Find Yourself The “True Self” in IFS Therapy
Welcome to Part 2 of my series: What is IFS? Internal Family Systems Therapy, Explained. In this video, I present IFS’s answer to …
What Type Of Therapy Is Internal Family Systems?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative psychotherapy method that views the mind as composed of various "parts," each with distinct roles and feelings, such as an inner critic or inner child. Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, IFS recognizes sub-personalities and aims to promote psychological well-being by healing wounded parts and restoring inner harmony. The therapy encourages individuals to explore their internal dynamics, fostering understanding and acceptance of their different aspects while accessing the core Self, which leads to a more balanced and self-led life.
Drawing from various therapeutic models, including structural and Bowenian family therapy, IFS emphasizes a non-pathologizing, evidence-based approach that has gained popularity for its effectiveness in treating trauma-related issues and a spectrum of mental health conditions. The goals of IFS include identifying protective and wounded parts, facilitating healing, and enhancing overall mental health.
IFS therapy can be applied in individual, couple, or family settings, making it a versatile and dynamic tool for those seeking deeper self-awareness and psychological healing. By integrating the understanding of internal parts, IFS facilitates personal growth and emotional healing.
What Is Internal Family Systems Therapy For Addictions?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1990s, is an innovative therapeutic approach that addresses addictions and related behaviors by exploring the various internal parts of an individual. This therapy emphasizes understanding how these parts evolved from family dynamics and traumas. IFS posits that addiction is fueled by psychological burdens caused by trauma, attachment wounds, and negative experiences, rather than simply being a disease or a failure of willpower.
IFS facilitates healing by restoring mental balance among conflicting sub-personalities, empowering individuals to access their true Self and develop a compassionate understanding of their internal struggles. This approach is trauma-informed and compassionate, accommodating various addictions including substance use, eating disorders, and gambling.
Promisingly rated for enhancing overall well-being, IFS Therapy also addresses issues such as anxiety and phobias, showing a significant capability in improving general functioning. Through in-depth understanding and reconnection with their internal world, individuals can confront their addiction-related behaviors more effectively.
Additionally, IFS uses concepts from Family Systems theory, arguing that one's behaviors are best understood within the context of their familial structure. This multi-faceted perspective offers a transformative framework for therapy, advocating for healing and integration of the disparate parts that contribute to addiction, ultimately facilitating a path toward recovery and self-discovery.
Can I Cite The CDC In A Research Paper?
When citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in your work, the approach depends on the citation style you are utilizing. In the AMA style, you would reference the CDC as a website, with "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" listed as the corporate author. This citation follows the guidelines provided in the AMA Manual of Style. For APA format, you should write the full name followed by the publication date in the citation on your Reference page.
The formula for this citation is: Author. (Year, Month Day). Title of web page/article. Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year, URL. For electronic publications, similar bibliographic details apply. When including citations within your text, the first citation could list the full name: "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, n. d.)," while subsequent citations can be shortened to just "CDC (n. d.)." If citing various CDC materials from the same year, differentiate them using letters.
In MLA format, reference the CDC similarly by including the full title of the webpage and the last accessed date. Overall, determine which citation style you are using to decide whether to use the full name or the abbreviation "CDC" in your in-text citations.
What Is A Good Book About Family Systems Therapy?
Courtois CA and Ford JD's "Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Evidence-Based Guide" includes Chapter 19 on Family Systems Therapy. The book highlights the application of family systems theory, particularly the work of Dr. Murray Bowen. A key resource for understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS) is Richard Schwartz's "You Are The One You’ve Been Waiting For," which focuses on applying IFS to intimate relationships. Various top IFS therapy books provide insights for those beginning their journey in Internal Family Systems, ranging from practical to advanced topics.
The framework of Family Systems Therapy treats families as emotional units, emphasizing self-reflection, growth, and improved communication. Readers are encouraged to explore influential texts such as "Extraordinary Relationships" and works by authors like Jay Earley and Dr. Becky Kennedy. Additionally, Salvador Minuchin's "Family Healing" and Michael P. Nichols' "Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods" are recommended for further understanding family therapy concepts. Overall, these resources underscore the effectiveness of family systems and IFS therapies in fostering resilience and healing.
Does Family Systems Therapy Foster Self-Awareness?
The article by Mones and Schwartz (2007) explores the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy as a means of fostering self-awareness in novice therapists. IFS therapy encourages individuals to engage with various parts of their psyche, promoting greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healthier relationships. This qualitative study employs a phenomenological approach to assess how IFS aids beginning therapists in recognizing their internal processes and understanding how this awareness impacts their practice.
The study highlights that by facilitating the exploration and integration of sub-personalities within oneself, therapists gain insight into their internal dynamics, fostering self-compassion and enhancing emotional healing. While IFS therapy focuses on internal systems, Family Systems Therapy examines family dynamics to improve communication and emotional boundaries, reiterating the shared belief in the interconnectedness of relational processes.
The findings demonstrate that increased self-awareness through IFS leads to emotional healing and resolution of inner conflicts, benefiting clients dealing with trauma, anxiety, or relationship issues. IFS promotes balance and self-exploration within therapeutic contexts. Overall, the study emphasizes the value of IFS in enhancing therapeutic skills and personal growth among novice therapists, with implications for improving client outcomes through better understanding and regulation of their internal experiences.
How Do You Cite Internal Sources In APA?
This internal report (unpublished) outlines the necessary guidelines for citation in accordance with APA style. Key elements include author/organization name, year, and title of the report in italics, along with the inclusion of institutional affiliation. In-text citations are structured using the author's last name and the year, incorporating page numbers for direct quotes (e. g., Hegenbarth, 2014). Specific citation formats for interviews and internal sources, as well as proper paraphrasing practices, are emphasized.
The report clarifies that all internal citations must correspond to an external citation listed on the "References" page. When citing a source within a source, appropriate methods are advised. Additionally, material derived from original sources must be cited correctly to avoid plagiarism. The structure of in-text citations varies, featuring both parenthetical and narrative forms. Sources are organized alphabetically by the author's last name, and special guidelines are provided for works without identified authors.
The report insists on adhering to the author-date citation structure, ensuring proper attribution for ideas and data derived from others. Overall, the internal report serves as a comprehensive guide for effective citation practices in academic and professional writing.
How Do You Cite Internally In APA 7?
The APA in-text citation style requires including the author's last name and the publication year, for example, (Field, 2005). When directly quoting, the page number should also be added, like so: (Field, 2005, p. 14). In citing a specific section, include a locator—a page number or timestamp—resulting in formats such as (Jones, 1998) or (Parker, 2020, p. 67). Each source used must have a full reference at the paper's end, adhering to the author-date citation structure.
Direct quotes necessitate details of the author, publication year, and page number, separated as needed, with an introduction using a signal phrase. In-text citations in APA are formatted using the author’s last name and year, corresponding to full citations on the References page. This includes general guidance for diverse citation types, such as interviews and personal communications. In your paper, always cite ideas or findings that are not your own.
Key moments for citations are when relaying research or direct quotations, with two types of in-text citations—parenthetical and narrative. Parenthetical citations feature authors and dates, while narrative citations weave authors into the text. Proper execution of these rules fosters clarity and proper acknowledgment of original sources throughout your research.
How Do You Cite Internal Communication In APA?
When citing personal communications in your text, include the communicator's first initial and last name or the organizational name, followed by "personal communication" and the date of the communication. For instance: (F. Davidson, personal communication, January 12, 2017). Such citations should only be used when no recoverable source is available. It is preferable to cite the original research if a topic was learned through a lecture, rather than citing the lecture itself.
In APA format, use the author-date method for in-text citations, which requires the author's last name and the year of publication. When dealing with wider audiences lacking access to the original sources, provide appropriate citations. APA guidelines emphasize including a page number for direct quotations or specific paraphrases. Internal citations must correlate with the external references on the "References" page. Citations for personal communications are exclusively included within the text and require the communicator's initials and surname, along with the communication date.
Examples highlight this approach, ensuring the correct format is maintained throughout. By adhering to these guidelines, writers can effectively cite personal communications without risking plagiarism and provide necessary attributions efficiently.
What Does An APA Internal Citation Look Like?
APA in-text citation style employs the author's last name and year of publication, formatted as (Field, 2005). When quoting directly, the page number must also be included, as in (Field, 2005, p. 14). For direct quotations, you must provide the author, year, and page number, noting the singular "p." for one page and "pp." for multiple pages, separated by an en dash. Citations can incorporate a signal phrase containing the author's last name, guiding readers to the complete reference in the References section.
The in-text citation format covers various sources, including interviews and personal communications, alongside general citation guidelines for paraphrases and direct quotes. In-text citations consist of two key components: the author's last name and the publication date; specifying a page number or range is necessary when citing specific content. Most typically, these citations are short parenthetical statements indicating the author and publication year, with page numbers when applicable.
The references in the text must correspond to a detailed reference on the "References" page. For webpages, the format remains the author’s last name and year of publication. The APA citation style emphasizes clear documentation and attribution of source materials throughout academic writing.
What Is An Internal Citation Example?
Internal citations are essential in academic writing to acknowledge sources of information. There are different formats, such as APA and MLA, each with specific guidelines. In APA style, when you mention an author in the text, include their last name followed by the year of publication, such as Garza (2007). If citing a work within a larger source, attribute the internal source's author. In-text citations are typically positioned at the end of a related sentence and can take the form of direct quotes or paraphrases.
For example, Smith and Jones (2006) might be cited directly or parenthetically as (Smith and Jones, 2006). In MLA format, the author’s last name and page number appear in parentheses after the referenced material. If a source has multiple authors, name them accordingly; if it has more than two, generally, list the first author followed by "et al." A comprehensive "References" or "Works Cited" page is required at the document’s end, organized in the order of appearance in the text.
In-text citations are vital for ensuring proper acknowledgment of ideas and supporting claims, thereby enhancing credibility and academic integrity. Always ensure the source is clearly credited to allow readers to identify and access the original material.
How Do Internal Citations Work?
In academic writing, in-text citations are essential for acknowledging sources. These citations correspond directly to full references listed on the "References" page. For example, when an internal citation features an author's last name, readers can find the complete information in the References section. In MLA Style, citations are done in parentheses following a quote or paraphrase, typically including the author's last name and page number.
If there is no author, cite the article's title and page number instead. For sources with multiple authors, both names or the first author followed by "et al." should be used, depending on the citation style. APA Style requires in-text citations that include the author's last name and publication year. Citations should be brief and do not interrupt the flow of writing, guiding readers to the corresponding full citations in the reference list. Different citation styles—MLA, APA, and Chicago—have unique formats for parenthetical and narrative citations.
It is crucial for students to practice proper citation whenever they reference another individual's work, whether through summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting. Mastery of these guidelines helps prevent plagiarism and facilitates academic integrity in writing.
📹 Bowen Family Systems Theory
THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP: THE JAPANESE ART OF DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING by Marie Kondo …
Your website is literally an act of love. For those that can’t afford or don’t have access to mental health services, your clear and considerate way of breaking down this education can be so impactful. I’ve done a lot of self development work but some ideas felt too abstract or weren’t a good fit for self guidance. IFS has been an absolute game changer and I’m seeing myself in an entirely new light. Not just treating symptoms and pretending I’m healing but understanding and having more concrete inner work happening. Your website, among others, has been really helpful in digesting this information. Thank you so much for having this information out here for free ❤❤❤
I enjoy all your clips Dr. Olds but the IFS series has been very impactful to me. I’ve taken several “intro” IFS courses some of which are direct material of Dr. Schwartz’s. But your approach and explanation of IFS is so clear and easy to understand, to relate to, and to apply in the clinical setting (I’m a therapist). THANK you for your continued dedication to our profession and your service to your community.
I love your website. Parts work changed my life. My therapist and I agreed to temporarily stop therapy mid-last year, so I can use what I have learned on my own. Her words were, “you have remapped the blueprint of yourself.” I am so proud of what I have accomplished. I use your website to remind myself of what I have learned. Thank you for all that you do.
I love how you tied it all in with the survival of the human race at the end. Not only to end the cycle of trauma but just to have the wisdom and brainpower we need! ❤Recovery work (in Western society at least) is usually viewed so individually. We’re on our own and we’re only doing it because something is wrong with us. But yeah! This work is a necessary contribution to society!! THATS the shift in attitude that I want to see take place.
I have been on a quest to know my self and get rid of my “limiting beliefs” for some time. I know that I am more than what I think I am; but I have not been able to find a way to “get there”. Your article simply pierced through every shell I have literally build around my heart and brought warmth to it. Thank you for sharing in such a beautiful and compassionate and loving way. You have not only touched my heart but also showed me a way to help that little kid inside, who is trapped in a cold and dark hole for so long, by listening to its protectors, persuading them to step away, taking their permission to extend a hand to that child and helping him feel safe and motivated to climb out of that hole by telling him I will be climbing with him to love, protect and coach him all the way till he gets out. Thank you a million times. My best regards…
You are a divine spark! I would love to meet your parents, teachers, and other significant people from your childhood! They did quite a good job. You are not of advanced years, and yet you are very obviously acting from your Self to enthusiasticly sharing this information with such clarity and truth, and inspiration! Thank you so much for making this series of articles. I am sure that those who are even slightly curious and watch this will begin to become people who can literally save the human race one part at a time !❤️
I am very excited to be a part of this transformation series. I am a student of mindfulness and just completed the Palouse 8 week mindfulness course (MBSR) based on Jon Cabot Zinn’s scientific studies which offers daily meditations and interactions with others seeking to optimize their life circumstances. I learned of Dr. Olds IFS transformational series in one of the meditation groups. I’m so grateful to have found IFS through MBSR. I am a retired Psychotherapist. Thank you for this opportunity.
Listening to your website feels super soothing to me. I have been studying for a super long time in self-development and internal healing, and I feel I have made huge progress in my life. However some really big pieces weren’t connecting lately. I haven’t been sleeping, my body is totally tense and I feel like I am in fight or flight mode… I am struggling to function well, and I am discovering I have been avoiding facing the part that is trying to protect me from failure. Learning about IFS therapy seems like the key in lifting the lid. Scary as it is! Anyway thank you for your website! I am a new subscriber.
Excellent article. The importance of this therapy is incredible. Now I understand why Dr. Gabor Maté mentioned this form of therapy as being very useful. The world would be certainly different if this form of therapy would be applied on a massive scale. Thanks Dr. Olds for such a brilliant, clear and complete explanation of IFS.
It’s so amazing. You inspire me very much. I remember the time I practice IFS. It looks like i let each of my protectors step back. Many time it’s not easy with some protectors. And I just quit temporarily. But I would love to try again. Because the more I try, the more love and courage i get. It just likes something that had gone now back home and I become more than i can see
I cannot explain to you how helpful these articles are. I recently uncovered early childhood abuse & have been absolutely drowning. Feels like I’ve lost my true Self. Learning of this type of therapy though, I feel hopeful. Very happy to hear youre training other therapists. You clearly have much to teach & the love pouring out of your heart is strong 🩵 thank you thank you thank you
I just Love your delivery and approach on the topic of embracing all our parts as opposed to negating them and punishing ourselves more in the process of resisting them. Therefore continuing to feed the traumas, rather than walking thru them and knowing they’re just mechanisms in place established to protect us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ♥️ “The higher self is def always there and always amazing!”
Brilliant. You explain IFS so well. I posted a comment on part one of your article. I’m really hoping we can use IFS as a family and/or individually to heal ourselves and our relationships. I’ve done a bit on my own with an on-line Dick Schwartz meditation and some on my own. Not sure if I’m doing it right but I feel like I’m getting a real benefit already. I’m so much more focused on planning and getting things done without distraction; I am in my 50s and was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago. It would be great to find a good therapist(s) here in the UK, Nottingham. I love what you said at the end of this article about the human race facing complex problems that we all need to be able to present for with our true adult selves (or words to that effect). I’m feeling like IFS has the potential to empower the disenfranchised, the meek, the damaged should among us to take on those who are equally in need of IFS who are destroying the planet. I’m so concerned about the climate crisis and want to be as affective as I can to bring about change. I’ve been down a very long and twisty internet rabbit hole with lots of branching side tunnels to find your article, but I really feel I’ve arrived at the solution to my own salvation and hopefully, collectively of the human race and the diversity of life and habitats on this beautiful planet.
It seems like the highest self, could be compared to the spiritual consciousness. Relieved of the conflict of living or being caught in mental and emotional polarity, the open flowing Self can emerge in the center of awareness. In my studies it feels like the highest vibration is a state of grounded freedom. Then to a state of possibility, where choice feels real. And then to a state of fragmentation where we divide into selves, parts, identified limitation.. The key to health being the conscious relaxed allowing of All Three states. The Self is source, possibility is emotional flexibility. Identify is bounded limitation. The flow state, would be the freedom to enjoy all three states without being caught in any of them. Just some tangential thoughts that played out from this valuable insightful vidio. Thank you.
8:33 the Big Eight. Love it. You said it’s not a sacred list but really it is. Or we might question that. So, I question myself: “can the eight ‘c’ words become sacred me?” And; “ought this be taught to others as a sacred truth?” And I answer boldly: ” Yes, yes, and yes.” The Buddha said, ” life is dukkha” but he could have said, “life is joy” instead. Dukkha is how our parts produce our fate, meaning how our parts block the path of wholeness. These parts need our attention. Indeed they are demanding it. Until we can give proper attention to these parts of ourselves, we will not connect with higher self. So, the Buddha was saying that we are suffering and that suffering is what cuts us off from nirvana…our true self. In order to reconnect with the higher self (Nirvana) we must relinquish our grievances, our ideology, our hard one opinions and tightly held assumptions, our wants and wishes. That’s a long list but it really comes down to three things. Our views, our desires, and our fears. That’s the ego story and that’s the source of our suffering. That’s the parts of us all demanding to be a part of the narrative. The bit actor wants a bigger role. This is just a natural competition of parts, They all have a vision for the future. They all want the whole to succeed but they don’t agree on how to accomplish this. This is why dialogue is so important. Meditation (sati) is to remember and what you ought to remember? How about the voices within yourself that don’t agree with executive decisions.
When the psychologist asked me who am I? Obviously said mother, doctor, daughter etc etc my therapist said I have 6 months to answer this question. I even google it it and became obsessed and asked random people if they knew the answer to this question! Now I know the answer I am a free soul who’s only happy when I am living my authentic self
WOW! Such an important article that really gives me a fuller perspective to what I have found in other therapies, couching and reading. This is the fundamental question for every human being. “Who am I”, and how do I truly express myself and interact with other people, nature and circumstances as authentically as possible? I am always in the search for the Self, or the “I”. and looking for language I understand expresses it clearly. So this is pretty clear to me. I learned of IFS from Gabby Bernstein, her book “Happy Days” and her podcast with Ed Mylett. Other interesting therapies are EMDR, Brainsportting, Rapid Transformational Therapy, RTT. I also had great help understanding IFS through studying “the Stick Person” by Bob Proctor:
Hi there from sunny Australia 😊 I’m new to your website, but I’m already a fan! You have a very warm and kind energy which is lovely! I’m a sucker for learning about the way us humans think, and how we can grow and learn to love and be more compassionate.. Wondering what you think of the Myers-Briggs personality test and its validity? I found out I’m an INFP (Much to my dismay lol 😆 I took the test another 2 times hoping I’d get a different result haha) Hope its ok to ask! Love your work! 💜 Xxx
I work nights and days. Only on my day shifts do I suffer with chronic fatigue. My nights shifts I’m tired of course but my day shifts ruin me. I believe it’s childhood trauma. My father was a violent man. Of he perceives I looked at him ‘funny’ he would beat me . I learned to be afraid of how people perceive me. The day shifts have over 2000 staff and I feel anxious with so many people. The night shifts have no staff. So it’s very clear it’s psychological. Can I unbend from my fatigue? Thankyou
Thanks so much! I’m just learning this and using IFS in my practice and it is amazing. I’m thinking of creating a script for hypnotherapy that uses IFS. I’ve been doing hypnosis in my practice and there is a parts approach but IFS seems to be superior. Do you, or anyone reading this, know if IFS has been used in hypnotherapy? Thanks again for great articles!
I’m so happy to discover your articles, Dr. Tori Olds. You really have a nice way of presenting this interesting topic. I have been working with Archetypes and personal shadow work and it´s just like this, but I’m curious about one thing and maybe the answer is to be found in the collective unconscious Carl Jung taught us about. There we find archetypal energies we can be possessed by them and feel like we become obsessed with them, but they are not me, they are not my personal parts they are parts of the collective unconcios. I bet you heard about the Warrior, King, Magician, and Lover, and their bipolar passive and active shadow aspects? So when you’re not fully integrated into the Warrior Archetype for example you have a bipolar sadist and masochistic shadow aspect and they are just like a persecutor and a victim, and I wonder how I can deal with this challenge? Maybe they are “burdens” I can dissociate from, but I have to associate with them first and acknowledge their presence in my life, like a part of my personality, what do you think?
Great but I was hoping you would provide specific exercises to do to get in touch with the ‘parts’, have a conversation with them and help them heal. For me this seems to the the trickiest part of IFS to do especially by yourself, even with Dick’s books and articles its not easy to grasp how to bring up a certain ‘part’ and communicate with it without feeling like you’re acting in an artificial way.
IFS actually achieves the same result as a Kudalini awakening, both result in a coalescing of a fragmented consciousness. However the Kudalini process can be a real ‘taking a sledghammer to crack a nut’ scenario. I know I’ve been in an extemley hard ‘top down’ Kundalini process for the last ten years. Kudalini is not an actual energy, it’s an expansion of consciousness which can result in a lot of energy being released in th body.
44 years of hell, that’s my life. I just try so very hard to heal from the PTSD… But the PTSD flashbacks rape my soul… 🕊 💫✨ I will experiment with healing myself, using the below affirmations: I am loved I am beautiful I am secure/safe I am worthy of true love and real friends I love myself and my life If we’re chasing butterflies, they’ll fly away… When we’re busy creating and tending our garden, the butterflies come to us. Don’t chase. Attract!❤💕
Hello, could you please give me some advice on this? I have been doing IFS therapy for a year and my therapist keeps telling me that it’s a part and not the self. I’ve become very able to notice all the parts and what they feel and want. I realize self is the one observing… She said self has no agenda. I am finding myself losing agency in life because I feel like whenever I want anything – to get in shape, to start side work etc – that I now feel like it’s not truly “self” so I worry about doing the thing because I don’t want a part to overwhelm my sister and so I feel immobilized How do we do anything from self if we can’t ever have an agenda?
I’ve been in IFS therapy for 6 months and still haven’t found “self”. We just talk, and talk, and talk. More and more parts show up. I’m getting absolutely nowhere. I think IFS is probably good for some issues, but it’s just as ineffective as CBT for developmental trauma. I wish someone would actually tell you that begore you drop tons on money on new modalities.
When I started perusal this article I was fairly sure I was going to find it cringeworthy, but it certainly surpassed my expectations. I was cringing HARD. I did continue listening right to the end, but to reduce the cringe factor I did need to avoid allowing my attention to remain to focused on what I was hearing, and also allow myself to stop perusal and just listen. It helped me to stay connected with what I was hearing without those “protector parts” getting triggered. So….why did I find it so cringeworthy? Well I guess for reasons that are similar to what many find so attractive about this kind of narrative. It reeks of spiritual bypass. In the language of trauma work it seems to be a clear case of somebody in functional freeze, largely unable to experience her true feelings. Hence the beatific smile while she’s talking about things that are actually quite harrowing. “The true self is always there, and it’s always amazing.” That is Cartesian BS. I am a biological organism of the human species, and whether I am amazing or not depends on what I’m doing and who else is there to be amazed (or not). Sometimes I find myself pretty amazing, but it would be super unhealthy to stake my sense of self-worth on always finding myself amazing. In any case, I continue to metabolise.
I find that IFS runs off the rails. I do have a ‘main self’ but it doesn’t have this … transcendence, this big S selfness. It’s just the rational, logical Me. Nor am I entranced by these 8 c’s Indeed, in my work on parts, compassion and curiosity and courage were the main ones I ever used. And why “C” In terms of therapy, I’ve not used clarity, confidence, creativity, and connectedness/ Why only 8? Why calmness instead of tranquility? I can see there being a list of traits that I should aspire to, and that these are on that list, but there are others that should be there too. Honesty. Openness. Wholehearted. And my deeper self is not clear. Is not connected.
Sooo sweet!❤😮 Ma’am…sorry but I love Your beautiful face, the way as you’re explaining in connections with my favourite theme and…as mentioned, beautiful face you have…moreover. your glass matches to explanation…and at your beautiful eyes…brilliant!❤😮😘😍😀😃 Please let’s peeling away the layer which separate us phisically!😘👣 😃
I find it extremely annoying and misrepresentative to give MR. SHAWARTZ credit for this whole Concept and especially you saying Mr. Schwartz came up with the BIG S self concept. This whole concept was Developed BY C.G. Jung 8nthe early 20th century. arrrg. Mr. Schartz just gave everything a new name ie parts vs shadow. I could go on but please give credit where credit is due!!!! I studied Jungian theory and have masters in depth psychology-only to have someone less educated say they wanted to do parts work in a workshop. It’s exactly the same good rebranding of an older wiser more documented psychological paradigm.
According to God some people are going to hell in fact a lot of people so how do you explain that? The Human condition the Bible calls this Sin. Even with all this parts work we still need to call on the name of the Lord and receive forgiveness of sin. Jesus said no one comes to the Father but by me.