IFS and Australia's First IFS-I Lead Trainer - Emma Diamond Interview December 2025

IFS Spotlight: Emma Diamond's Journey as Australia's First IFS-I Lead Trainer
A 90-minute Interview with Australia's first IFS-I Lead Trainer, Emma Diamond, sharing her journey to becoming an IFS-I Lead Trainer and offering her wisdom for the Australian community.

Guest
Emma Diamond Links:
https://ifs-institute.com/practitione...
https://mindbeyond.com.au/ifsanz-key-...

Hosts
Loranie Leas
https://ifs-institute.com/practitione...

Oliver Brooke
https://www.oliverbrooke.com.au

Topics
Emma’s Professional Journey To IFS
Emma’s Personal IFS Journey
HIP Trauma – Historical Intergenerational Persistent Trauma
First all Australian Level 1 Training in Aus and NZ – We did it!
Einat Bronstein and Simon set the foundations for the Australian training team
Acknowledgement of Simon as a key person facilitating IFS in Australia
International Level 1 Experiences working in Europe, Asia, Russia, and the Middle East
Geopolitical impacts on human systems
Navigating Real World External Constraints and Polarisations
Einat Bronstein seeing, encouraging, and loving Emma
Emma’s system of support and the wider web of support
Power as a trainer – consistent reflection of how we are relating in that Role
Collective legacy work
Relationship with having authority and revealed legacy burdens
Practicing Self-Leadership as a trainer/leader
How we stay Self Led - Speaking for our parts, working with our parts, keeping up with the U-turn
Self-Led Advocacy Quote Dick Schwartz “Self has the clarity to see injustice, and the confidence to act to change it but the Compassion to do so without shaming.”
Blended Social Justice Parts to Self-Led Advocacy
Orientating survivors to empowerment
Weaving together Indigenous practices and IFS
“With Self-Leadership, there is no wrong; there is only a process of becoming clearer and clearer” – Emma Diamond.
Two most important things you can do as a beginning IFS Therapist
Do your own therapy! - “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek” – Joseph Campbel
The benefits of IFS Level 1 Training
Different Application Process for Level 1 in Australia, more information here:
News about IFS in Australia 2025 and 2026
What IFS means to Emma, Oliver and Loranie

Professionals mentioned
Peter Levine
Dan Siegel
Judith Herman
Janina Fisher
Stephen Porges - Poly Vagal Theory
Family Based Attachment Therapy – Dan Hughes – Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
Bonnie Wiess
Simon d’Orsongna – Mindbeyond - IFS AUS and NZ
Einat Bronstien - IFS Lead Trainer
Mariel Pastor - IFS Lead Trainer
Pam Kraus - IFS Lead Trainer
Paul Neustat - IFS Lead Trainer
Ann Sinko - IFS Lead Trainer
Dick Schwartz - Founder IFS

References
Updated Information and application process and form for Australian IFS Level 1 Training:
https://forms.gle/EPSWq6kohnmsS4ys5

IFS Study with Rheumatoid Arthritis:
https://ifs-institute.com/resources/r...

Epigenetics, chronic illness, and disease:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

Life Architect:
https://lifearchitect.com/