Internal Family Systems: Healing Trauma & Restoring Wholeness - Dr Richard Schwartz, PhD

Is there just one “you”? We’ve been taught to believe we have a single identity, and to feel fear or shame when we can’t control the inner voices that don’t match the ideal of who we think we should be. Yet Dr. Richard Schwartz’s research now challenges this “mono-mind” theory. “All of us are born with many sub-minds―or parts,” says Dr. Schwartz. “These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us―and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”

Dr. Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) model has been transforming psychology for decades. In this session, you’ll explore why IFS has been so effective in areas such as trauma recovery, addiction therapy, and depression treatment―and how this new understanding of consciousness has the potential to radically change our lives.

You’ll learn:

— How honoring and communicating with parts changes our approach to mental wellness

— How to transform your ego, inner critic, and self saboteur into powerful allies

— How IFS demonstrates human goodness by revealing that there are no bad parts

— How to discover your wise, compassionate essence of goodness that is the source of healing and harmony.

You’ll also engage in practical exercises for mapping your parts, accessing the Self, and working with a challenging protector.

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Dr. Richard Schwartz, PhD is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multipart personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. Formerly an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and later at Northwestern University, he is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He has published five books and is a sought-after presenter. For more, visit ifs-institute.com.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
00:11 - Intro to IFS
02:13 - The Origins of IFS
10:07 - Exiles, Managers, Firefighters
24:16 - Accessing the Core Self
32:40 - IFS in Practice
41:12 - Protectors & Exiles
50:59 - How Healing Happens
52:14 - Misconceptions in IFS
01:00:10 - Vulnerability in Therapy
01:05:43 - How Parts Guide Us
01:12:34 - Complex Cases in IFS

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Interview Links:

Dr Schwartz’s website: https://ifs-institute.com/

Dr Schwartz’s books: https://amzn.to/3V9YOtA