IFS, Psychedelics, and the Spirit World: Dick Schwartz Speaks to His Lived Experience

Dr. Richard (Dick) C. Schwartz is the Founder of the IFS (Internal Family Systems) Institute, which offers professional training in IFS therapy, an evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people access and heal their trauma through their multifaceted personalities. Dr. Schwartz began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic and is a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. As a featured speaker for national professional organizations, he has published five books on IFS, including No Bad Parts and Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [4:04] An introduction to IFS (Internal Family Systems)
• [14:09] How Dr. Dick Schwartz developed IFS and began working with psychedelics
• [16:58] The spiritual qualities of the self
• [22:29] What is the role of psychedelics in accessing a spiritual state?
• [27:32] How to embark on a journey of self-discovery
• [31:21] Dr. Schwartz talks about unattached burdens and guides
• [40:50] Religious and scientific criticisms of IFS
• [45:46] Criteria for identifying unattached burdens and how to differentiate guides from parts
• [50:33] Dr. Schwartz’s perspective on using ketamine to advance the therapeutic process

In this episode…

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model is a transformative framework for understanding and healing trauma, and many therapists look to integrate it with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. How can practitioners balance the introspective depth of IFS with the expansive, altered states induced by psychedelics to unlock profound therapeutic breakthroughs?

According to lifelong family systems researcher Dr. Dick Schwartz, the IFS therapeutic model identifies the mind’s multiplicity, where protective and exiled parts coexist with the innate qualities of the self. Drawing parallels with spiritual traditions, IFS bridges evidence-based therapy and practices, addressing phenomena such as unattached burdens and guides, which challenge conventional psychological frameworks. Psychedelics enhance the IFS process by temporarily silencing protective parts of the psyche, allowing greater access to the healing qualities of the self. While psychedelics can catalyze powerful emotional releases and self-awareness, Dr. Schwartz emphasizes the need for skilled facilitation to avoid overwhelming clients or triggering protector backlash. By combining IFS principles with psychedelics, therapists can create a safe, compassionate environment that supports deep healing and integration of past traumas.

In the latest episode of Living Medicine, Dr. Sandy Newes invites Dr. Richard (Dick) Schwartz to discuss how psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can enhance the IFS process. Dr. Schwartz talks about the spiritual qualities of the self, how to identify unattached burdens and differentiate guides from parts, and recent criticisms of IFS.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dr. Signi Goldman on LinkedIn -   / signi-goldman-m-d-9847742ba  
• Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Newes on LinkedIn -   / sandynewes  
• Living Medicine Institute - https://livingmedicineinstitute.com
• Dr. Dick Schwartz on LinkedIn -   / richard-schwartz-0a9a1b203  
• IFS Institute - https://ifs-institute.com/
• No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz, PhD - https://www.amazon.com/No-Bad-Parts-R...
• Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz, PhD - https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-I...
• “The Origin Story of MDMA Research: Annie and Michael Mithoefer” on Living Medicine - https://livingmedicineinstitute.com/2...
• “The Challenges of the MDMA Research Studies: Annie and Michael Mithoefer Part Two” on Living Medicine - https://livingmedicineinstitute.com/2...

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by the Living Medicine Institute.

LMI is a training, resource, and membership program educating providers about the legal and safe use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

To learn more or participate, visit https://livingmedicineinstitute.com.

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