

Addiction and IFS ft. Cece Sykes
5 snips Mar 6, 2024
Cece Sykes, a seasoned therapist and Internal Family Systems (IFS) expert, discusses the intricate relationship between addiction and trauma. She highlights the power of compassion in therapy, stressing its role in building trust with clients. Sykes dives into the stigma surrounding addiction and the importance of validating clients’ experiences. The conversation also touches on how understanding one's internal parts can facilitate healing, while offering hope for recovery and encouraging self-compassion as a key element in overcoming addictive behaviors.
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Cece's Introduction to IFS
- Cece Sykes recounts her introduction to IFS in the late '70s, through Dick Schwartz in Chicago.
- Initially skeptical, she became intrigued by its effectiveness with addictive behaviors, especially eating disorders.
Treating the System, Not the Symptom
- Traditional addiction treatment often focuses on managing symptoms, not addressing root causes.
- IFS shifts the paradigm by treating the entire system, not just suppressing the addiction.
Parts of the System
- The psyche is divided into parts with specific roles: managers, firefighters, and exiles.
- Managers present to the external world, firefighters soothe inner turmoil, and exiles hold vulnerability.