Frank Anderson, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist specializing in trauma, shares insights on parenting through the lens of Internal Family Systems Therapy. He discusses the impact of past trauma on parenting, the importance of self-awareness in parents, and techniques like the triggering agreement. The conversation also delves into using parts language in a family context and integrating neuroscience with IFS in trauma therapy.
IFS model helped Dr. Anderson navigate parenting through trauma history, emphasizing personal transformation.
Parenting workshops focus on parents' self-awareness and emotional healing, shifting from traditional child-rearing concepts.
Deep dives
The Impact of the Pandemic on Personal and Professional Life
The speaker reflects on the changes brought about by the pandemic, discussing personal and professional aspects. While acknowledging global suffering, personal positives like spending more time with family are highlighted. Work dynamics have shifted from extensive travel to virtual workshops, leading to increased family time and heightened demand in trauma-related work.
Parenting Journey and Personal Connection to IFS
The podcast guest shares a personal journey into the IFS model through becoming a parent. Triggered by his own trauma history when his first son was born, he delves into the intersection of attachment wounds and parenting, highlighting the personal transformation that led to his immersion into IFS and subsequent focus on parenting workshops.
Parenting Challenges and Differentiation from Raising Children
The speaker emphasizes the distinction between parenting and raising children in workshops, focusing on parents themselves rather than child-rearing concepts. Highlighting the complex journey of parenting triggered by unresolved history, he aims to guide parents towards self-awareness in understanding their reactions to their children's behavior.
Using Internal Family Systems in Parenting Practice
The discussion delves into utilizing Internal Family Systems (IFS) in parental work, particularly in distinguishing between parent coaching and parent healing. The focus shifts towards healing parent-child interactions by recognizing and addressing the parent's triggered responses, aiming for deeper emotional healing rather than mere behavioral correction.
Frank Anderson, MD, completed his residency and was a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is both a psychiatrist and psychotherapist and specializes in the treatment of trauma and dissociation. He is passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with the IFS model of therapy. Dr. Anderson is a lead trainer at the IFS Institute with Richard Schwartz and maintains a long affiliation with, and trains for, Bessel van der Kolk’s Trauma Center. He serves as an advisor to the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP) and was the former chair and director of the Foundation for Self-Leadership. Dr. Anderson has lectured extensively on the neurobiology of PTSD and dissociation. He co-authored the Internal Family Systems Skills Training Manual. Dr. Anderson maintains a private practice in Concord, MA, and is one of the most respected and internationally-known Internal Family Systems lead trainers available.
In this episode Frank shares how becoming a father brought him into the IFS model, and many more ideas and perspectives on parenting while putting together a parenting curriculum through IFS lens.
Podcast Feedback and Interview Request welcome at https://internalfamilysystems.pt/ifs-talks
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