Internal Family Systems (IFS) model focuses on healing different protective parts within individuals to restore wholeness and transform therapy practices.
IFS model promotes personal, cultural, and spiritual transformation by recognizing innate goodness and interconnectedness, leading to compassion and conflict reduction.
Deep dives
Internal Family Systems Model and Healing Trauma
The podcast explores the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model developed by Richard Schwartz, focusing on how it revolutionizes therapy by understanding and healing different parts of individuals. The approach views individuals as having various protective parts that may hold trauma or burdens, aiming to unburden these parts to restore wholeness. Through sessions with clients, the method reveals the significance of addressing these parts, leading to transformative healing experiences.
Cultural and Spiritual Transformation with IFS
Richard Schwartz delves into the spiritual and cultural dimensions of the IFS model, emphasizing a shift in understanding human nature and interconnectedness at deeper levels. By recognizing the innate goodness within individuals and connecting with a transpersonal self, the model promotes personal, cultural, and spiritual transformation. Schwartz highlights the impact of accessing self-awareness and interconnectedness in fostering compassion and reducing conflict.
Healing Through Understanding Parts
The podcast discusses the tangible impact of recognizing and understanding parts in physical healing, citing a study on rheumatoid arthritis patients. By encouraging individuals to listen to their bodies and engaging with parts that hold burdens or unmet needs, physical symptoms can significantly improve. The narrative underscores how addressing parts' concerns can lead to a deeper healing process that goes beyond psychological well-being.
Future Vision for IFS
Richard Schwartz shares his vision for the future of the Internal Family Systems model, aiming to expand its influence beyond psychotherapy into larger systems and society. With a focus on collective healing, he envisions integrating the IFS principles into diverse fields and empowering individuals to embrace self-awareness and interconnectedness. The goal is to scale up the model for collective healing, addressing societal issues like racism and patriarchy through a lens of understanding parts and fostering self-compassion.
Today I interview Richard Schwartz. His friends know him as Dick. And while this is my first time speaking with him, I can’t help but feel friendly toward him. Dick is the creator of Internal Family Systems or IFS, an extraordinary and paradigm-shifting therapeutic model that changes not only the way we envision healing, but also the person being healed. Full disclosure: I am currently working with a therapist who uses IFS in their approach, and it’s been healing and revelatory, which is why I’m very excited to share this conversation with you, where we explore personal and cultural healing, the innate goodness of our humanity, and our connection with one another and the world around us. Dick is the author of several books. He’s taught around the world. He’s the founder of the IFS Institute, which offers resources and training for professionals and the general public. And he’s just written the new book No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholenesswith the Internal Family Systems Model(Sounds True, 2021). Enjoy my conversation with Dick Schwartz.
Eric LeMay is on the creative writing faculty at Ohio University. He is the author of five books, most recently Remember Me. He can be reached at eric@ericlemay.org.