Many people seeking trauma therapy are frustrated with more traditional therapeutic methods, and rightly so. If they are working with a therapist who does not have a solid understanding of the Internal Family Systems Model, they may be misdiagnosed and not receive the type of therapy that will help them heal. Perhaps you have found [...]
So many trauma victims have vulnerable Parts that feel impossible to reach because the protective Parts are doing their jobs and protecting them. Working through trauma and experiencing healing is possible, but it takes time and patience from an IFS therapist who can guide you through the process. The IFS model has been shown to [...]
If you have undergone other types of trauma therapy and are just starting your work with a therapist that specializes in the Internal Family Systems Model, you will notice how different it is. This method is unlike other therapies, and clients respond in multiple ways once treatment begins. It is helpful to know what to [...]
As babies, we have attachment experiences from the moment we are born. While this is not the case for everyone, most of us immediately experience being laid across our mothers’ chests right after birth. That heart-to-heart first meeting paves the way for other attachment experiences: • Being held • Being fed • Eye contact • [...]
Once you begin working with an IFS therapist, you’ll spend a lot of time focusing on the Parts. You’ll grow to understand them, empathize with them, and even communicate with them. You and your therapist may each have your own ideas on what the healing process will look like. However, your Parts will guide the [...]
Traditional trauma therapy takes a much different approach to healing than the Internal Family Systems Model does. However, it is that approach that makes it so difficult for trauma victims to begin and sustain the healing process. If you have never been a part of IFS, it may surprise you to learn some of the [...]
Thirty to forty years ago, traumatized patients in need of Internal Family Systems therapy were typically diagnosed with what they called multiple personality disorder. In those days, the Self was referred to as the “host” because it was seen as more of an empty vessel for the traumatized Parts. The Self offers hospitality. Today, research [...]
Many trauma victims can only imagine what it must be like to operate from the Self. They often spend years experiencing their Parts (without realizing it, of course), and the Self remains mostly silent. Working with the right Internal Family Systems therapist for trauma therapy can make a big difference and allow you to change [...]
One of the biggest concerns for anyone who is in recovery from sex addiction is the possibility of relapse. Not only is this a major setback, it can also be incredibly discouraging and demoralizing for the sufferer. Although you cannot 100% guarantee that you will never relapse from an addiction of any kind, setting goals [...]
Far too many trauma victims enter into therapy to try and get healing while still feeling as though they are not safe to heal at all. This is due to the “blending” of the Parts that has taken place as a result of the traumatic event. It is false to assume that traumatic events need [...]