Intro to IFS

Are you a helping professional looking for an exciting breakthrough approach to energize your practice?

Would you like to grow and heal as a person as you help your clients to do the same?

Introduction to Internal Family Systems:

A Live Online Course for Professionals

Co-Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW)

This 10 hour, 4 week series offers an introductory exposure to IFS, a therapeutic model that is becoming a movement and reaching diverse communities around the world due to its organic and intuitive framework that enables transformational healing. This size-limited introduction is taught by Patricia Rich, a thought leader in the applications of IFS to sexuality. While this is a broad introduction to IFS, Patty brings examples from her decades of experience as a relationship and sex therapist.

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Please note that the official Level One IFS training is offered by the IFS Institute. However, many professionals have found that this introduction offers basic concepts and practices that they can use right away to work with their own parts and with their clients' protective systems. This intro can also help people to determine if they would like to commit their resources to further training.

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Both simple and sophisticated, IFS is best taught through a combination of didactic and experiential approaches.

Each of the four sessions will address an important concept within the model.

Session One: Introduction to the Inner Parts of a Person

Dr. Richard Schwartz used the term "parts" to describe internal subpersonalities because that is how his clients talked about their own inner experience. Learn what Parts are, the roles they may take on, and some of the systemic dynamics that may develop in burdened and traumatized systems. Experiment with finding some of your own parts through meditations and activities.
Session Two:

Getting to Know Protectors

Unlike approaches that may try to eradicate "negative" behaviors or rush to heal the most vulnerable wounds a person has, IFS recognizes that all parts have positive intentions and that some parts carry responsibility for protecting other more vulnerable parts. Learn how IFS offers a way to safely and respectfully work with protectors, and witness or practice this process.

Session Three:

Getting to Know Exiles and How They Heal

The word Exiles refers to vulnerable and sensitive parts of a person that have taken on painful emotions, beliefs, memories or body states that are intolerable to the rest of the system. These parts are pushed down, avoided, or otherwise separated in an attempt to stabilize the system. See how IFS protocols invite the system to allow these parts to be known, befriended and healed through video or live demo's.
Session Four:

Self Energy and the IFS Therapist

IFS assumes that everyone has a whole, undamaged core Self that when trusted can heal and harmonize the internal system. The role of the IFS therapist is to access their own Self and to help clients to find and access theirs through the process of unblending parts. Work with your own parts in order to explore unblending and the qualities of Self.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What are the dates?

A: Stay tuned for next cycle dates!
Q: Will sessions recordings be available?

A: Teaching portions will be recorded and shared for a limited time. Live demos and personal processing will not be shared and will take up about half of each meeting.
Q: Is there recommended reading prior to this course?

A: The following are all great choices to prepare for this course and are only a sampling of the many IFS inspired books available.

•No Bad Parts, Richard Schwartz

•Parts Work: An Illustrated Guide to Your Inner Life, Tom Holmes. (An engaging introductory book)

•Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model, Richard Schwartz. (By the developer or the model. An abbreviated version of the following)

•Internal Family Systems Therapy, Richard Schwartz. (The therapist’s most important, basic book)

•Self-Therapy, Jay Earley. (How to do IFS for oneself or with a friend, also illustrated)
Q: What if I am not a therapist or helping professional?

A: If this course would support you in a professional role beyond those mentioned, you can shoot me an email at patty@patriciarich.com to see if it's a match. If you are not wanting to integrate this professionally and are focused on personal healing, this would not be the right group, but I'd be happy to add your name to an interest list for a potential future offering.

Q: Is this a live, synchronous course?

A: Yes! By limiting the size and by meeting synchronously on Zoom, you can be introduced to IFS in a social context, which offers many benefits. You will be asked to turn on your camera and to actively participate in order to increase the sense of safety and cohesion for all and to maximize your learning. (Of course you may need to turn off your camera at times, but you are encouraged to clear other commitments if you can so you can be fully present.)
Q: Will I be a trained IFS Therapist after this course?

A: After this course you may be IFS-Informed. However, to call yourself an IFS Therapist or Practitioner requires many more hours of training and supervised practice. You can learn more at IFS-Institute.com.
Q: Will CE's be offered?

A: 10 CE’s are offered if all sessions are attended in their entirety for the professional categories listed below. CE’s can be offered in increments of 2 if you have to miss a session. Please note that this course will not offer CE's through the IFS Insititute. Additional fee of $10 to receive CE’s.

a. FOR PENNSYLVANIA SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELORS: This program is approved for 10 CE credits for professional workshops sponsored by the
Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work, a state affiliate of the Clinical Social Work Association listed in Section 47.36 of Title 49, Chapter 47 of the PA Code, State Board of Social Work Examiners. This program is also approved for 8 CE credits for professional workshops for marriage & family therapists
(Section 48.36) and professional counselors (Section 49.36).

FOR NEW JERSEY SOCIAL WORKERS: This program is approved for 10 CE credits. Attendance at programs or courses given at state and national social work association conferences, where the criteria for membership is an academic degree in social work, are a valid source of continuing education credit (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-6.4(c)4).
Q: What if I have more questions or special needs?

A: You can reach out to patty@patriciarich.com.

HELLO!

I am Patty Rich, LCSW, CST-S

Certified IFS Therapist and Approved Consultant

AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor

Speaker, Trainer, Guide

I teach therapists and insight-oriented folks how to BeFriend and Lead your Internal Sexual System (BLISS™) in order to deepen intimate connection, promote healing, expand pleasure, and live an empowered life inside and outside the bedroom. The first phase of this process is learning the basics of IFS and my new course, Introduction to Internal Family Systems: A Course for Professionals, is a great way to get started!

What Participants Say

“There are few issues that trigger our parts more than sex. There is no one who has provided a better map to lift us out of that morass and into Self-led bliss than Patty Rich.”

Dr. Richard Schwartz

Creator of the Internal Family Systems Model

“I enjoyed the presenter’s clarity, ease, articulacy, and expertise. Three hours passed quickly!”

Michelle Southworth

Director, Post Graduate Certificate Program, Council for Relationship

“Excellent presentation. Extremely skillful therapist; sensitive, creative, mindful. Truly allowed herself to be vulnerable by sharing a session and sharing her internal process as well. Fabulous role model for us therapists.”

Fern Zeigler, LMFT

Introduction to Internal Family Systems:

A Live Online Course for Professionals

This course will stimulate your mind and invigorate your practice

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