WHAT IS INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS?

Internal Family Systems Therapy is a transformative evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people heal by accessing and loving their protective and wounded inner parts. It believes that the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. We all have different aspects to our personalities, or parts, but most of us don’t have any control over these aspects - we just react automatically to situations in the outside world. Sometimes these reactions are ok and sometimes they get us into trouble.

But it turns out that there is a way to develop a relationship with these parts of our personality, so we can find out why they do what they do. We can help heal any pain or vulnerability that might be fuelling the internal reaction. Once we do that, we have the ability to choose how we want to respond rather than just reacting.

Richard Schwartz (IFS Founder) explaining IFS: https://youtu.be/DdZZ7sTX840

Richard Schwartz IFS demo: Demo Link

Richard Schwartz talking to Tim Ferris (podcast): https://tim.blog/2021/01/14/richard-schwartz-internal-family-systems/

Article in Psyche explaining the basic principles : Psyche Article

MY FAVOURITE BOOKS

Therapy

 

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb

A really lovely read where the author writes about her relationships with her clients, her therapist and those in her own life. It shows both the power of therapy and the inner world of a therapist.

 

Momma and the Meaning of Life - Irvin D. Yalom

Yalom is the best writer around about therapy. In this book he shares some case studies from his 60+ years as a therapist.

 

No Bad Parts - Healing Trauma & Restoring Wholeness with The Internal Family Systems Model - Richard C. Schwartz

This book is a great introduction to Internal Family Systems, how it developed, what it is and the power it has to work with our internal world.

The Body

 

The Body Keeps The Score - Bessel Van Der Kolk

How trauma stays in the body. A fascinating book which covers the research, case studies and developments in how mind, brain and body work together.

 

When The Body Says No - The Cost of Hidden Stress - Gabor Mate

A book which explores the relationship between mind and body. Gabor Mate is a wonderful writer on the subject of working with trauma and addictions.

Attachment

 

Why Love Matters - How affection shapes. a baby’s brain - Sue Gerhardt

A wonderful book on the subject of nature vs nurture. Examines the neuroscience and the relationship between babies and primary carers, and how it can affect the rest of our lives.

Race/Class

 

Natives - Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire - Akaka

A powerful book combining political history and an autobiographical story of the realities of growing up in 1980s Britain.

Relationships

 

Hold Me Tight - Dr Sue Johnson

Based on her work as an Emotionally Focussed Couples Therapist she writes about the negative patterns that couples get into. How our attachment fears lie beneath the responses we have to our partner’s behaviour. Would recommend for anyone in a relationship to read.

Vulnerability

 

Daring Greatly - Brene Brown

Vulnerability - the act of showing up when you don’t know the outcome. How showing vulnerability is a sign of strength and not weakness. How it can improve your relationships and bring more meaning to your life. In particular I would recommend the section written about men and the societal pressures which lead to vulnerability in men being perceived as weakness.