Internal Family Systems: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with Dr. Richard Schwartz

Dr. Rick and Forrest are joined by Dr. Richard Schwartz, creator of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of therapy, to explore how we can integrate all the aspects of who we are. They explain the IFS model, the nature of parts and their roles, and how we can use this knowledge to increase self-awareness and deal with common problems. Then Rick and Dr. Schwartz dive deep into the nature of the “Self,” where it comes from, and how we can tune into and strengthen it.

This was a wide-ranging conversation, and we were thrilled to have Dr. Schwartz on the podcast again. You won’t want to miss this one.

About our Guest: Dr. Richard “Dick” Schwartz is the creator of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of therapy, and has authored a number of books and over fifty articles focused on IFS. His newest book is No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model.

Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there. 

Key Topics:

0:00: Introduction

2:15: Quick explanation of the IFS Model

6:45: Releasing the “Self”

11:10: Where does the Self come from?

16:00: How the practical side of IFS connects to the spiritual

23:20: The four goals of IFS, and parts of parts

26:15: Becoming your own attachment figure

32:15: Richard’s experience integrating his exiled parts

37:25: Personification in IFS. Why think in terms of “parts”? 

46:15: Why befriend our “bad” parts?

49:55: The non-pathologizing nature of IFS in a clinical framework

55:25: First and second darts

57:15: Identifying parts with curiosity, courage, and physical awareness

1:03:25: How asking yourself questions gets you in touch with your intuition

1:12:45: Recap

You can watch this episode on YouTube.

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