In this episode of Going Inside Live, John Clarke tackles a wide range of real-time questions from therapists, including a provocative one: Can Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy actually be harmful? John explores the nuances of working with protectors, polarization, dissociation, DID, and the ethical concerns therapists face when practicing powerful modalities like IFS.

Whether you're an IFS practitioner or just curious about parts work, this episode is filled with candid insights and clinical gems to deepen your therapeutic presence.

3 Key Takeaways:

• Why IFS Might Be “Too Powerful” – Learn how bypassing protectors or diving too quickly into exile work can actually destabilize clients.
• Can IFS Work With DID and Severe Dissociation? – John explores how IFS adapts to extreme trauma, alters, and fractured systems — and what not to do.
• The Therapist’s Shadow – Why certification doesn’t guarantee safety, and how even well-trained therapists can unintentionally cause harm.

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

When clients say “I don’t know” in session, it can feel like hitting a wall. In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke breaks down what’s really happening when insight work stalls—and how Internal Family Systems (IFS) offers a radically different way forward. From hypoarousal and hopelessness to therapist parts that want to fix everything, this episode gives practical strategies for going deeper, staying in self, and navigating the complexity of parts work. Whether you're doing IFS solo or with clients, you'll walk away with tools, insights, and a deeper respect for the process.

Key Takeaways:

• Why “I don’t know” often signals a lack of self-energy—not resistance
• What to do when your therapist parts want to jump in and fix
• How IFS goes beyond insight and into direct internal transformation

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this episode of Going Inside, John Clarke sits down with the legendary Cece Sykes, IFS trainer, therapist, and pioneer in the field of addiction recovery, for a rich, open-ended conversation about the complex dance between trauma, addictive processes, and the healing power of choice.

Together, they break down a real client demo, the challenges therapists face when healing feels urgent, and how the IFS model bridges the gap between trauma treatment and addiction recovery. 

3 Key Takeaways

• What if your inner critic isn’t you — but your parent’s energy?
• When speed becomes a symptom, not a solution.
• The 9th “C” of Self you’ve never heard of (but really need).

👤 Guest: Cece Sykes

Cece Sykes, LCSW, has over 40 years of clinical experience treating trauma and addiction. She is a senior lead trainer for the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute, and has trained therapists all over the world on how to use IFS to work with addictive processes and legacy burdens.

📧 Contact: [email protected]

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance:
 https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit:
 https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador

➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit:
 https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE

➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit:
 https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke dives deep into how to skillfully navigate protective parts in IFS therapy and why safety is the cornerstone of effective trauma work. You'll learn practical, real-world techniques to help clients unblend, access Self energy, and build trust with even the most entrenched protectors. Whether you're new to IFS or looking to refine your clinical skills, this episode is packed with insights, case examples, and therapist tools you can use right away.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• The First Sign You’re Blended (and What to Do About It): John shares how body tension is often the first cue that a part has taken over — and how therapists can respond in the moment.
• The Surprising Way to Introduce IFS in an Opening Session: Learn why guided experience often works better than explanation and how to help clients get curious about their own system.
• What Real Insight Work Feels Like (vs. Just Talking About It): Discover the texture of true internal dialogue and how to tell when a client is genuinely engaging with their parts.

🧰 Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

🔗 Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Therapists are trained to hold space for others,but not for their own financial stories. In this powerful conversation, trauma-informed money coach Nadine Zumot joins John to unpack the hidden emotional wounds behind money shame, avoidance, and burnout. Together, they explore how trauma shapes our money behaviors, why fee-setting can feel “dirty,” and how somatic healing can help therapists finally feel in control of their finances.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1. Money avoidance isn’t just procrastination — it’s often a trauma response. Learn how therapists’ unhealed wounds manifest in financial patterns like undercharging, overspending, or obsessing.
2. You can’t mindset your way out of money shame. Nadine shares how somatic tools, nervous system regulation, and parts work help make money feel safe again.
3. The stories we tell ourselves about “worthiness” and “charging too much” are rarely about math. Discover how healing your money story can unlock confidence, clarity, and peace.

👤 Guest: Nadine Zumot

Nadine Zumot is a trauma-informed money coach who helps people heal the money wounds left by childhood trauma and CPTSD. Her work blends nervous system regulation, somatic healing, and practical financial systems so money feels safe and empowering instead of stressful. She has helped clients go from debt, avoidance, and anxiety to building savings, creating freedom, and finally feeling in control of their finances.

• 💻 Website: saveamillioncents.com
• 🎧 Podcast: Unfuck Your Money
• 📩 Email: [email protected]
• 📸 Instagram: @nadinezumot

🧰 Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

🔗 Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️  Start showing up to every session grounded, attuned, and fully resourced with the Self-Energy Guide for Therapists:  https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/self-energy-guide-org

What happens when a trauma therapist steps outside the traditional therapy model to create a more embodied, flexible, and client-centered way of healing?

In this powerful conversation, somatic practitioner Dr. Danica Harris joins John Clarke to explore what it really means to heal from complex trauma without retraumatization. Together, they unpack the difference between therapy and somatic coaching, why retelling the trauma story isn’t necessary for healing, and how to work at the pace of the nervous system rather than the urgency of our parts.

Whether you’re a therapist, coach, or healer, this episode invites you to rethink the boundaries of your work—and what it truly means to be with your clients in their healing.

3 Key Takeaways

Why hearing the trauma story might actually get in the way of healing — and what to do instead.

How to bring somatic and energetic work into your practice without crossing ethical lines.

The surprising reason slowing down can create the biggest breakthroughs for your clients (and for you).

👤 About Dr. Danica Harris

Dr. Danica Harris is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and complex trauma expert, working internationally as a coach, facilitator, presenter, and educator. Trained as a Counseling Psychologist, Danica prioritizes helping folks heal so they can live more embodied and empowered lives.

If you’re seeking deep healing, check out her upcoming retreat:
Healing Your Way Home – Dallas, TX | Nov 6–10

Connect with Danica

IG / FB / Threads / Pinterest: @theempoweredtherapist
IG / FB / Threads / TikTok (Practice): @empoweredhealingdallas
📧 Contact: [email protected]

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance:
 https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit:
 https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit:
 https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit:
 https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with John

• https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
• https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy
  
  

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Dissociation, Attachment Trauma & the Brainstem with Nikki Nooteboom

In this episode of Going Inside, Dutch therapist and trainer Nikki Nooteboom joins John to explore how neurobiology is reshaping trauma therapy. From the vestibular system to dissociation and the default mode network, Nikki breaks down the deep physiological roots of trauma — and how to work with them more effectively in clinical practice. If you've ever wondered why some clients can't stay grounded or why insight alone doesn't lead to healing, this conversation is for you.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways

1. Why Knowing Isn’t Healing: Insight alone doesn’t shift trauma — the body must first rediscover safety through bottom-up integration.
2. The Vestibular System’s Role in Trauma: Learn how trauma disrupts orientation and balance at a neurological level — and why that matters more than we think.
3. Beyond Coping: Creating Real Safety in the Brain: Discover how consistent, structured grounding practices can actually rewire a brain organized around survival.

👤 Guest: Nikki Nooteboom

Nikki Nooteboom is a Dutch therapist and trainer who integrates neurobiology with trauma healing methods like IFS, EMDR, and somatic therapies. Her work focuses on making therapy more effective by working with the brain from the bottom up. She also trains other therapists, social workers, and bodyworkers in neuro-informed approaches through the Finding Solid Ground program and the Trauma-Informed Academy.

• Website (Therapy): www.neuroinformedcare.com
• Website (Trainings): www.traumainformedacademy.org
• LinkedIn: Nikki Nooteboom
• Instagram: @traumatherapeut_nikki

Resources & Offerings:

 ➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador

➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE

➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with Me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this deeply moving episode of Going Inside, John sits down with somatic coach Marina Shriner for a raw and resonant exploration of how trauma hides in the body—and how it silently shapes our relationships, self-worth, and emotional patterns.

From immigration and war to abusive relationships and business breakdowns, Marina shares her personal healing journey and why talk therapy wasn’t enough. She reveals the powerful truth about what happens when we stop trying to think our way out of trauma—and start feeling our way through it.

Key Takeaways

🔑 You can't outthink trauma — Marina shares why healing requires going into the body, not around it.
🔑 The fixer/rescuer part may be protecting your inner child — Learn how over-functioning in relationships is often a trauma response.
🔑 Grief doesn’t go away—it waits — Discover how unprocessed grief and emotional pain can live in the nervous system for years if left unfelt.

👤 Guest: Marina Shriner

Marina Shriner is a renowned somatic coach who has helped thousands of clients move through stuckness, regulate their nervous systems, and reconnect with their inner power. Her work focuses on the deeper emotional patterns that shape our relationships, careers, and sense of self—especially around the fixer/rescuer/helper roles we unconsciously adopt.

🖥️ Website: www.marinayt.com/HeartSpace
🎧 Podcast: marinayt.com/podcast
📸 Instagram: @marina.y.t
📩 Email: [email protected]

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this episode of Going Inside, John Clarke sits down with Jessica Fern—IFS-trained trauma therapist and author of Polysecure—to explore what really happens inside our systems when we open up relationships. They unpack the intersection of attachment, trauma, and non-monogamy, and how IFS brings clarity and healing to the parts that get activated. Whether you're a therapist, curious about ethical non-monogamy, or working on your own attachment wounding, this conversation offers powerful insight, practical frameworks, and plenty of aha moments.

Key Takeaways:

• Why "opening up" a relationship often opens old wounds first—and how IFS can help you meet the infant parts crying out for safety.
• The surprising ways codependency, polyamory, and secure attachment collide—and what people get wrong about each.
• How the "shame triangle" shows up in modern relationships—and why your inner critic may be the loudest part in the room.

👤 Guest: Jessica Fern

Jessica Fern holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution, is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, a trained Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner, and an integrative therapist drawing on 25 years of experience in somatic, narrative, psychotherapeutic, and spiritual healing modalities. She is the internationally recognized author of Polysecure, The Polysecure Workbook, Polywise, and her upcoming book Transforming the Shame Triangle.

Through her international private practice, Jessica works with individuals, couples, and multi-partner relationships to break free from reactive patterns, cultural conditioning, insecure attachment, and past trauma—empowering them to embody new possibilities in life and love.

Contact + Learn More:
 🌐 JessicaFern.com
📧 [email protected]
📸 Instagram: @JessicaFern

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Discover how to stay grounded, attuned, and effective, no matter what your clients (or you) bring into the room: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/self-energy-guide-org
➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with Me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Grief isn’t just about loss — it’s also a doorway into healing. In this deeply resonant conversation, relational therapist Rebecca Wong and host John Clarke explore how grief, when met with presence and curiosity, becomes a powerful force for integration and connection. Together, we dive into what it means to turn toward our discomfort, build trust with our nervous systems, and honor the wisdom already within us.

Whether you’re a therapist, a client, or a human navigating this wild experience of being alive, this episode will help you reflect on your own relationship with pain, healing, and connection.

Key Takeaways

• Grief as your most untapped therapeutic tool. Discover why it’s more than just sadness and how it opens a door to deep relational healing.
• Could your urge to fix block your client’s healing? Explore the subtle shift that changes how your presence impacts clients.
• How clients' reactions are actually wisdom in disguise. Learn how to recognize the intelligence of the nervous system, even in shutdown, collapse, or rage.

👤 Guest: Rebecca Wong

Rebecca Wong is a relational therapist, educator, and the creator of Connectfulness®, a practice rooted in presence, curiosity, and the courage to turn toward what’s hard. She supports individuals, couples, and healing professionals in cultivating nervous system trust, relational integrity, and generational repair. Learn more at connectfulness.com.

📩 Contact: [email protected]
🔗 Social: @connectfulness

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast