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IN THE second part of our focus on what change looks like in IFS, we talk about:

• the pressures to change that clients and therapists face;
• the concept of constraint release;
• the importance of encouraging our clients to work on their connection with parts inbetween sessions; and 
• how do we handle it when a dominant protector just will not step back and allow any change.

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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TODAY we're exploring what we mean when we talk about change in IFS therapy... what are the expectations around this and how much change is actually possible? And if there is an urgent agenda for change, a key thing to consider is: who inside our client, or ourselves, is leading this? We'll also discuss what clients self-report in terms of change.

As usual, we'll give useful examples and tips; and because there's a lot to this topic there will be a part two coming soon.

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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IN this episode, we look at the ethical aspects of working as an IFS therapist. It's a very different way of working, so the psychotherapy profession's existing, mono-minded ethical framework inevitably will not cover everything for the IFS professional. It's an important topic for those transitioning to IFS, and we cover issues around the therapeutic relationship, the therapeutic contract and IFS therapist responsibilities... as well as giving our take on the drama Adolescence!

Resources referred to:  Relational Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counselling in Private Practice  by Caz Binstead and Nicolas Sarantakis
- Professional Transitioning by Emma Redfern, in the BACP’s Therapy Today
- Emma also spoke with Sally Brown about this subject on a Therapy Today podcast.
- Consent in IFS Practice by Ash Chudgar for PARTS&SELF magazine.

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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In today’s episode, we’re focusing on the process of asking parts to step back. It's a part of the protocol that often causes a lot of uncertainty, about when to ask parts to step back, whether this was the right decision or not, or whether the part should have become the new target part instead. 

We talk about many of the different aspects of the step back process, give some case examples, and focus in on the language options - with particular focus on the difference between 'step back' and 'pull back'. 

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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In this episode, we're talking about just how well the IFS model equips us as therapists and supervisors. We provide plenty of useful examples and draw comparisons with traditional talk therapy.
Both Gayle and Emma talk about their experience of being therapists prior to encountering IFS; and how equipped they now feel knowing there is always a part to talk to; and that there's always a way into some meaningful work. 
Let us know what you'd like us to tackle next! 

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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IN part two of our focus on polarisations we look at polarisations involving more than two parts, polarisations across systems, eg, between client and therapist or parent and child; and addictive processes. We also discuss navigating conflicts in the wider world and how we can bring more Self to difficult conversations.

*Details of the film we refer to: The Crisis in Gaza - Navigating difficult conversations: A Q&A with Dr Gabor Mate and Daniel Mate (available on the Science and Non-Duality website or YouTube)

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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After taking a break for summer, we're back with a new episode focusing on polarisations.
Being able to detect relationships between parts, particularly parts who are fighting against each other, has lots of benefits - including reducing the inner conflict that many people experience as well as easing any stuckness a client may be experiencing in their life.
We discuss what exactly polarisations are, and suggest a three-stage progression for how a therapist might develop their skills in working with them. We give examples of common polarisations and also look at how therapist and client parts may polarise with each other.
There's so much to look at here, so we'll be following up with a part two on this topic, where we'll look at addictive processes and polarisations in the wider world.

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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In today's episode, we’re focusing on parts detecting - a key IFS skill to develop  that is crucial to maintaining confidence and clarity in the work. 
We cover: 
- 'Universal truth' parts
- The weaponising of parts
- flexible thinking and not boxing parts in
- examples of interesting parts detected
- as well as a parts detecting test for listeners!
 Emma and Gayle also talk about the importance of therapist transparency, and of not claiming to offer IFS therapy if you are not actually detecting parts and using the protocols.

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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IN today's fascinating episode, the second of two on this topic, we're focusing on how parts affect our health, how our bodies affect our parts and how body sensations and illnesses can be approached as valuable trailheads.
We discuss how there is no separation between mind and body; the concept of 'unwellness'; the ingenuity of dissociating parts; and the importance for some people at times of crisis in the body of having supportive body therapies alongside IFS sessions. However, we also make the point that the idea of 'somatic IFS' is redundant.. that actually, working with parts means you are inevitably always working with the body.
Among several interesting case examples, we look at:
- working with a part causing nosebleeds to stop anger; and
- an example of a spiritual bypass that includes meeting a part causing low energy.  

**Sending appreciation and thanks to the clients who agreed to some of their case material being shared for this episode. Identifying details have been removed. 

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.

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IN today's fascinating episode, which is part one of two, we're focusing on how parts affect our health, how our bodies affect our parts and how body sensations and illnesses can be approached as valuable trailheads.
Among several interesting case examples, Gayle describes:
- helping a pregnant client talk to her baby - highlighting that we don't need to be afraid of working with so-called 'pre-verbal' parts;
- working with a part that was causing frightening throat spasms;
- working with parts causing 'OCD'-type behaviours; and
- working with a part that caused a client to lose her voice.
And Emma shares her insights on these cases as well as personal examples of how her own parts have impacted her health.
**Sending appreciation and thanks to the clients who agreed to some of their case material being shared for this episode. Identifying details have been removed. 

Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .
See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.

Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada.
She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners.
See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.