In this episode I chat with Ralph De La Rosa, a meditation teacher, therapist, and author of Outshining Trauma. Ralph shares his personal journey of healing from PTSD, depression, and addiction, and how IFS helped him access Self Energy beyond traditional meditation.

Key Takeaways:

• Self Energy and Buddhist concepts like Buddha-nature share striking similarities.
• Meditation can be a powerful tool for parts work, offering a structured way to access Self.
• What happens when Self meets our most burdened parts?
• Self Energy as a reparenting force
• Instead of rejecting painful emotions or defensive parts, he encourages holding them with warmth, like placing them in the sunlight of Self.
• Trauma constricts and healing expands
• Start with Self rather than diving directly into the pain.
• Parts are just like people
• Radical self-compassion as meeting every part of ourselves—including the ones that hold fear, addiction, or pain—with love, rather than trying to suppress or fix them.
• Reparenting happens naturally when we turn toward our parts with compassion.

Favorite Quote: "One thing I’ve learned from direct experience of Self is that it can expand to be bigger than any level of heartache, any sense of brokenness, any sense of wounding, no matter how deep, no matter how wide, no matter how big. Self-energy can expand to fill the entire room you’re sitting in. If you practice with it, if you practice with it and your parts, we could begin to trust that." – Ralph De La Rosa

About Ralph De La Rosa: Ralph De La Rosa is a psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author of Outshining Trauma: A New Vision of Radical Self-Compassion. His work integrates IFS, neuroscience, and Buddhist wisdom to help people navigate healing and transformation.

Check out his upcoming online course: www.ralphdelarosa.com/breaking-cycles-course  

Episode Sponsor: Sentur 

Propel your healing journey forward with an IFS-inspired trauma-informed digital mental health companion designed for real transformation. Download the Sentur app here

 

Check out The One inside Self-Led merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

On today’s episode I chat with Rick Kahler, a pioneer in integrating financial planning and psychology and a certified IFS practitioner. We explore how Internal Family Systems can transform our relationship with money, uncovering hidden beliefs and legacy burdens that shape financial behaviors.

Rick shares his journey from financial planner to financial therapist, explaining how emotions—not logic—drive most financial decisions. He introduces key concepts like money scripts, financial protectors, and the internal financial system, showing how understanding these parts can help people move from financial stuckness to greater clarity and freedom.

Key Takeaways:

• Money isn’t just about numbers—it’s deeply tied to our emotions, beliefs, and childhood experiences.

• Many financial struggles come from polarized parts—a part that wants to save and a part that wants to spend.

• How do money scripts—unconscious beliefs about money—shape our financial decisions without us even realizing it?

• Financial shame is often greater than other types of shame, making finances one of the hardest topics to talk about.

• Legacy burdens around money are passed down through generations, influencing our financial behaviors in ways we may not recognize.

Favorite Quote: "Every part has a good intention. Every money script is put in place, every burden is put in place with a good intention…it just doesn’t know things are a little different now." – Rick Kahler​

About Rick Kahler: Rick Kahler is a certified financial planner, financial therapist, and IFS practitioner. He is a founding board member and past chair of the Financial Therapy Association and the creator of IFS-Informed Financial Therapy. Rick has authored seven books and hosts The Financial Therapy Podcast.

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 Episode Sponsor: Michelle Glass

**************************************************************************************** Check out our new Self-Led merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

On today’s episode I’m joined by John Palmer, a certified IFS practitioner and lead trainer in Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO). John brings 30 years of experience working with individuals and couples to explore how IFIO applies the principles of Internal Family Systems (IFS) to intimate relationships.

We discuss relational dynamics, including the concept of tracking sequences, differentiation, and how past experiences influence present connections.

Key Takeaways:

• IFIO uses IFS principles to help individuals and partners explore relational dynamics and improve communication.

• Differentiation is the ability to stay connected to your own system while maintaining connection with your partner, even during conflict.

• How protectors and exiles show up in relational dances

• The importance of taking responsibility for one’s own parts in a relationship while remaining open to connection with a partner

• How practicing Self-Led communication can transform conflict into opportunities for healing and growth.

• How do past experiences shape the way we respond to our partners in the present?

• Tracking sequences in relationships reveals the protective cycles that keep partners stuck and highlights the underlying vulnerabilities driving conflict.

Favorite Quote: "There's actually some vulnerability under there that's driving this dance. And if we can learn how to help the protectors trust enough of Self to let that vulnerability emerge and be looked at and healed, then the protectors don't have to do what they do anymore." – John Palmer​

About John Palmer: John Palmer is a certified IFS practitioner, IFIO lead trainer, and couples therapist with three decades of experience. He integrates IFS with systemic relational approaches to help individuals and partners build stronger, more compassionate connections.

Episode Sponsor: IFS Institute

Check out our new Self-Led merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

Enjoy this bonus meditation led by Dr. Peter Malinoski. In this experiential he invites you to go inside and connect with your parts to understand their assumptions, experiences, and beliefs around love.

Be sure to check out my full interview (episode 190) with Peter here.

About Dr. Peter Malinoski: Dr. Peter Malinoski is a clinical psychologist, IFS Level 3-trained practitioner, and co-founder of Souls and Hearts, a platform dedicated to integrating the best of psychology and Catholicism. He also hosts the Interior Integration for Catholics podcast and leads the Resilient Catholics Community, helping others navigate faith and mental health with depth and compassion.

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Check out our new merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

 

On today’s episode I chat with Dr. Dan Siegel, renowned author and founder of Interpersonal Neurobiology, and my friend, Joan Ryan, Enneagram expert and educator. We explore the intersection of the Enneagram, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Dan’s Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDP) model. Our conversation dives into the science behind personality, the pathways that shape our inner worlds, and the ongoing journey toward integration and wholeness.

Dan explains how his PDP model offers a scientific lens to understand personality dynamics, while the Enneagram and IFS provide tools for personal exploration and healing. They discuss how personality acts as a filter. Key Takeaways:

• Personality is a dynamic filter shaped by temperament, experience, and protective strategies.

• The PDP model identifies three core motivational vectors: agency, bonding, and certainty.

• How do the Enneagram and IFS complement each other in helping us explore and integrate our inner worlds?

• Protectors and exiles align with motivational pathways, and how integration allows us to move from survival strategies to thriving.

• Integration invites us to shift from limiting patterns into greater freedom and possibility.

• Wholeness is not about escaping personality but embracing all parts of who we are.

• "Your home base is wholeness. But personality is kind of just a filter that keeps you at times from experiencing that wholeness." – Dr. Dan Siegel

Episode sponsor:  Sentur 

About the Guests:

Dr. Dan Siegel is the Founder and Director of Education of the Mindsight Institute and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, where he was also Co-Principal Investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine. An award-winning educator, Dan is the author of five New York Times bestsellers and over fifteen other books which have been translated into over forty languages. Learn more about Dr. Siegel at: www.drdansiegel.com | www.mindsightinstitute.com

Joan Ryan is an Enneagram educator and therapist specializing in integrating the Enneagram and IFS for deeper personal growth. https://creativecollaborations.net

Links: To register for the three week intro class: Connecting IFS with the Enneagram and PDP: new lenses to explore - Creative Collaborations   IFS and The Enneagram   Joan and Tammy's Enneagram Courses   To find your type/patterns: Tools - Creative Collaborations   Listen to other episodes from Joan and Tammy

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Check out our new merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

On today’s episode I welcome Gabby Bernstein back to the podcast. Gabby is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Level 2 trained IFS practitioner. We dive into her new book, Self Help, which introduces readers to IFS in an accessible and transformative way. 

Gabby shares how working with managers in a safe and gentle way can help readers connect to Self Energy and begin their healing journey. We talk about manifesting through IFS, the importance of unblending from parts, and how small glimmers of Self can create lasting change.

Key Takeaways:

• Self Help is designed to make IFS accessible to readers unfamiliar with the model, offering a gentle introduction to working with protectors.

• Recognizing and respecting protectors can create a safe foundation for growth.

• Manifesting through IFS involves healing belief systems and adjusting your internal world, creating freedom and alignment with Self Energy.

• "Curiosity is contagious and has momentum—it’s enough to bring people back for more."

• How can small moments of connection with Self lead to lasting transformation?

About Gabby Bernstein: For more than eighteen years, Gabby Bernstein has been transforming lives—including her own. The #1 New York Times bestselling author has penned ten books, including Self Help, The Universe Has Your Back, Super Attractor, and Happy Days. Gabby was featured on Oprah’s SuperSoul Sunday as a “new thought leader.” The New York Times identified Gabby as “a role model for a new generation of spiritual seekers.” In her weekly podcast, Dear Gabby, she offers up real-time coaching, straight talk and conversations about personal growth and spirituality. For more, visit https://gabbybernstein.com/events

Episode sponsors:

• IFS Telehealth Collective
• Pisgah Coaching Institute

Check out our new merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

Episode Summary: On today's episode I welcome back to the podcast Dick Schwartz, founder of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. We had such an important conversation that I'm excited to share with you. 

We begin remembering Derek Scott, who passed in February. Dick offers new details on the rupture and repair of their professional relationship over the years, and reflects on the moving final session they shared weeks before Derek's passing. (If you haven't watched the video yet, I highly recommend you do -- it's beautiful). Dick opened up about his concerns and the challenges of maintaining the integrity and safety of the IFS model while balancing the high demand for trainings. He also discussed his personal journey of integrating spirituality more into his writing and work. Dick shared his vision for the future of IFS, including continuing to expand its reach beyond traditional therapy and into leadership, education, politics, and articifical intelligence (AI). We ended on a fun and sweet note: he reminisced about meeting his wife, Jeanne, and the beginning of their relationship. 

Key Takeaways:

• Derek Scott's passion for making IFS accessible left a lasting legacy.
• IFS continues expanding into non-clinical domains, including leadership training, educational systems, and AI-driven tools 
• How to maintain the "do no harm" ethos of IFS as it grows and evolves
• The difficult decision to tighten IFS training admissions requirements 
• Plans for brinigng IFS more into the public domain
• Dick discusses the potential of IFS to address legacy burdens collectively, envisioning a broader cultural impact.
• Spirituality in IFS: helping individuals connect to guides and Self Energy in deeper ways.
• Dick plans to be much more explicit about IFS in areas like spirituatlity and psychedlics
• The IFS model's potential to transform individuals and society--a ripple effect
• His version of the first meeting and long-distance courtship with his wife Jeanne (her version is here) 

Favorite Quote: "How often do you get a chance to help somebody you care about transition like that?" – Dick Schwartz

About Dr. Richard "Dick" Schwartz: Dick Schwartz is the founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS), a groundbreaking therapeutic model. He continues to innovate and expand the reach of IFS, working with leaders, educators, and therapists to bring its healing potential to a broader audience.

Episode Sponsor: Michelle Glass and the Daily Part Meditation Practice®: a Journey of Embodied Integration for Clients and Therapists

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Check out our new merch at The One Inside store

Watch video Clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

On today's episode I speak with my friend and fellow podcaster Dr. Peter Malinoski, a clinical psychologist, IFS Level 3-trained practitioner, and co-founder of Souls and Hearts. Peter shares his journey of integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) with his Catholic faith, and building bridges between these two communities through his work with the Resilient Catholics Community and his Interior Integration for Catholics podcast channel on YouTube

We talk about understanding parts, healing attachment wounds, and embracing love. At around 26 minutes in Peter offers a wonderful experiential exercise/meditation where he invites you to go inside and connect with your parts to understand their assumptions, experiences, and beliefs around love. 

Key Takeaways:

• IFS provides a powerful healing framework that integrates beautifully with Catholic spirituality.
• Why is it often so difficult for parts to feel safe being loved or offering love?
• Protectors can play critical roles in bridging internal and external relationships when approached with curiosity and respect.
• Healing relational wounds begins with internal harmony—inviting all parts to participate in Self-Led love.
• Self Energy serves as a secure base for engaging with exiles, protectors, and divine connection.

About Dr. Peter Malinoski: Dr. Peter Malinoski is a clinical psychologist, IFS Level 3-trained practitioner, and co-founder of Souls and Hearts, a platform dedicated to integrating the best of psychology and Catholicism. He also hosts the Interior Integration for Catholics podcast and leads the Resilient Catholics Community, helping others navigate faith and mental health with depth and compassion.

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Watch video Clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

On today's episode I chat with Mel Galbraith, Chief Operating Officer of IFSCA (Internal Family Systems Counselling Association), to discuss her journey of grief, leadership, and transformation following the passing of Derek Scott, founder of IFSCA. Mel shares deeply personal stories about her connection with Derek, the legacy he left behind, and how stepping into a leadership role has shaped her life and relationship with her parts.

Our conversation touches on the complexities of grief and the ways IFS has been instrumental in navigating Mel's professional and personal challenges. She also discusses exciting new initiatives at IFSCA, including advanced courses and community connection opportunities, ensuring Derek’s vision continues.

Key Takeaways:

• Grief often reveals deep attachment wounds, serving as a trailhead for healing and growth.
• Leadership through a Self-Led lens involves embracing imperfection, authenticity, and connection with all our parts.
• How can grief and loss act as a catalyst for personal transformation and deeper connection to Self?
• IFSCA’s new offerings like Stepping Deeper and Demo Days
• Authentic connection and shared passions can create profound bonds

Mentioned in this episode:

For more information about IIFSCA and to sign up for the IFSCA newsletter

The demo with Rick Kahler and Mel: Full Demo. Internal Financial Systems. IFS + Money Parts.

Photo of Zoomer and Tom

About Mel Galbraith: Mel Galbraith, MSW, RSW, is a Certified IFS Therapist and Chief Operating Officer of IFSCA (IFS Counselling Association), a leadership role she inherited from the late Derek Scott. With a deep commitment to community and IFS education, Mel continues to build on Derek’s vision while navigating her own journey of grief and transformation.

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Watch video Clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]

In this episode I chat with Jeanne Catanzaro, an IFS therapist, educator, and author of Unburdened Eating: Healing Relationships with Food and Body. We talk diet culture, internal critics, and the societal pressure to view our bodies as projects. Legacy burdens, cultural messaging, and our protectors shape our relationship with food and body image. Jeanne explains how healing these parts with IFS can lead to a more compassionate and Self-Led approach to eating and wellbeing. 

Key Takeaways:

• Diet culture is deeply rooted in legacy burdens; how can we begin to unburden parts influenced by societal expectations?
• Many of us start the day with critical voices driving us—learning to identify and soothe these critics is a key first step.
• Healing our relationship with food begins with curiosity, not judgment.
• Self-led eating involves negotiating with parts and focusing on what your body needs in the present moment.
• Unburdened eating is not a diet—it’s about building trust with our parts and moving away from perfectionism.

About Jeanne Catanzaro: Jeanne Catanzaro is an IFS therapist, educator, and author specializing in helping individuals heal their relationships with food and body. Her new book, Unburdened Eating: Healing Relationships with Food and Body, offers a compassionate guide to transforming these dynamics through an Internal Family Systems lens. In addition to her role in helping to lead the IFS Institute, she offers workshops and retreats on Unburdened Eating and IFS.  www.jeannecatanzaro.com

 

Thank you to Pisgah Coaching Institute for sponsoring this episode.

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Watch video Clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is a writer, counselor, and IFS Level 1 practitioner.  

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott’s IFS Stepping Stones Program.  

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at [email protected]