If you've ever felt conflicted or torn between different parts of you that seem at odds with each other. If you've ever acted 'out of character' and were shocked by what came over you, wondering what happened. If you've ever acted irrationally in situations that didn't warrant it, or been triggered by otherwise innocuous circumstances or people.
If you've ever felt like there's an angel on one should and a devil on the other, or wondered whether there is something wrong with you because you have what seems like multiple personalities all fighting for attention.
You're not alone. Welcome to being a human. And welcome to getting to know yourself, your whole self and all your parts.
The good news is, there is nothing wrong with you.
Internal Family Systems is a paradigm for understanding our mind, ourselves and why we do what we do. I've studied psychology, philosophy, therapy, theories of self, spirituality, humans and human behaviour for most of my life, searching for answers to why we do what we do.
IFS is where the penny dropped and changed my life.
In this episode I provide an introduction to the model and a summary of key understandings. I hope it's as helpful and liberating for you as it has been for me.
For more info and resources:
Richard Schwartz and the IFS Institute - with plenty of resources and courses
No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz - his latest book
Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts - audiobook with guided meditations if you want to experience the model more, this is brilliant