Foundations in IFS: Theory & active skills

CPD

Faculty

Leona Dawson, M. Counselling & Applied Psychotherapy, MA (Language & Literacy), TAE40116, Dip Transpersonal Art Therapy, Dip Clinical Hypnosis & Strategic Psychotherapy Related seminars and products

Transformative Consulting Services

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Leona Dawson (Master’s in Counselling & Psychotherapy, MA Language & Literacy, Cert Therapeutic Journal Writing, Dip Transpersonal Art Therapy, Dip Clinical Hypnosis & Strategic Psychotherapy, Cert IV Workplace Training & Assessment) is a Level 3 certified IFS therapist and IFSI consultant. She has worked as a program assistant for Australia and international Level 1 and 2 trainings. She has also delivered workshops for PESI Australia. Leona works in private practice.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Leona Dawson maintains a private practice. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Leona Dawson has no relevant non-financial relationships.

 

Objectives

Overall learning objectives of this suite of trainings:

1. To expose participants to fundamental concepts of the Internal Family Systems model of psychotherapy.
2. To provide opportunities for participants to gain exposure and practice to techniques of the Internal Family Systems Therapy model.
3. To provide participants with a vehicle for exploring personal triggers and therapist parts when working with clients.

Overall Learning Objectives for participants:
 

1. Understand overall principles and concepts underpinning IFS as a therapeutic modality.
2. Recognise the roles and functions parts play in presenting issues from a non-pathologizing perspective.
3. Access, unblend from, explore protective parts utilising the IFS 6-step protocol:
   • Identify different types of Inner Critics. Learn how to keep the criticised/shamed parts safe while working with the Inner Critic.
   • Identify the common types of polarizations & indicators a polarization is present. Learn a seven-step process for deescalating polarizations. Liberate polarized parts from their extreme roles and help them shift into new roles.
4. Support exiles to release burdens utilising the IFS healing steps.
5. Identify and support access to the self-energy of the therapist & client.
6. Demonstrate how IFS translates common diagnoses into parts language, showing a non-pathological perspective of mental health issues as it relates to clinical treatment.
7. Recognise and support activated therapist parts while in session with clients & as part of your professional practice.
8. Explore integrating IFS into current practice.

Target Audience

Counsellors, Psychotherapists, Coaches, Psychologists, Hypnotherapists, Social Workers, Community Workers, Expressive Arts therapists, Mental Health Nurses and Psychiatrists.

Benefits of this training

The Benefits of IFS for therapists:

1. The IFS therapist is not required to diagnose, interpret or pathologise but to facilitate the development of a relationship between the Self of the client and their parts.
2. IFS therapist welcomes the client’s symptoms upfront as an introduction to protective parts showing them respect and appreciation thereby reducing client resistance.
3. IFS gives therapists practical ways to understand and work with transference and countertransference through recognising the interaction of client and therapist parts.

IFS advances treatment by:

1. Working with ambivalence and polarisations.
2. Recognising how to work with ‘resistance’ productively.
3. Regulating affect in a simple and effective way so clients are not overwhelmed during sessions.
4. Supporting the development of mindful self-awareness and self-compassion.
5. Encouraging clients to attend to parts between session improving Self-leadership and self-efficacy.