Recommended resources

Podcasts

IFS Talks (‘IFS Talks is an audio series to deepen connections with the Internal Family Systems Model through conversations with lead trainers, authors, therapists, practitioners and users.’) This would be suitable for anyone who is thinking of training or for those keen to deepen their knowledge around IFS practises.

This Therapy Changed My Life And It Could Do The Same For You: Internal Family Systems with Dr Richard Schwartz by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. Dr. Rangan is a popular wellness Podcaster. Here he does a talk and demo with IFS founder, Richard Schwartz.

Videos

Internal Family Systems (IFS) meets Polyvagal Theory : An Introduction to The Survive/Thrive Spiral by Ruth Culver. This lady is a fantastic, specialising in trauma & the nervous system. See her diagram below for more info.

Understanding the Arc of Healing by Dr. Frank Anderson. Frank Anderson is a leading IFS trainer and neuroscientist. He’s published multiple books on healing trauma and he does a ton of courses, mainly for therapists. This short video is about the processes involved in therapeutic healing, using IFS.

Life architect do some great introductory videos including...

IFSCA also has a load of free resources and good training as alternative to the Institute if you are keen...

Books

Transcending trauma by Frank Anderson ‘... explores a unique, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to resolving complex and dissociative trauma. In this transformative book Frank Anderson, MD, masterfully details an IFS path to therapy that allows clients to access their inherent capacity for healing – called Self-energy – while also helping them welcome, as opposed to manage, the extreme emotions frequently associated with trauma.’

No bad parts by Richard C. Schwartz, PhD ‘Discover an empowering new way of understanding your multifaceted mind and healing the many parts that make you who you are.’ & You are the one that you've been looking for - great for couples work.

(N.B: with ‘No Bad Parts’ all the mediations and exercises included in the book are read by Richard Schwartz on audible version which is a nice touch. It feels like a course in itself.)

Courses

FREE 3-day IFS Online Intro Course - Introduce yourself to IFS Therapy in an experiential way (20% theory and 80% practice) with this free 3-day IFS Online Intro Course created by Michael Pasterski - an IFS Institute International Partner, a certified IFS Practitioner and the founder of Life Architect.

The Parts Mapping Exercise - ‘The purpose of Parts mapping is to identify the Parts in our individual system. It can also serve to identify the relations between the Parts. So let’s take a closer look at Internal Family Systems parts map.

Daily Parts Meditation Practise for Clients by Michelle Glass - ‘Learn 6 new IFS tools for a more engaging IFS therapy.

’Internal Family Systems (IFS) meets Polyvagal Theory : An Introduction to The Survive/Thrive Spiral - as previously mentioned in video section above, Ruth runs this 3 hour informative course online. It’s a great way of understanding how parts can relate to the nervous system and it’s a beautiful way to step into the IFS community. (*donation only for low wage)

Meditations

Insight Timer has a range of IFS informed meditations. Richard Schwartz has a channel. I also like Sarah Oben. She is not specifically IFS but I have found quite a few of her mediations are a great complement to the work. Jenna Riemersma has some good mediations and many others are there too that I haven’t yet tried. If you don’t have insight timer Youtube is another resource.

If you find something else that’s been useful on your IFS journey let me know so I can share it with others.