IFS Group Work
I facilitate two types of group work: Authentic Self-Relating, and IFS-Informed Authentic Relating. Click the names for more information, or scroll down to read further.
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Events will resume in January!
Authentic Self-Relating
When we relate to the many parts of our mind from a place of compassion, curiosity, and clarity - from what IFS refers to as the Self - we are engaging in what I call Authentic Self-Relating. Through this powerful practice, we get to know ourselves in a deeper way than is otherwise possible.
Our inner family is often conflicted, embattled, and at war with itself. By getting to know it from an open place, we find that even the parts of us that we don't like - that we've tried to fight against, ignore, or push away - are valuable members of our inner community.
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Authentic Self-Relating is something that can be done at any time, and like anything else it gets easier with practice. It's particularly powerful in groups, where the collective energy of the group often aids the process. I facilitate in-person and online workshops to guide participants to discover themselves, discover the beautiful intelligence of their minds, and to form relationships with their parts. By engaging with ourselves in this way, we come to see our true selves very differently. The perspective shift is often quite profound.
Workshops consist of exploring the nature of trauma, how it impacts the many parts within each of us, and how we can form compassionate relationships with our parts to help them heal. After introducing the group to IFS's unique way of looking at the mind, we move into experiential and interactive exercises to guide everyone through discovering some of their parts, as well as forming initial relationships with them. I encourage some brief shares by those who are willing to do so, followed by Q&A as time permits.
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Contact me if you're interested in learning more.
Authentic Relating exercises are a powerful way to access Self-energy in a group setting. The group typically splits up into rotating pairs or triads, and the facilitator presents a particular topic to be discussed during each round. When done in pairs, each person in the pair gets a set amount of time to share on the topic at hand - usually 2 or 3 minutes. While one person is speaking, the other gives the speaker their full attention. Then when the speaker's time expires, the speaker and listener switch roles.
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IFS-Informed Authentic Relating
Discussion topics vary depending on the facilitator, but often include subjects or questions such as:
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What is a major goal that you're working towards?
What are you noticing in yourself, at this moment, as you sit here across from your partner?
What is a mask that you often wear in public?
What is something you're struggling with in life?
Discuss something that is really alive in you!
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One of the fundamental goals of Authentic Relating is to facilitate deep, authentic conversations. In IFS, we refer to such authenticity as Self-energy. Typically, most people in the group don't know each other, so these exercises provide a wonderful contrast to the relatively superficial conversations we typically have with strangers.
What I call IFS-Informed Authentic Relating brings IFS concepts - such as parts-awareness - into the practice of Authentic Relating. At these events, we infuse awareness of our parts and our Self into the exercises. In some exercises, we have Self speak for our parts; in others, we have our parts speak for themselves. We can also speak about our parts from Self; for example, which parts tend to be the most active in our day-to-day lives.
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I've found IFS and Authentic Relating to be a very powerful combination, and am so pleased to be able to offer workshops both online, and in-person in the Washington DC area. Contact me if you're interested in learning more.