This is a companion article to this week’s topic in our IFS therapy series. That article is on Polarized Parts, what they are and how you can mediate your own. Now I’m sharing the work I’ve done with my own Polarized Parts. From how I discovered them, to how I got to know them, to …
My Polarized Parts: An IFS Heal-Along with Jaena Read More »
Check out our featured image for a moment, because it’s a great analogy. We have all seen the classic angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Both being polar opposites of the ethereal realm, they naturally despise each other. And they are fighting for the owner of those shoulders to “Pick me!” …
Polarized Parts: How to Mediate Fighting Parts in IFS Read More »
Once we get the Protectors’ permission to examine the Exile, we need to know what we should expect. Healing the Exile is a process of first Witnessing its pain, then three R’s: Reparent, Retrieve, and Release its burdens. But before we start, we must be mindful of IFS rule #1: always be in Self when …
Healing the Exile: IFS Therapy Part 3 Read More »
So, you’re ready to accept the unique weirdness of IFS therapy so that you can understand yourself on the deepest level imaginable. You’re in the right place because that’s what we will be covering here. How to open up a dialogue with our parts and understand each part’s positive intent. This is a continuation of …
IFS Therapy: Getting to Know Our Parts Read More »
Where trauma informed therapies are concerned, there tends to be an unspoken rule. That the weirder the therapy, the more highly effective. So, when I say that IFS therapy is so weird, it’s downright woo, I’m also saying how effective it is. If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I do some of the things that …
IFS: It’s the Weirdest but Most Highly Effective Therapy Read More »
As I’ve said before, whenever I have a personal experience that goes with a topic we are covering, I share. It’s a great way to connect with my readers on a personal level. And since we tend to learn from each other’s stories, I like to think that my heal-alongs can do that. Since we …
Processing My Trauma: A Heal-Along with Jaena Read More »
There are eight phases of EMDR. But do any of us fully know what they mean from a keyword search? Well, in this article I’m giving you a full rundown on what they are and what you should expect. In last week’s article, I answered the most commonly asked questions. The various tools the therapist …
8 Phases of EMDR: A Comprehensive Guide Read More »
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. You may wonder, what does the first half (eye movement) have to do with the second half? Well, when we are in a deep sleep, our eyes move back and forth, especially while dreaming. We call this REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The theory holds that we are …
EMDR: Everything You Want to Know Read More »
There’s no doubt that psychology has made great advances over the years. Many have contributed to how we view trauma and to creating more effective treatments. But research will always be ongoing, and on that we can also agree. So, when we forget that our leading contributors don’t have all the answers, we tend to …
Psychology’s Mainstream Narrative and its Major Problems Read More »
Trauma survivors need a trauma informed therapist. My last article supplied you with your “bill of rights” as a client and everything you should expect from this type of therapy. It reads like a series of green flags for great therapy. But not all therapists who claim to be trauma informed use the principles behind …
9 Red Flags for a Bad Therapist Read More »
