IFS / Internal Family Systems
IFS
The sense of balance and well-being you feel after an acupuncture treatment is one of the first things you notice, regardless of the symptoms that brought you in. Oftentimes it feels like this different state of being gives you new eyes to see the world — you are connected to nature and those around you, more centered in your heart, clear about what matters to you and more able to respond versus react to life’s circumstances.
But as the week goes by, you notice the irritation, anxiety, worry, fear or malaise that brought you in return and you count the days to your next acupuncture treatment.
While there is nothing wrong about returning to acupuncture to maintain balance, I am excited to offer a tool for patients who yearn for deeper and more conscious internal change in tandem with the treatments. In the IFS session we explore different parts of you and the ways in which they show up in or around your body. For example, one part of you may be craving a change as you enter midlife while another part of you might be afraid to leave the job or community you live in. You’ll develop relationships with your parts by understanding how they are trying to help you and the fears they hold, eventually welcoming and understanding all parts of you.
The more integrated your parts are with YOU, the more in alignment you become with the Tao, your constitution and heart. By weaving together IFS and Five Element Acupuncture in my sessions, the work becomes more long-lasting and you eventually need treatments more for maintenance and less to treat imbalance.
What is IFS/Internal Family Systems?
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According to the IFS model developed by Richard Schwartz, we all have parts inside us that want different things, carry distinct beliefs, play certain roles, and have good intentions for us. The conflicting thoughts and feelings you have may reflect parts who need some attention. The IFS process reveals your inner resource - also known as Self energy which knows what it needs to do to heal. Getting to know and being in relationship with your parts will ultimately lead to inner harmony and more ease in your life.
Tell me more about how IFS works?
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IFS is an experiential process - meaning you’re tuned into your direct experience rather than just talking about it and is also grounded in the body, making it a great partner to acupuncture and body work. In sessions you experience what is happening in the present moment while in relationship with yourself (including your many parts), and in relationship with me.
There is an indescribable, spiritual quality to the IFS process that leads to a more authentic and open-hearted way of being. The work has absolutely changed my life and continues to!
What can IFS add to my treatments?
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More of the balanced energy you receive after a treatment, sustained in a conscious way. This “Self-energy” brings you more inner experience of the 8 C’s: confidence, calmness, creativity, clarity, curiosity, courage, compassion, and connectedness. In your day-to-day life you might have more awareness of your different parts and be able to respond from a place of less reactivity.
