Everything in the natural world has parts as well as an intrinsic wholeness. The Internal Family Systems model recognizes that the human psyche also has parts and wholeness. IFS invites us to explore the parts of ourselves, even parts that are troubled or burdened, from the perspective of the whole-hearted Self that is naturally present within each of us.
Wholehearted Presence is my own way of describing what IFS calls Self. Rather than following a psychotherapeutic treatment model (I am not a psychotherapist), my work with clients emphasizes the development of an internal sense of safety, where parts are in balance and can come to trust the wholeness of Self. As the inner world becomes a true home—a resource and a refuge rather than a “fixer upper”—daily life is affected in significant practical ways. Parts that are guided by the wholehearted presence of Self energy are able to handle “real world” problems better, so inner safety can actually bring new ways of relating to even the most difficult outer circumstances.
Although some of the tools and approaches in my work come from my spiritual care background rather than IFS, an IFS perspective always informs my practice. For example, I have training and experience in working with dreams, and some clients find that dreams are wonderful trailheads (starting points) for getting to know their parts. In my approach to dreamwork, I trust the dream just as I trust the client’s innate capacity for Self-leadership, and I know that both dream figures and parts are well-intentioned, potentially helpful, and always deserving of care and respect, even when they seem problematic.
I specialize in threshold work—supporting those who are experiencing life crises and changes. Difficult losses, traumas and transitions, as well as developmental challenges and feelings of isolation, are important trailheads for many people. Some of the world’s wisdom traditions view such threshold experiences as “spiritual emergencies” (or spiritual emergences) that can signify a calling or support a commitment to deeper meaning and connection. These traditions may provide “rites of passage” to assist with threshold experiences, and the container provided by IFS-informed spiritual care similarly brings validation and facititation for this essential inner work.
All of my personal and professional experiences—with IFS, spiritual care, dreams and my own life passages—contribute to client sessions, but the work I do in a session is really guided by the client’s fundamental Self energy, and the unique needs and gifts of their parts. At work or in daily life, I try to offer my wholehearted presence, and I hope to invite yours.
But what is IFS, and what do I mean by Spiritual Care? What does a session look like and what does it cost? For more information about these and other aspects of Wholehearted Presence, follow the links below:
