Internal Family Systems (IFS) Conference Sep 2025
Thank you to everyone who helped make the Internal Family Systems Annual Conference such a wonderful experience!
The Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model helps heal trauma through recognizing and valuing all our mind’s parts.
It was my first time attending the IFS conference and I was excited to meet so many incredible people. I loved the sessions I attended, especially the experiential ones! From a full day of embodied self-energy, to stories in the sand, dancing with self and parts, working with inner critics, embodied attunement, a self-care puzzle journey, a picture book approach to addiction, and a session on nature, self, and shared connection.
My notes below are a work in progress as I pull everything together.
There are no bad parts - I’ve heard this and it’s starting to sink in. People want to get rid of the parts they hate; we need to hear what the part has to say.
It’s about the story - protectors have a job to do, and exiles have a story to tell
Direct Access - you can access exiles’ stories through somatics, play, dance, etc.
Self energy feels amazing and is limitless - if it feels tiring, it’s likely a part
Focus on what is coming up for you now. You don’t have to try to map all your parts
Try to approach things with an agenda-less curiosity. Recognize when the agenda comes from the part.
Ask implicit direct access questions - When it’s right for you, let me know what you are noticing; I’m here to support you; I wonder what you’re noticing; something important just happened, is it okay to explore that; your system is trying to tell us something.
Listen with your whole body as if you had ears everywhere. Notice the micromoments, such as posture changes.
Below are a few books I recommend that were featured at the conference:
Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts: Discovering Your True Self Through Internal Family Systems Therapy by Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, Audible (Jul 2018)
Internal Family Systems Therapy Second Edition by Richard C. Schwartz and Martha Sweezy (Sep 2019 - Audible Jun 2024)
No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz, PhD (Jul 2021)
You Are the One You've Been Waiting For: Applying Internal Family Systems to Intimate Relationships by Richard Schwartz (May 2023)
Heart of Gold by Betsy Fenzel (Nov 2023) - beautiful kids’ book explaining how we all contain a positive self
The Self-Led Internal Family Systems Workbook: Learn IFS Skills to Understand and Love All Your Parts by Tanis Allen LMSW ACSW (Jan 2025)
Quieting the Storm Within: An Illustrated Introduction to Your Parts Through Internal Family Systems and Beyond by J. Ashley T. Booth (Mar 2025)
Timmy and His Thought by the Story Elves (not out yet) - Part 1 in a trilogy introducing addictive processes and recovery to kids.
No Bad Parts! by Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., Bethany Hegedus, and Kate Fedos (Sep 2025)
Trusting Your Highly Sensitive Self: An Internal Family Systems Path to Healing and Wholeness by Elizabeth Venart, LPC (pre-order for Jun 2026)
also
Mindful Grounding Activities Card Deck, Lindsay Braman
How to Trust Yourself: A Deck to Help With the Anxiety of Being Human, Kathleen Wonacatt, LCSW
