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2023 - Small Practice Groups Support

This document outlines the structure and roles for small practice groups using Internal Family Systems therapy. Each group has 1 therapist, 1 client, and 2 observers. Sessions last approximately 20 minutes with an additional 15 minutes for debriefing. The client chooses a real-life topic to focus on while the therapist helps detect different parts using IFS questions. Observers notice their own internal responses and share insights during debriefing. The document also provides example questions therapists can use to connect with different parts and help them unblend from the client's Self.

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Jonathan McCormack
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139 views

2023 - Small Practice Groups Support

This document outlines the structure and roles for small practice groups using Internal Family Systems therapy. Each group has 1 therapist, 1 client, and 2 observers. Sessions last approximately 20 minutes with an additional 15 minutes for debriefing. The client chooses a real-life topic to focus on while the therapist helps detect different parts using IFS questions. Observers notice their own internal responses and share insights during debriefing. The document also provides example questions therapists can use to connect with different parts and help them unblend from the client's Self.

Uploaded by

Jonathan McCormack
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Small Practice Groups

Each group has:


1 Therapist
1 Client
2 Observers (or 1 in groups of three)

Approximately:
20 mins per session
15 mins to debrief

Client Role:

Pick a real-life topic that you’d like to focus on. We suggest not picking something too
emotionally loaded but do choose something that is real to you. This is an opportunity
to get to know your own system better.

Therapist Role:

Your job is to help be a parts detector and hold your own Self-energy as you practice
working with the IFS model.
It can be helpful to keep your Self-to-part connection questions handy, and you are
welcome to refer to them as you are learning the model.

Questions for Self to Part Connection

Key Question: “How do you feel towards that part?”

Once the client’s curiosity/warmth/appreciation is available you can strengthen


the connection. The following questions help with that process:
● Is your curiosity available to you?
● Is it okay to get to know this part? (Of not, stay with the concerned part)
● Does it know you’re there?
● Is it aware that you are the age you are? Ask it to tell you….
● Invite it to be aware of the year, show it aspects of your present life
● How does it respond?
● What information does it have for you now that it has your attention?
● How is it presenting that information to you?
● Now it is aware of your presence, how is it responding?
● What role/job does it have in your system?
● How long/ at what age did it take on that role?
● What was happening in the client’s life at that time that necessitated it
taking on that role?
● How does it feel about that role?
● Hypothetically, if it were possible to change its role in some way would it
be interested in that possibility?
● If it feels genuine, thank it for letting you know about itself. If it does not
feel genuine, see if there is a part not wanting you to thank it for some
reason.
• How does it respond to your appreciation?
• (Optional) Let it know you will return to it.

Observer Role:

Notice what is happening in your own system in response to the conversation you are
witnessing. This is another opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with your parts.

Debriefing:

- The observers go first. Share what you noticed within your own system as you
were observing. Practice speaking for your parts (vs from your parts). Notice
your own growth edges, the things the therapist did that inspired you or the
things that you would like to take away for your own learning (note: you are
not critiquing the therapist)

- Therapists go next. Share what you thought worked well in the session and
what you’d like to work on for next time.

- Client debriefs last. If they are staying with their parts then allow them to do that as a priority.
Share what worked well in your system and anything that
may have worked differently.

The 6Fs: The steps we use to help protective parts unblend from Self
The first three steps (find, focus, flesh out) involve helping parts to unblend
1. Find the part in, on or around the body
○ Who needs your attention right now?
○ Where do you notice it?
2. Focus on it
○ Turn your attention inside
3. Flesh it out.
○ Can you see it? If so, how does it look?
○ If not, how do you experience it? What is that like?
○ How close are you to it?
4. How do you feel toward the part?
○ This question is our Geiger Counter for Self-Energy. Any answer that is
not in the ballpark of the 8Cs means that a second part is influencing our
thoughts.
i. We ask this second part if it is willing to relax so we can talk to the
target part.
ii. “If it is not willing to relax,” we ask it what it needs us to know.
iii. This process may lead us to second (or third, or fourth) target part.

○ Reactive parts often need to feel heard and validated. We stay with them
until they are willing to let us get to know the target part.
○ Once they agree, we ask the client, “how do you feel toward the (target)
part now?”

5. Befriend the part by finding out more about it.


○ The fifth step involves learning about the target part and developing a
friendly relationship. This builds relationships internally (Self to part) and
externally (part to therapist).
i. “How did it get this job?”
ii. “How effective is the hob?”
iii. “If it didn’t have to do this job, what would it rather do?”
iv. “How old is it?”
v. “How old does it think you are?”
vi. “What else does it want you to know?”

6. What does this part fear?


○ “What does it want for you?”
○ What would happen if it stopped doing this job?”

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