An Introduction to The Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model

Theory & Practice

Internal Family Systems is a non-pathologizing, empowering and transformational model used to help individuals heal from complex trauma, attachment wounding, addiction, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, shame and more.

IFS is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.

Yet IFS is much more than a non-pathologizing evidence-based psychotherapy to be used in a clinical setting. It is also a way of understanding personal and intimate relationships and stepping into life with the 8 Cs: confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, and connectedness. The IFS approach invites all individuals to approach themselves and life through the healing approach of the 8Cs, which has shown to be transformational not only for the individual of the therapist within oneself and amongst interpersonal relationships but also in practice with all clients.

What You Will Learn

The basic principles of the IFS therapy model
How the various parts of the psyche within the IFS model interact and how different parts influence behavior and emotional and cognitive expression
Strategies to help clients engage with and understand their parts
How to integrate the model with clients who present with "high resistance"
The importance of the “Higher Self”, a central concept in IFS and how it facilitates healing
The importance of the “Higher Self” of the therapist in the IFS model
An overview of how IFS can be integrated with other therapy models

Experiential Learning Activities

Personal Parts Exploration: Parts meditations that will be used to engage each participant with his or her own self-energy, identify parts that may be influencing therapeutic work and identify parts that may need continued healing.

Live Demonstration: Experience the IFS model through a live demonstration. If you would like to volunteer to do REAL work and benefit from this demonstration, please indicate your interest at registration to have your name submitted. Names will be drawn randomly for participants to be chosen for the live demonstrations.

This training is created for therapists who:

1. Want to become familiar with the IFS Model

2. Are already familiar with the model and want to deepen their understanding of how to integrate the model into practice and work with clients that are seemingly "resistant"

3. Are ready to deepen their work with clients through exploring the impact of the therapist's Self-energy in the therapeutic dynamic

Training Details

Time: February 21st, 2025 9AM to 4PM

Location: Online via Zoom

Cost: $275

Early Bird $245 for registrations confirmed before January 15th, 2025

CEUs: 6.5 CEU credits for licensed professionals

Meet The Trainer

Casey Christian, MA, LPC-S, CST

Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor
Certified Trauma Therapist
Certified Sex Therapist
EMDR Trained Therapist
IFS Informed Therapist
DBT Trained Therapist

Hi, I'm Casey. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Approved Supervisor. I have been practicing as a therapist since 2009, and during that time I have been privileged to provide care in community agencies, criminal justice settings with adult and juvenile detainees, non-profit agencies, academic settings, group practices and private practice. I am an EMDR and DBT-Trained therapist, a Certified Trauma Therapist through Trauma Support Services of North Texas and a Certified Sex Therapist through the American Board of Christian Sex Therapists. I have advanced training in Internal Family Systems and operate from a systemic perspective. My work focuses primarily on helping both clients and therapists heal and unburden parts of their internal systems to allow the safety and freedom to return that provide an environment where an increased sense of wholeness and love can exist.

In addition to more traditional therapeutic approaches, I also provide IASIS Microcurrent Neurofeedback and offer professional EMDR +IFS integration Consultation.