IFS Exercise
The Essene Gospel of Peace &
Love’s Breath Session
Tuesday – Friday@ 6:30 PM ET
Zoom Link :
https://MiamiNetwork.org/zoom
Open to everyone.
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Understanding this could greatly reduce human suffering.
https://empathymatters.org/now/ifs-spirit/
Some people interpret the story of Jesus Christ as a spiritual metaphor for the inner psychological journey toward wholeness, which aligns with key concepts of Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. In this metaphorical view, Jesus can be seen as the Self, while his disciples and other figures represent the psyche’s various parts.
The IFS framework
Developed by Richard Schwartz, IFS posits that the mind is made up of multiple “parts” (sub-personalities). A core concept is the compassionate, wise, and undamaged “Self” that exists at the core of every individual. The goal of IFS therapy is to help a person become “Self-led,” so the Self can heal the individual’s wounded and protective parts.
Parallels between the Jesus story and IFS
- Jesus as the Self: In the IFS framework, the Self is a compassionate, wise, and healing presence. Some interpretations view Jesus in a similar way:
- He is the center of the system. Like the IFS Self, Jesus is the leader and compassionate core around which the other figures (parts) revolve.
- He is a source of healing. Jesus’s miracles can be seen as a metaphor for the Self’s ability to heal and unburden the traumatized parts of the psyche.
- He exemplifies wholeness. The death of Jesus and his resurrection can be interpreted as the death of the ego (the false self) and the subsequent resurrection of the true, whole Self.
- The Disciples as Protective Parts: The twelve disciples can be seen as an inner “family” of parts, each with its own role, strengths, and fears.
- Peter as the Manager: Peter is often impulsive, outspoken, and attempts to protect Jesus, even to the point of denial and resistance. This mirrors a “manager” part in IFS, which uses controlling behavior to preemptively prevent pain and maintain a sense of order.
- Judas as the Exile: Judas’s betrayal and subsequent despair can be viewed as a deeply wounded and exiled part that feels unlovable and acts out its pain.
- The other disciples: The varying strengths, jealousies, and weaknesses of the other disciples represent the full range of human experience contained within an internal system.
- The Path of Healing and Integration: The larger narrative of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection parallels the IFS process of healing and integration:
- Calling the parts: Jesus calls his disciples to follow him, much like the Self in IFS “calls” the different parts to engage in the healing process.
- Witnessing the wounded parts: Just as Jesus models radical compassion for all people, the Self in IFS must witness its wounded parts with gentleness, curiosity, and non-judgment.
- Unburdening the pain: The suffering and sacrifice of the cross can be seen as a metaphorical unburdening of all the pain and sin (the burdens in IFS) that the internal parts are carrying.
- Achieving Self-Leadership: The story’s ultimate goal is for the disciples to become like Jesus, just as the IFS goal is for the parts to learn to trust the Self to lead the system, leading to greater inner peace and wholeness.
Potential Similarities and Connections:
Compassion and Unconditional Positive Regard: Both Jesus and the Self, as understood in IFS, are often characterized by deep compassion and unconditional positive regard. Jesus’s teachings emphasized love and forgiveness, even for those who persecuted him. Similarly, the Self in IFS is believed to possess inherent wisdom, compassion, and acceptance for all parts of the system, even those that exhibit seemingly negative behaviors.Healing and Integration: Jesus’s ministry often involved healing the sick and offering solace to the suffering. In a similar vein, the Self in IFS aims to heal and integrate the wounded parts of the internal system. By connecting with the Self, individuals can offer compassion and understanding to their parts, allowing them to release burdens and find healthier roles.Inner Authority and Wisdom: Jesus spoke with authority and wisdom, often challenging societal norms and offering a new perspective. The Self in IFS is also considered to be a source of inner wisdom and guidance. When individuals are Self-led, they can access their innate capacity for clarity, creativity, and effective action.Sacrifice and Redemption: The concept of sacrifice is central to the Jesus Christ story, particularly his willingness to suffer for the sake of humanity. While IFS doesn’t necessarily emphasize sacrifice in the same way, it does involve a willingness to acknowledge and understand the pain of one’s parts, even if it’s uncomfortable. This act of witnessing and validating can be seen as a form of “redemption” for those parts, allowing them to release their burdens and find healing.Important Distinctions and Considerations:
There are diverse theological interpretations of the Jesus Christ story. Some interpretations may align more closely with IFS principles than others.The Nature of the Self: In IFS, the Self is considered an inherent aspect of every individual,In summary:
There are indeed potential similarities and connections between the Jesus Christ story and the Self in IFS, particularly in terms of compassion, healing, inner wisdom, and the potential for redemption. However, it’s essential to approach this comparison with nuance and awareness of the distinct frameworks within which they operate.Sources:
Understanding this could greatly reduce human suffering.
https://empathymatters.org/now/ifs-spirit/
https://empathymatters.org/now/how-evil-triumphs
- Jesus as the Self: In the IFS framework, the Self is a compassionate, wise, and healing presence. Some interpretations view Jesus in a similar way:
Article by: Gord Alton MDiv RP CASC Supervisor-Educator
“In summary, (see link below)… I have attempted to help you see how the evidence-based framework of the Internal Family System brings new understandings to how Christians can understand the inner conflict found within our soul. IFS helps us see our Divine nature differently. Seen through the IFS lens, our Divine nature is not the Mind part of us that seeks to manage our fallen or sinful nature. Rather, our Divine nature is the dynamic of the indwelling Christ that resides within us right from the day we are born. Within IFS, the dynamic of the Self echoes of the Indwelling Christ dynamic and follows many of the ways we, as Christians, understand the Spirit of Christ interacting with our lives. Much more can be said about this connection between IFS and Christianity. What excites me as a Christian psychotherapist is that through IFS we now have a contemporary evidence-based psycho-spiritual model that can help us, as Christians, along with the Bible, Christian history, and various Christian theologies, to understand how prayer and spiritual healing and transformation actually happen through the dynamics of the Indwelling Christ.
Gord Alton MDiv RP CASC Supervisor-Educator
Understanding this could greatly reduce human suffering.
https://empathymatters.org/now/ifs-spirit/
The Research:
The Research:
RESEARCH: Randomized Clinical Trial on IFS treatment for PTSD
This study is being conducted at a Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance community mental health center, led by an IFS Level 2-trained addiction psychiatrist, Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD. Dr. Schuman-Olivier, is Director for the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Medical Director for Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, faculty member in Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Clinical Core for NCCIH’s only P01 center grant focused on mind-body mechanisms for chronic pain.
IFS Shown to Reduce PTSD Symptoms in a Sample of Patients with Complex Trauma
“IFS Therapy for the Treatment of PTSD and Complex Trauma” was the first study funded by the Foundation back in 2014. Led by Hilary Hodgdon, PhD, at the Trauma Center, Justice Research Institute in Brookline, MA, USA, the study—an uncontrolled, feasibility pilot—sought to assess the efficacy of IFS on patient outcomes. Multiple validated scales were administered, including the IFS adherence scale. Certified IFS therapists were involved in providing the treatment and received clinical supervision from Frank Anderson, MD, and Richard Schwartz, PhD.
The results showed that IFS therapy had significantly positive effects on adults with PTSD and histories of exposure to multiple forms of childhood trauma. Following the sessions, PTSD and depressive symptoms were significantly reduced, with an overall time effect observed. Notably, at the one-month follow-up assessment, 92% of participants no longer met criteria for PTSD.
In 2021 the research paper was published by the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, a peer-reviewed journal for practitioners in this field. The full article is available here.
NREPP accepted and recognized IFS Therapy as an evidence-based modality
In the second half of 2014 and following an independent, rigorous review, the National Registry of Evidence-based Practices and Programs (NREPP), accepted for review a comprehensive application by the Foundation for Self Leadership, prepared on behalf of The Center for Self Leadership and the community. The application was a formal request to consider IFS Therapy as an evidence-based psychotherapeutic modality. The application had been submitted in early 2014 and was included in a new cohort of applicants subject to some new NREPP guidelines for review.
NREPP, which was an entity operating within the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), had engaged private researchers to review all submissions independently and conduct a two-tier rigorous evaluation, examining the quality of the research about IFS, which had to be based on a randomized clinical trial (RCT), and the capacity to disseminate the named modality.
The application revolved around a proof-of-concept RCT study, completed and published in a peer-review research journal, by Nancy Shadick, MD, MPH; Nancy Sowell, MSW, LICSW; and collaborators. The full article is available here.
In late 2015, the Foundation was notified that NREPP accepted and recognized IFS Therapy as an evidence-based modality. See story on the Foundation’s website and the announcement to the IFS community at the 2015 IFS Conference.
As a clinical treatment, it was independently confirmed that IFS Therapy leads to five outcomes, one effective and four promising. The outcomes covered areas of efficacy that appeared to deal with positive effects on body, mind, and spirit—among them: improving general functioning and well-being, reducing depression and depressive symptoms, and improving resilience and self-concept
Through the following link, the full posting of the SAMSHA-NREPP is presented verbatim as it had appeared on NREPP.SAMHSA.Gov.
Additional empirical evidence and resources
An accessible summary of significant completed research studies can be found at the IFS Institute website here.
The Foundation has created an annotated publication database which can be found under the Resources tab on our site or accessed here.
Key Findings from Peer-Reviewed IFS Research
Many comprehensive studies and reviews on IFS have been published in journals through Taylor & Francis Online.
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Online Group-Based Internal Family Systems Treatment for PTSD: Feasibility and Acceptability of Program for Alleviating and Resolving Trauma and Stress (PARTS)
Internet Addiction and Efficacy of IFS
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Survivors of Multiple Childhood Trauma: A Pilot Effectiveness Study
MDMA and PTSD STUDIES
The Efficacy Of Internal Family Systems Therapy In The Treatment Of Depression Among Female College Students: A Pilot Study
IFS Shown to Reduce Pain and Depression, and Improve Physical Function for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
IFS Scale
IFS Glossary of Terms
IFS Bibliography, APA Style
- Read more
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https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research
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RESEARCH
Böckler, A. & Herrmann, L, Trautwein, F., Holmes, T. & Singer, T. (2017). Know thy selves: Learning to understand oneself increases the ability to understand others. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 1(2), 197-209, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-017-0023-6.
Engert, V., Kok, B., Papassotiriou, I., Chrousos, G. P., & Singer, T. (2017, November 20). Specific reduction in cortisol stress reactivity after social but not attention-based mental training. Science Advances. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700495
Haddock, S. A., Weiler, L. M., Trump, L. J., & Henry, K. L. (2016). The Efficacy of Internal Family Systems Therapy in the Treatment of Depression Among Female College Students: A Pilot Study. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(1), 131-144. doi:10.1111/jmft.12184
Lumma, A., Böckler, A., Vrticka, P., & Singer, T. (2017). Who am I? Differential effects of three contemplative mental trainings on emotional word use in self-descriptions. Self and Identity, 16(5), 607-628. doi:10.1080/15298868.2017.1294107
Mithoefer, M. (Spring 2013). MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: How different is it from other psychotherapy? MAPS Bulletin, Special Edition, Spring 2013. http://www.maps.org/news-letters/v23n1/v23n1_p10-14.pdf
Shadick, N. A., Sowell, N. F., Frits, M. L., Hoffman, S. M., Hartz, S. A., Booth, F. D., … Schwartz, R. C. (2013). A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internal Family Systems-based Psychotherapeutic Intervention on Outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Proof-of-Concept Study. The Journal of Rheumatology, 40(11), 1831-1841. doi:10.3899/jrheum.121465
DISSERTATIONS
Link to Zotero database – https://www.zotero.org/groups/4985243/empirical_studies_on_ifs__internal_family_systems__-_a_comprehensive_database
Amalu, C. (2023). An Analysis of Internal Family Systems Therapeutic Factors From the Perspective of the Catholic Christian Meta-Model of the Person (Publication No. 2919616218) [Doctoral dissertation, Divine Mercy University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Carter, S. M. (1998). A Study of the Internal Family Systems Model Applied to Remarried Couples of Stepfamilies in Different Stages of Adjustment (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Cooper, B. A. (1999). The Use of Internal Family Systems Therapy to Treat Issues of Biracial Identity Development. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). International University, San Diego, California.
Davis, S. D. (2005). Common and Model-Specific Factors: What Marital Therapy Model Developers, Their Former Students, and Their Clients Say About Change (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Krug, J. A. (2012). Mediating Inner Conflict: A Qualitative Study on the Relationship-Building Process with One’s Subpersonalities (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, California.
Martin N. P. (2014). Understanding Aspects of the Self and Psychological Outcomes (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia.
McVicker, S. A. M. (2017). Cherokee American Voices in Concept Analysis of Self-In-Relationship through Narrative; Theme; Metaphor; Internal Family Systems (IFS). (Doctoral dissertation published in open access). Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California.
Nehring, K. A. (1997). The Metaframeworks Approach to Treatment Of A Family In Therapy (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, Illinois.
Reed, Daniel K (2019). Internal Family Systems Informed Supervision: A Grounded Theory Inquiry St. Mary’s University University, San Antonio, Texas.
Shelton, S. Z. (2012). The Greatest Love of All: Rewriting Mother/Daughter Mythic Imprints (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, California.
Schlief, M. L. (2014). Adaptation of the Internal Family Systems Model Among Analytically-Trained Therapists (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Newton, MA. https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/1625386617.html?FMT=ABS
Sokil, L. (1999). An Ethnography of Choice: Active Imagination in the Service of Self-Directed Change (Unpublished masters thesis). Concordia University, Canada.
IFS Exercise
The Essene Gospel of Peace &
Love’s Breath Session
Tuesday – Friday@ 6:30 PM ET
Zoom Link :
https://MiamiNetwork.org/zoom
Open to everyone.
