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CC11 Topical Panel 02 - Internal Systems: Which Ones and Do They Matter? - Richard Schwartz, PhD; Stan Tatkin, PsyD; Jeffrey Zeig, PhD


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Topic Areas:
Topical Panels |  Couples Therapy |  Internal Family Systems (IFS) |  Parts Work |  Experiential Therapy |  Psychotherapy
Categories:
Couples Conference |  Couples Conference 2011 |  Pioneers in Couples and Family Therapy
Faculty:
Jeffrey Zeig, PhD |  Richard Schwartz, PhD |  Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT
Duration:
1:05:16
Format:
Audio Only
Original Program Date:
Apr 02, 2011
License:
Never Expires.



Description

Description:

Educational Objectives:

  1. To compare and contrast clinical and philosophical perspectives of experts.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

 

Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Panel honors Dr. Richard Schwartz and his Internal Family Systems (IFS) model.

  • IFS involves working with "parts" (like subpersonalities or ego states).

  • Parts are autonomous, naturally occurring, and shaped by life experiences.

Core IFS Concepts

  • Two main types of parts:

    • Protectors: control the outside world, numb emotion, often critical.

    • Exiles: hold pain and vulnerability, often hidden.

  • Self energy (accessed when parts step back) is characterized by “8 Cs”: curiosity, compassion, clarity, confidence, calm, creativity, courage, and connectedness.

  • This core Self is always present and accessible in clients.

Object Relations and State Shifts

  • Parts can reflect unresolved attachment issues or trauma.

  • State shifts (emotional/physiological) signal part activation.

  • Disowned parts may become harmful if not integrated.

Transactional Analysis and Ego States

  • Parts are similar to parent/adult/child ego states in transactional analysis.

  • Functional subtypes: critical parent, nurturing parent, adapted child, free child.

  • Ego grams can show energy distribution among parts.

  • Enactments help clients recognize, externalize, and manage their parts.

Experiential and Hypnotic Techniques

  • Use of metaphors, objects, and sculpting for experiential learning.

  • Hypnosis can deepen understanding and transformation of parts.

  • Creative, artistic interventions aid integration.

Applications in Couples Therapy

  • Enactments help couples visualize emotions like love and appreciation.

  • Therapists track state shifts in both partners during interactions.

  • Each partner should become the primary caretaker of their own vulnerable parts, not rely on the other to fix them.

Working with Resistance

  • Resistance is seen as a protective function, not pathology.

  • Use resistance to access deeper emotional material.

  • Maintain readiness to respond flexibly to whatever arises in session.

Placebo Effect and Therapist Confidence

  • Active placebo (engagement, suggestion) is more effective than passive.

  • Therapist confidence and coherence enhance therapeutic influence.

  • A strong narrative and belief in the process are key.

Therapist Development

  • Ongoing learning and open-mindedness are essential.

  • The ultimate goal is to help clients self-actualize.

  • Closing with gratitude for the collaborative learning space.

Credits



Faculty

Jeffrey Zeig, PhD's Profile

Jeffrey Zeig, PhD Related Seminars and Products


Jeffrey K. Zeig, PhD, is the Founder and Director of the Milton H. Erickson Foundation and is president of Zeig, Tucker & Theisen, Inc., publishers in the behavioral sciences. He has edited, co-edited, authored or coauthored more than 20 books on psychotherapy that appear in twelve foreign languages. Dr. Zeig is a psychologist and marriage and family therapist in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona. 


Richard Schwartz, PhD's Profile

Richard Schwartz, PhD Related Seminars and Products


Richard Schwartz, PhD, began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic, at the University of Illinois and at Northwestern University. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr . Schwartz developed the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. In 2000, he founded the Center for Self Leadership (www.selfleadership.org), which offers three levels of trainings and workshops in IFS for professionals and the general public, both in this country and abroad. A featured speaker for national and international professional organizations, Dr. Schwartz has published five books and over fifty articles about IFS.


Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT's Profile

Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT Related Seminars and Products


Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT®). He has a clinical practice in Calabasas, CA, where he has specialized for the last 15 years in working with couples and individuals who wish to be in relationships. He and his wife, Tracey Boldemann-Tatkin, developed the PACT Institute for the purpose of training other psychotherapists to use this method in their clinical practice.


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