The Core Self Flashcards
What is the Centerpiece of IFS?
Self-energy
- We are all connected - Oneness
- Active & compassionate
- Self-Energy is present at birth.
- Parts are resources for Self
- Core Seat of Consciousness
- All parts have Self-energy at their core
Self-Qualities (8 C’s)
- Clarity
- Creative
- Compassion
- Connected
- Confidence: Knowing your Core Self holds wisdom & knowledge
- Courage
- Curious
- Calm
Holding Self-energy (5 P’s)
- Presence: access self-energy. Ask parts to give you space.
- Patience: Respect client’s pace.
- Perspective: See the bigger picture.
- Persistence: Hope, courage, confidence
- Playfulness: Warm, intuitive, spontaneous
How to Distinguish Self from Parts?
- Parts are attached to agendas.
- Self does not have an agenda.
- Self wants to restore balance & wholeness.
- Self is inclined to help all parts.
- Self is greater than the sum of all parts.
- Self must be embodied to lead
The IFS Clinician Embodies:
- Tracking & staying attuned to your client.
- Self-awareness of when your parts are activated.
- Breathing in Self-energy & asking parts to soften back
- Giving sacred space, without agenda, to clients
- Being patient & loving with yours and client’s parts
- Understand defenses are protective parts & not scary pathologies
- Holding a vision and hope for healing
Attunement is Key
- Therapeutic relationship must be non-judgmental & non-shaming
- Repair when needed; take accountability
- Stay aware of yours and client’s body language & underlying expressions
- Be creative & open to your intuitive nudges
- If in question; always ask the client or part of client
Therapeutic Boundaries: (3 types): Rigid Boundaries
- Driven by protective parts
- Avoidant behaviors
- Driven by fear & anger
- Sympathetic fight response
- Past-focused
- Damaging to relationships
Therapeutic Boundaries: (3 types): Flexible Boundaries
- Driven by Self-Energy
- Matches your values
- Based on the situation
- Present-focused
- Builds secure relationships
- Respectful & healthy
Therapeutic Boundaries: (3 types): Lax Boundaries
- Driven by protective parts
- Pleasing; anxious attachment
- Dorsal vagal response
- Builds internal resentment
- Past & future-focused
- Hurts & devalues you
Bisases in Relationship
- We all have preconditioned bias
- Unconditioned bias: attitudes & beliefs that we have based on stereotypes
- When left unchecked (aka unconscious), it can (re)wound; reenacting stigma & bias
- Bias negatively affects therapy
What is transference?
- Client’s cant react to therapists from ingrained patterns.
- Client-Therapist relationship is essential.
- Recognize when my parts are being triggered by client’s parts and I am being reactive.
- Some client’s parts won’t trust or may rebel.
- Some clients need mirroring and appropriate reparenting.
Dependent Pattern
Transference: Part of client sees therapist as nurturing mother/father & become dependent OR see therapist as non-nurturing mother/father and become hurt and angry.
Countertransference: Parts of you become overly involved in caring for the client (for them or your own caretaking needs) OR are repulsed by the client’s excessive needs.
Caretaking Patterns
Transference: Part of client tries to take care of you, focusing on your pain/struggles OR reassures your insecurities.
Countertransference: Part(s) of you allow client’s parts to take care OR care take client more than appropriate, so they don’t feel any necessary pain or responsibility.
Rebellious Pattern
Transference: Part(s) of the client refuse to cooperate & may criticize of even fight your approach.
Countertransference: Part(s) of you feel controlled, hurt, pained, inadequate, or incompetent. Part(s) of you are angry and get into power struggles/arguments with the client’s part(s).
