Therapy Intensives and Retreats
for Women and Couples in Minnesota
Internal Family Systems
IFS therapy, or Internal Family Systems, is the foundation of how I work and the reason my clients experience real, lasting change. Rather than teaching you how to manage your emotions, IFS helps you understand the inner parts of yourself that are driving them. When you understand those parts, transformation becomes possible.
IFS therapy works best when there is enough time and space to go deep, which is why I offer it through an intensive format. Weekly sessions often end just when the real work begins. Intensives give us the time to actually move through something instead of just circling it.
Protectors
Internal Family Systems helps us heal by connecting us with and helping us unburden our internal parts. Some of our parts are protective parts. They work to keep other hurting and burdened parts away from the rest of the system and safe from further harm.
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Some of these protectors work to manage our environment to try and keep things safe and predictable. They can show up in our systems as anxiety, perfectionism, high achievement or control.
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Some protectors work as rescuers or defenders. They cause us to rise up and defend ourselves or shrink back to keep us safe. These parts can show up as anger, aggression, defensiveness, withdrawal, or shutting down and in extreme forms can look like addictions, violence or self-harm.
Exiles
Exiles are the vulnerable and hurting parts that our protectors are trying to protect. These parts have been wounded by past experiences and relationships, often at young ages.
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Our systems shut these hurting parts away from the rest of our system to help manage our emotional pain. But this can often lead to these exiled parts not getting access to the healing they need and love and connection they deserve. They often feel lonely, isolated and burdened.
From birth, and at all of our cores is a strong and confident Self. This core self is calm, compassionate, curious, creative, courageous and connected. When our Self is leading the system, it helps regulate the reactive protectors and can bring healing to the hurting exiles.
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The goal in IFS is to help us connect with and understand our protective and exiled parts, and help our strong Self provide leadership in our system and unburden our hurting and over-worked parts.
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IFS Intensives are a powerful tool for bringing about this healing. Intensives provide the time and space for our protectors to relax, our exiles to emerge and for the system to begin to trust the Self.
Self
Interested in Learning More about IFS Intensives?
Click below to view a brochure with more information on formats and pricing for my IFS Therapy Intensives for women and couples in Minnesota.
