UNFILTERED:
Making the Invisible, Visible
If therapy and Fight Club have a common thread, it's their first rule: don't talk about it. This code works wonders if you're in the loop, but it's less helpful when you're on the sidelines, contemplating whether or not to step into the ring.
Think of these articles as your insider's guide to therapy.
I'll offer you a candid view of my work as a therapist, without sacrificing the sacredness of my client's confidentiality. Like your favorite reality TV show, we'll delve into the highs, lows, and 'pour-the-red-wine' moments of life for women in their 30s and 40s.
I'm pulling back the curtain on the invisible world of therapy for women who think their struggles aren't "significant enough", one blog post at a time.
Why Your IFS Therapist Sounds Like Dr. Seuss: The 6 F’s, 8 C’s and 5 P’s of IFS Therapy
All those catchy phrases and memorable mantras—the 6 F’s, 8 C’s, and 5 P’s. You might think they were pulled straight from a whimsical children's book, but there’s a method to this madness. The alliteration isn't just for fun (though it certainly helps keep things lively). It’s a clever way to guide us through the complex terrain of our inner worlds.
Why You Keep Thinking About Divorce and How to Break the Cycle
You think about divorce a lot for someone who likes being married.
“I shouldn’t feel so unhappy and irritable all the time,” you tell yourself, “and I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about leaving so much - I love my family.”
You don’t know this yet - but the thought of packing your bags isn’t about wanting to leave him; it’s about escaping the accumulating pressure inside, the relentless cycle of the same unresolved arguments.
Civility, Connection, and Community are Dead: How Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Can Help
Your fear of conflict and the avoidance strategy you’ve adopted in response is eroding the foundations of your relationships because you - the real you - she isn’t in those relationships anymore.
It’s not your fault - you were likely pre-dispositioned and then conditioned to be conflict-avoidant by nature. The fact that you live in 2024 just has you doubling down on it.
Here’s what to do about it.
The Bossy Yoda
Today, we'll delve deeper into a specific type of part: the Managers. These are the bossy Yodas (or Hermoine Grangers or Monica Gellers) of our internal system, diligently working to keep us safe and secure . And sometimes, their well-intentioned efforts can create unintended consequences.
What Are the Different Types of Parts in Internal Family Systems Therapy?
Over the next four blog posts, we'll be diving deep into the fascinating world of IFS parts. Today, in part one, we'll introduce you to the concept of parts and answer some key questions, like: What are parts? How many parts are there? How do I identify them? Do they have names? We'll also explore the idea of "polarized" parts, those internal battles that often leave us feeling stuck.
A Tale of Two Parts: A Case Study Based on Real IFS Sessions
Do you ever feel like you're at war with yourself? Logic pulls you one way, while a nagging anxiety whispers doubts in the other ear. Dive into a real client case study to see how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy empowers individuals to understand their inner conflicts. Learn how IFS helped a client heal past wounds, find self-compassion, and make decisions that felt truly aligned with her values.
The Two Most Important Things You Don't Know About Yourself (But Should)
Most people have zero clue WHY they do what they do - not with any real accuracy, anyway. We stumble through life on autopilot, reacting to situations with a vague sense of "because I should" or "because that's just me."
Spoiler alert: Surface-level explanations don’t cut it. You might tell yourself you procrastinate "because I'm lazy" or snap at a colleague "because they're annoying." These explanations feel true on the surface, but they don't address the root cause.
But guess what? There's a way to break free from behaviors, habits, or feelings you feel trapped by: and it starts with identifying two of the most important things about you.
