Internal Family Systems Therapy – A non-pathologising way of working

Internal Family Systems Therapy is a model that has been described as ‘a paradigm shift for psychological therapies’ and is quickly gaining increasing popularity amongst counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists, particularly as a way of working with clients who have experienced trauma.

We are delighted to invite Zandra Bamford to offer this workshop. Zandra founded and runs a clinical psychology service in the North West of England that specialises in Internal Family Systems therapy.

She is passionate about bringing IFS therapy with all that it has to offer to counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists believing that it is a deeply respectful and humanising model that welcomes all parts of a person into the therapy space.

This workshop will empower counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists to integrate the theory and practice of Internal Family Systems Therapy into their work. It will cover/include the following…

– An overview of Internal Family Systems Therapy

– The nature of Self (The idea that everything that an individual requires for healing from trauma is already within them.)

– The importance of honouring and befriending protectors (parts that adapt/protect our wounded little inner parts from further trauma.) Zandra will present case examples and examples from her own experience of therapy to exemplify the transformative potential of the Internal Family Systems model.

– How traditional mental health systems and services continue to exile parts, shame protectors and consequently prevent healing.

– How some processes of psychological therapy (eg assessment, formulation, the approach to supervision) can be subtly (or not so subtly!) pathologising, shaming and disrespecting. Zandra will present alternatives.

– Fostering trust of the inner system and body within traditional mental health systems to support healing.

– Guided meditation to connect the audience with parts in their own system (learning the model from the inside)

Zandra will share examples from her own experience of therapy to illustrate the transformative potential of the Internal Family Systems model.

This workshop will be invaluable to counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists who want to expand on what they can offer their clients and who are committed to not colluding with the pathologising culture of psychiatric labels and medicalised responses.