Podcasts about internal family systems ifs

In this episode, I sit down with Kay Gardner, one of the original “mothers” of Internal Family Systems (IFS), to discuss her new book, Calling Ourselves Back Home: The Spiritual and Energetic Lens of IFS. Kay shares her journey with IFS and what it has been like to finally take the “lid” off the spiritual and intuitive aspects of her work. We explore legacy and cultural burdens, the historical oppression of the divine feminine, and how these burdens can impact our ability to trust and express our intuition. We also talk about the power of imagination, reconnecting with our innate intuitive nature, and what it means to remember the spirituality that has always been within us. Kay and I dive into guides—what they are, how we might notice them, and how they can support our journey. And in a fun and unexpected moment, we discover that Kay and I share a guide!   In This Episode: Kay's origin story with IFS Legacy and cultural burdens The divine feminine, intuition, and imagination Reclaiming our intuitive and spiritual nature The cultural fear of speaking our intuitive knowing aloud Connecting with guides and noticing their presence Kay's new book, Calling Ourselves Back Home   Connect with Kay: Website Book: Calling Ourselves Back Home: The Spiritual and Energetic Lens of IFS   ________________________________ ✨ NEW THIS FALL: IFS + INTUITION + SPIRITUALITY CONSULTATION GROUP ✨ I'm offering a monthly consultation group for IFS providers who are curious about exploring the spiritual and intuitive dimensions of IFS work—both within our own inner work and with our clients. Topics May Include: ✨ Intuition & the 6 Clairs ✨ Connecting with Spirit, guides & guardian angels ✨ Ancestors ✨ Past lives ✨ Unattached burdens ✨ Spiritual experiences that arise through parts work ✨ How intuition may weave into our work with clients ✨ How we discern intuitive information from parts, projections, or other experiences My hope is that this becomes a space where we can be curious, open, grounded, and discerning—without feeling like we have to have all the answers. Details:

Awareness Explorers episode 220: Shadow Work In this episode, we explore various approaches to shadow work, that is, becoming conscious of hidden parts of the psyche and bringing them to awareness, which helps reveal and release emotions stored in the body that might otherwise cause trouble in life and relationships. • Includes a guided meditation focused on dissolving resistance to unwanted emotions by fully experiencing feelings in the body and dropping associated storytelling. Mentioned in this episode: Adyashanti's instructions for "Working with Negative Emotions" is included in the set from Sounds True called "Guided Meditations" "The Work" documentary about a group therapy retreat in Folsom Prison: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Work_(film) https://releasing.dogwoof.com/the-work Angelo DiLullo's Group Transformation Process Mindvalley Blog  "75 shadow work prompts for healing and growth" Internal Family Systems (IFS)  https://ifs-institute.com/ Effortless IFS with Sid Friedman Voice Dialogue  https://www.voicedialogueinternational.com/ https://www.voicedialogueinternational.com/global/IVDA/select_Bridgit_Dengel_Gaspard.htm Scott Kiloby Transformative Emotion Work  https://kiloby.com/ Sam Roff: Secrets To Great Shadow Work (Regulate Unstable Energy)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTxwFD5P_Pk Don't forget to subscribe for more ingenious ways to tap into the ever-present stillness and joy of our true nature. To learn more about Awareness Explorers, and to listen to all of our podcast episodes, please visit:  https://www.awarenessexplorers.com/ If you want to listen to the meditations alone, you can find all of our meditations excerpted either in this playlist:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLThffcko0gAVvivvVVGNfQgJxbWB6dF6Z Or on our Awareness Explorers website: https://www.awarenessexplorers.com/meditations To Support Awareness Explorers, please consider clicking the "Donate" button on any AwarenessExplorers.com page, or becoming a Patreon supporter:  https://www.patreon.com/awarenessexplorers NOTE: If you are a Patreon supporter and have not been receiving our bonus material, please check to make sure that the email address you have on Patreon is an active one. To learn more about Jonathan Robinson and Brian Tom O'Connor, please visit  https://findinghappiness.com/ and  https://www.playawarenessgames.com/ You can listen to all of our episodes on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLThffcko0gAXyaArC4OyY0y84CZ8uSb_n Enjoy, Jonathan and Brian   Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

In this episode, Lisa continues the deep work of intentional weight loss by expanding the conversation around anger, shame, rupture, repair, innocence, and internal safety. She revisits the previous episode's teaching on allowing anger without withdrawing love, showing how this becomes essential when you “blow past a boundary” or act out of alignment. She connects this to couples therapy, pets, children, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), illustrating how conflict is not a red flag; the absence of repair is. Lisa then explores the cultural conditioning around impact vs. intention, contrasting how society often punishes impact while internal healing requires honoring intention. She shares personal stories to show how innocence, intention, and misunderstood power shape self‑trust.Topics Include:Anger is AllowedShame SpiralsIFSSelf Trust[1:30] Lisa teaches that moments of anger or disappointment are inevitable, and the work is allowing those emotions without collapsing into shame. She describes how judging yourself after a misstep is like pouring gasoline on a fire, creating an unsafe internal environment that undermines long‑term goals. She frames tender self‑compassion as the stabilizing force that restores safety, connection, and alignment after moments of misalignment.[6:16] Lisa shows that both rigid diet‑culture judgment and anti‑diet avoidance bypass honest acknowledgment of tension, and she reframes conflict as a healthy part of self‑relationship. She uses practical analogies to normalize the coexistence of anger and love, teaching listeners to maintain connection with themselves while addressing the consequences of their actions.[11:09] Lisa teaches that every internal part is well‑intentioned and fundamentally good, echoing Dick Schwartz's IFS framework. She shows that approaching parts with curiosity rather than shame creates the internal safety required for real change, and she reframes intention as the key to collaboration.[20:36] Lisa shares how external judgment once framed her as unsafe to help others while recovering from disordered eating, and how she reclaimed trust by returning to her own benevolent intention. She illustrates how culture teaches people to fear their own power; the work is not eliminating that power but learning to channel it safely.[46:40] Lisa explains how pity masquerading as compassion or people‑pleasing masquerading as kindness can derail healing by imitating the real thing. She teaches that healing requires transformed consciousness, not the avoidance of behaviors that once accompanied shame.[49:01] Lisa warns against rejecting supportive behaviors just because they resemble past unhealthy patterns, emphasizing that the energy behind the action is what matters. She reframes the old diet‑culture mantra “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” into “nothing tastes as good as staying in alignment with myself feels.”[49:57] Lisa teaches that actions like eating a salad, skipping dessert, or tracking calories only gain meaning from the energy behind them. She shows how the same behavior can be self‑punishment rooted in shame or self‑care aligned with long‑term values.[53:42] Lisa explains that when she views her intention as good, she becomes someone she can work with; when she sees herself as guilty, she becomes someone she cannot trust.[1:04:50] Lisa explains that food noise exists on a spectrum and that true freedom is not the absence of thinking about food but the absence of fear around structure and accountability. She uses the near‑enemy lens to reveal how equating structure with dieting or accountability with shame blocks healing.⁠Join Us on Patreon!⁠ ⁠LISA IS NOW ACCEPTING: One-on-One Clients!⁠⁠⁠Purchase the OOTC book of 50 Journal Prompts⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave Questions and Feedback for Lisa via OOTC Pod Feedback Form ⁠⁠Email Lisa: ⁠⁠lisa@lisaschlosberg.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Out of the Cave Merch⁠⁠ - For 10% off use code SCHLOS10Lisa's Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Why does it sometimes feel like different parts of us are pulling in opposite directions? How do we begin to notice, understand, and care for the parts of ourselves that are trying to cope with pain, loss, and grief?For psychologist and author Dr. Audrey Davidheiser, understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS) has transformed both her personal and professional journey. Through her own experiences—including the loss of her father—and years of helping others navigate grief, she has seen how IFS offers a compassionate framework for understanding the many parts that make up our inner world. Rather than viewing these parts as problems to be fixed, IFS invites us to approach them with curiosity, compassion, and care, recognizing that each part is often trying to protect us or help us survive difficult experiences. In her book, Grieving Wholeheartedly: Bringing Healing to Every Part of Your Soul, Dr. Davidheiser explores how the principles of IFS can be applied to the grieving process through a thoughtful Christian lens, offering practical tools for healing and growth.In this conversation, Davey and Dr. Davidheiser discuss what Internal Family Systems is, how different parts can emerge in response to grief and hardship, and how understanding these parts can help us move toward deeper healing and wholeness.If you've ever felt torn between conflicting emotions, wondered why one part of you wants to move forward while another wants to hold back, or struggled to make sense of your reactions in seasons of loss, this episode will encourage you to approach yourself with greater compassion. You'll discover that every part of you has a story to tell, and that through the healing presence of Jesus, those parts can be understood, cared for, and brought toward greater wholeness. Website: https://www.aimforbreakthrough.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draudreyd Book: Grieving Wholeheartedly: Bringing Healing to Every Part of Your Soulhttps://amzn.to/3RSmiax Not living the story you expected? Pain changes us but doesn't have to define us. Discover where you are on your healing journey and get a personalized pathway for your next steps: nothingiswasted.com/starthere Looking for help in navigating the valley of pain and trauma? Our Nothing is Wasted coaches can help: nothingiswasted.com/coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us were taught to treat emotions like distress, numbness, and burnout as private failings to manage and move past, rather than normal responses to living within a world full of crises. The unintended result is a distrust in our own bodies and mind, further leading to more confusion about what is 'normal.' One framework offers a potential path to living in harmony with all of the mind's distinct parts, breaking the defensive and counterproductive loops we tend to get stuck in. What sort of systemic ripples might become possible if we stop trying to smother uncomfortable parts of ourselves, and begin embracing them as critical pieces of our own mental ecologies? In this episode, Nate is joined by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz, the therapist who developed Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Steffi Bednarek, a climate psychologist applying that same model to organizations, governments, and culture at large. Dick walks through the origins of IFS, which describes the mind as naturally made up of "parts" – protectors and exiles – with their own histories, fears, and roles, which are all held by an underlying "Self." Steffi extends the model outward to show how institutions and even entire countries can be read as systems of exiles and protectors, and shares how she uses IFS with governments, financial institutions, and wealth holders to defuse shame and effectively guide toward pro-social behavioral change. Together, they explore why healing our relationship to our own most despised parts may be inseparable from healing our relationship to the rest of the living world. How can looking inward to our own thought processes and patterns help us better understand and relate to others, especially those whose behavior we find hardest to accept? As we continue through challenging times, how can we balance critical physical and policy work with the internal work of healing our relationship to the mental parts we shy away from? And would our decisions and actions change if more and more humans began to lead from curiosity and compassion, instead of fear, and could that be enough to shift the larger system? (Conversation recorded on August 5th, 2026)   About Richard C. Schwartz: Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, therapeutic model with a growing evidence base, that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. Richard is also the Founder of the IFS Institute that primarily offers training for professionals. He is currently a Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate. Richard has authored or co-authored more than ten books on Internal Family Systems and related topics, including No Bad Parts and Internal Family Systems Therapy. He lives near Chicago with his wife Jeanne, Vice President of the IFS Institute, close to his three daughters and six grandchildren.   About Steffi Bednarek: Steffi Bednarek is a gestalt psychotherapist, trauma therapist, and climate psychologist. Her work explores the interface between climate change and mental health. With twenty-five years of experience in depth psychology, complexity thinking, climate psychology, and grief tending, Bednarek has worked for national governments and global institutions to prepare leaders and organizations for the psychological dimension of climate change in decision-making processes. Her work has been featured in the Huffington Post, BBC, David Milliband's "Reasons to be cheerful" podcast and numerous international publications. She is the co-founder of "Explorations into Climate Psychology" journal and an associate member of the American Psychological Association's climate change group.   Show Notes and More   Watch this video episode on YouTube   Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie.   ---   Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future   Join our Substack newsletter   Join our Hylo channel and connect with other listeners  

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, GET THE SELF-LED PAUSE STARTER KIT AND THE 25 IFS MEDITATIONS FREE @ EXPLOREIFS.COMThe episode delves into the concept of protectors in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, exploring their roles, impact, and the process of meeting and understanding them. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and acknowledging protectors as a crucial step in the healing journey.TakeawaysUnderstanding the roles and impact of protectors in IFS therapy.The importance of meeting, acknowledging, and softening the grip of protectors for healing.Chapters00:00 Understanding Protectors in IFS04:34 Common Protector Roles06:31 The Cost of Protectors07:28 Meeting and Understanding Protectors08:31 Softening the Grip of Protectors10:38 Noticing and Acknowledging Protectors

Shame might be the silent architect behind our biggest relationship struggles—fueling secrecy, driving distance, and making genuine intimacy feel just out of reach. When the fear of rejection or not being enough sneaks in, it often keeps us locked in painful cycles of criticism, defensiveness, and disconnect. But what if the way we react to shame is the very thing sabotaging our deepest connections? In this episode, the discussion dives into how shame operates beneath the surface of issues like betrayal, addiction, and disconnection, and offers concrete strategies for transforming these patterns. Through personal stories, therapeutic insights, and powerful principles such as courage, context, and compassion, listeners are guided in breaking free from shame's grip. The conversation also explores practical ways to practice vulnerability, build safety, and foster more authentic connections—both with ourselves and our partners. Brannon Patrick, LCSW, and Tyler Patrick, LMFT, are brothers and licensed clinicians who help individuals and couples heal after infidelity, addiction, and the trust rupture that follows. With 20+ years each in addiction and trauma work, they bring both depth and straight talk, translating complex psychology into practical next steps people can use immediately. Together, they host The Therapy Brothers, a weekly call-in show where real people work through betrayal, shame, trauma, and addiction in real time, with over 500 episodes and nearly 2 million downloads. Their approach centers on heart work: healing the underlying trauma and shame so couples can rebuild trust with honesty, accountability, empathy, and healthy strength.   Episode Highlights 03:25 Overcoming betrayal and rebuilding trust. 07:34 Authenticity vs connection in relationships. 12:17 Shame's hidden impact on self-image. 15:35 Using IFS to overcome shame. 18:39 Choosing love and self-awareness. 21:10 Navigating shame's impact on relationships. 24:13 Navigating vulnerability in relationships. 28:28 Embracing compassion over self-criticism. 31:52 Exploring EFT and emotional connectivity. 34:48 Recovering trust after betrayal. 36:45 The trust equation and lasting love. 41:54 Beginning your healing journey.   Your Checklist of Actions to Take Practice Courage: Begin sharing your personal story and feelings with people you trust, focusing on authenticity and vulnerability. Build Context: Remind yourself you are not alone in your struggles; seek out others with similar experiences to normalize your feelings and reduce shame. Cultivate Compassion: Replace self-criticism with curiosity and kindness; when you notice a harsh inner voice, intentionally respond with understanding instead. Separate Your Parts: Use parts work or Internal Family Systems (IFS) to identify shame-driven and protective parts within yourself, then approach them with gratitude rather than rejection. Join a Support Group: Find or create safe spaces such as group therapy or support circles where you can practice vulnerability and receive nonjudgmental feedback. Create Boundaries: Establish healthy internal and external boundaries so you can engage with others' emotions without absorbing attacks or losing your sense of self. Get Professional Help: Explore modalities such as IFS, EMDR, ART, or DBT to address entrenched patterns and trauma that reinforce shame. Work on Relationship Recovery: If healing from betrayal, prioritize establishing safety and consistency, then focus on individual growth alongside nurturing relationship trust and intimacy.   Mentioned The Therapy Brothers (podcast) Shifting Criticism For Connected Communication (free relationship guide)   Connect with Tyler and Brannon Patrick Website: therapybrothers.org YouTube: youtube.com/@lovestrong | youtube.com/@therapy.brothers  Facebook: facebook.com/love.strong.org | facebook.com/ExpertBrannon  Instagram: instagram.com/therapy.brothers/ | instagram.com/sunrisegoal LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brannon-patrick/ | linkedin.com/in/tyler-patrick-lmft-24488366/ | linkedin.com/in/chase-jones-b63368128  

In this special episode of Open Deeply, Sunny Megatron sits down with co-host Kate Loree to explore the therapeutic approach she has developed over more than two decades as a psychotherapist.Kate shares how she integrates EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic psychotherapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and psychedelic integration to help people heal trauma, deepen intimacy, and create more authentic relationships with themselves and others.Together, they discuss:What makes Kate's approach different from traditional relationship and trauma therapyWhy she specializes in working with consensual non-monogamy, sexuality, and sex workersHow spirituality became an important part of her clinical workWhat led her to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psychedelic integrationThe launch of Open Deeply Coaching and how coaching differs from psychotherapySupporting couples creating a new chapter in intimacy and people navigating consensual non-monogamyKate's men's process group and her vision for future groups exploring psychedelic integration, spirituality, and alternative relationshipsThe biggest lessons she's learned after working with thousands of clientsWhether you're curious about trauma healing, relationships, sexuality, psychedelic integration, or human potential, this conversation offers an inside look at the philosophy that guides Kate's work and why she believes lasting change happens through curiosity, compassion, and embodied self-awareness.Kate's Bio:Kate Loree, LMFT, is a sex-positive psychotherapist, author, speaker, and podcast host specializing in trauma, relationships, sexuality, and non-traditional relationship structures. She works extensively with LGBTQIA+, kink, and consensually non-monogamous communities and is the author of Open Deeply: A Guide to Building Conscious, Compassionate Open Relationships.In addition to her work as a licensed marriage and family therapist, Kate holds an MBA and is a registered art therapist (ATR). She is certified in EMDR, IFS-Informed Somatic Trauma Therapy, and Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration and offers Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy.Kate has worked with clients since 2003 and is known for integrating attachment theory, somatic awareness, sexuality, nervous system regulation, and compassionate communication into her work. She co-hosts the Open Deeply podcast with Sunny Megatron, has appeared in BuzzFeed videos and Playboy Radio, and has been featured in media outlets including Vice and Ms. Magazine.Through her writing, teaching, and clinical work, Kate helps people create more authentic relationships,How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQHow to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnkOpen Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

Most leadership challenges don't begin in the boardroom—they begin long before we ever step into one.In this powerful episode of the Conscious Leadership Revolution Podcast, we explore the hidden childhood patterns that quietly shape how we lead, communicate, build relationships, and respond under pressure.If you've ever struggled with perfectionism, burnout, imposter syndrome, people-pleasing, or the constant need for validation, this conversation will help you understand why these patterns exist—and more importantly, how to begin transforming them.Drawing on neuroscience, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and conscious leadership principles, we unpack why self-awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership and why healing your past isn't about living in it—it's about reclaiming your future.In this episode, you'll discover:Why high-achievers often lead from conditioned survival patterns rather than their authentic selvesHow childhood experiences shape the way we show up at work and at homeThe difference between "Big T" and "Little t" trauma—and why both matterWhy seeking external validation keeps leaders stuckPractical insights for regulating your nervous system and leading with greater authenticityHow healing yourself creates a lasting legacy for your family, your team, and your organizationLeadership isn't about becoming someone new.It's about uncovering who you were before the world taught you who you had to be.If you're ready to stop leading from unconscious patterns and start leading from your authentic self, this conversation is for you.

Some wounds aren't visible. Some can't be diagnosed with a scan or measured by a test. Yet they can profoundly shape who we are, how we see the world, and how we connect with others.In this very special episode of Friends Talking Nerdy, Professor Aubrey and Tim the Nerd welcome Milly Morrow, MSW, M.Div., for a thoughtful and deeply compassionate conversation about moral injury—a concept that is gaining recognition for its profound impact on mental health, identity, relationships, and community.Moral injury occurs when a person experiences, witnesses, or participates in events that violate their deeply held moral beliefs or values. While it is often discussed alongside Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Milly explains why moral injury is a distinct experience, rooted not simply in fear or trauma, but in questions of meaning, betrayal, responsibility, and the struggle to reconcile what has happened with one's sense of self.Drawing from her extensive background in clinical social work, community-based care, pastoral ministry, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), Milly shares how grief, spirituality, trauma, and moral frameworks intersect in the healing process. She offers insights into why moral injury can affect anyone—not just military veterans—including healthcare professionals, first responders, educators, clergy, caregivers, community leaders, and anyone who has carried the weight of impossible decisions or witnessed profound injustice.Throughout the conversation, Professor Aubrey, Tim The Nerd, and Milly explore how shame differs from moral injury, why healing cannot happen in isolation, and how supportive communities play an essential role in helping people rediscover hope, purpose, and connection. Rather than asking people to "move on" from suffering, Milly encourages a different approach: making meaning from difficult experiences while honoring the values and relationships that continue to shape our lives.Our guest, Milly Morrow, MSW, M.Div., specializes in community-centered care for those who care for others. Her work supports individuals, families, caregivers, educators, healthcare professionals, clergy, frontline workers, and community leaders navigating grief and moral injury at the complex intersection of spirituality and mental health. With a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach, Milly is passionate about helping people integrate life's most difficult experiences while reconnecting with purpose, resilience, and authentic community.As Milly reminds us throughout this conversation:"Change is inevitable. Transformation is a choice. The choice to let suffering and change transform you requires connection, community, and deep courage. You do not have to do it alone."If this conversation resonates with you, please consider sharing it with someone who may benefit from hearing it. Conversations like these remind us that healing is rarely a solitary journey—and that understanding one another is often the first step toward hope.Support Friends Talking Nerdy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.As always, we wish to thank Christopher Lazarek for his wonderful theme song. Head to his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for information on how to purchase his EP, Here's To You, which is available on all digital platforms.Head to Friends Talking Nerdy's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for more information on where to find us online.

This week, the Agony Aunties answer a question that so many of us will recognise: why is it so hard to make the changes we desperately want to make? From skipping the exercise class you've already paid for to using food, smoking or spending as a way to cope, Julia, Sophie and Emily explore the hidden roots of self-sabotage, shame and the belief that we're incapable of change. Together, they discuss how our childhood experiences shape our sense of agency, why self-compassion is the key to breaking old patterns, and practical ways to begin building a kinder relationship with yourself—one small step at a time. Resources mentioned: Learn more about Jan Winhall's work on attachment, trauma and the nervous system: https://janwinhall.com • • Find out more about Internal Family Systems (IFS): https://ifs-institute.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah Ann Saeger, LPC, LCADC, LAMFT, is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist who specializes in complex trauma, addiction, and relationships. She is trained in IFS and an array of somatic,attachment-informed therapies. Sarah shares psychoeducation and reflections on parts work and the healing journey on her Instagram and Substack platforms. She is dedicated to helping survivors embrace the wisdom of their whole selves, and she supports survivors in her PA-based therapy practice.In this episode, we explore parentification: what it is, how it develops, and the ways it can continue to shape our lives after childhood.We discuss what can happen when a child grows up feeling responsible for the emotional well-being of others, learns to suppress their own needs, and takes on roles that were never theirs to carry. We also unpack the many nuances of these experiences, recognizing that family, culture, and generation has its own context. In addition, we talk about what it can look like to incorporate Internal Family Systems (IFS) into the work of complex trauma and parentification. We discuss how these early roles can show up in adult relationships through familiar relational patterns and reenactments. This includes why we may find ourselves drawn to partners who reinforce what once felt familiar, along with the grief that can come from recognizing what we needed but didn't receive.FOLLOW SARAH:INSTA: @sarahannsaegerMORE INFO: LinktreeWORKBOOK: The Internal Family Systems Workbook For CPTSDSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK: @trustandthriveTHREADS: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Is anxiety something to overcome—or could it be inviting us into a deeper relationship with ourselves? In this episode of The Intuitive Self Podcast, I sit down with trauma therapist John Clarke to explore anxiety through the lenses of Internal Family Systems (IFS), nervous system awareness, and trauma healing. Together, we discuss why anxiety is unique to each person, the burdens it often carries, and how approaching it with curiosity and compassion can lead to profound healing. We also explore perfectionism, shame, masking, supporting others with anxiety, and how to discern the difference between fear and intuition. In This Episode We Explore: Why anxiety is different for everyone The nervous system's role in anxiety Common burdens such as "I'm not enough" Perfectionism, shame, and masking Why anxiety isn't something to eliminate How to support someone experiencing anxiety The connection between anxiety, intuition, and Self-energy Practical steps for turning toward anxiety with compassion About John Clarke John Clarke is a trauma therapist, Clinical Director of Calm Again Counseling in San Francisco, host of the Going Inside podcast, and founder of Pathways to Self, a clinical consultation community for trauma therapists. With more than 13 years of experience and advanced training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Somatic Experiencing, John is passionate about making trauma therapy more accessible while helping therapists build sustainable practices that support both their clients and themselves. Connect with John Website: https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/ Instagram: @johnclarketherapy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@John-Clarke-Therapy   If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who may be struggling with anxiety or searching for a more compassionate way to understand it. As always, thank you for listening and for continuing the courageous journey of turning toward all parts of yourself with curiosity, compassion, and Self-leadership!  _____________________________ Want to work with Natalie for Intuitive Parts/IFS Therapy or Spiritual/IFS Consultation? Contact her below Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/ Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact  Instagram: @nataliedeering _____________________________   Help Support the Podcast by Donating Here!    You can also support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review! 

Could psychedelic-assisted therapy change the future of mental healthcare? For some, psychedelic-assisted therapy feels like a revolutionary new frontier. For others, it's a long-standing conversation that never truly disappeared - it simply continued quietly while science worked to catch up. Today, that conversation is louder than ever, as researchers investigate whether medicines such as ketamine and psilocybin (the naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms) could transform treatment for depression, PTSD, anxiety, addiction and other mental health conditions. In this thought-provoking episode, wrapping up season five of The Happier Life Project, host Gabby is joined by licensed clinical social worker and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist Katy Collins to explore the science, the stories and the growing evidence behind this fascinating field. Together, they unpack what psychedelic-assisted therapy actually involves, how it differs from recreational psychedelic use, why “set and setting” matter so deeply, and why working with appropriately trained and licensed professionals is such an important part of the process. Drawing on her clinical experience, Katy explains how ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is helping people who have struggled with severe depression, trauma and suicidal thoughts. She also shares her own deeply personal mental health journey, including nearly three decades on antidepressants before discovering plant medicine. Katy credits this experience as a turning point in her healing journey, helping her become medication free for the past five years. This unique combination of professional and personal experience offers a rare perspective on both the potential, and the limitations of psychedelic-assisted therapy,  and why the therapeutic process is just as important as the medicine itself. Along the way, the conversation explores the latest research into psilocybin, including remarkable studies investigating its potential in depression and even dementia, as well as the growing interest in microdosing, neuroplasticity, and why these ancient medicines are attracting renewed attention from modern science. Gabby and Katy also discuss the legal landscape, common misconceptions, the importance of clinical supervision, and whether psychedelic-assisted therapy could one day become a mainstream part of mental healthcare. Katy Collins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Social Work Supervisor with specialist training in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, EMDR, somatic healing and grief work. As an integrative therapist, she combines evidence-based approaches including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, attachment theory and somatic practices to support people navigating trauma, anxiety, depression and treatment-resistant mental health conditions. Whether you're simply curious, interested in the latest mental health research, or wondering why psychedelics are once again making headlines, this episode offers a balanced, evidence-informed introduction to one of the most fascinating and rapidly evolving areas of mental healthcare. Please note: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It explores current research and regulated clinical practice surrounding psychedelic-assisted therapy and is not medical advice or an endorsement of illegal drug use. If you have concerns about your mental or physical health, or are considering any form of treatment, please speak with your GP or a qualified healthcare professional. To download the My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself Katy Collins website: https://sagehealinghouston.com/ Katy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagehealinghouston/

Therapists are great at taking care of everyone else, but we are not always so good at noticing what the work is doing to us. In this episode, I'm talking with Lindsay Benson about the hidden toll private practice can take on our nervous systems. We get into therapist burnout, the stress that builds up from sitting with difficult stories all day, and the small practices that can help us reset between sessions. Lindsay also shares her experience moving from insurance to private pay, offering therapy intensives, and building a practice that feels more sustainable. This is a great conversation for anyone who loves the work but wants to have a little more energy left when the workday is over. Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Subscribe to YouTube Watch on YouTube Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet Lindsay Benson LPC-S With 20 years of experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Lindsay Benson is passionate about helping people heal from the inside out. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Oklahoma State University, where her calling to work with trauma survivors began while volunteering with abused youth. That experience confirmed what she has known ever since, that helping others heal is more than a profession; it is her life's purpose. For more than a decade in private practice, Lindsay has specialized in working with adults struggling with anxiety, trauma, shame, burnout, self-judgment, and a sense of disconnection from themselves and their lives. She is especially passionate about helping individuals reconnect with their authentic selves, cultivate self-compassion, and live with greater purpose, presence, and fulfillment. Lindsay believes lasting healing happens when we address the whole person mind, body, and spirit. Her integrative approach combines evidence-based therapies with holistic practices, including EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Healing, Transpersonal Psychology, Energy Psychology, Mindfulness, Reiki, Emotion Code, Body Code, Healing Remembered, and meditation. Her work focuses on helping clients regulate their nervous systems, heal unresolved wounds, and reconnect with their innate capacity for healing. Driven by a passion for supporting fellow clinicians, Lindsay co-founded Divine Legacy Collective, an organization dedicated to helping therapists thrive personally and professionally through immersive, embodied continuing education experiences. Rather than traditional lecture-based trainings, Divine Legacy Collective offers experiential CEU retreats and workshops that allow therapists to personally experience the very practices they can bring into their clinical work. Through trauma-informed yoga, somatic practices, meditation, parts work, nervous system regulation, time in nature, and opportunities for deep reflection, therapists leave not only with new clinical skills but also feeling renewed, grounded, and more connected to their Highest Self. Lindsay's mission is simple: to help people and the professionals who care for them move beyond surviving and into a life of authenticity, connection, healing, and lasting well-being. Lindsay's Website Divine Legacy Collective Instagram

On this episode of The Karen Kenney Show, I​'m exploring ​​what it means to “talk​ to younger you” ​- by ​l​ooking through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and “parts work”. (#notatherapist)I also ​tell a story about a middle-of-the-night moment where I woke up ​heard myself say, “I've got you,” ​several times and how that ​sparked a deeper conversation about exiles, protectors (managers + firefighters), and our capital-S Self​!I ​share a little bit about the 8 C's of Self ​a​nd Self-Leadership (like curiosity, compassion, confidence, and calm)​ and why naming and befriending your parts can be ​f​un and healing​!P​lus, I give you a couple of simple ways to start reassuring your nervous system​... from bedtime rituals to inner-child check-ins​, so you can move through the world with more self-awareness, tenderness, and love.KAREN KENNEY BIO:Karen Kenney is a writer, speaker, podcaster, certified spiritual mentor, and coach.She's known for her dynamic storytelling, her sense of humor, her Boston accent, and her no-bullshit approach to spirituality, self​-development, and transformational change work.Karen helps people to navigate this whole “being human” experience using a variety of practical tools, personal stories, and universal principles.She's been a yoga teacher for 25+ years, has been a Thai Yoga Massage practitioner since 2008.She's also a Gateless Writing Instructor, the creator of WRITE CLUB , and the host of The Karen Kenney Show podcast.She coaches clients individually in her 1-to-1 program: THE QUEST and in her HEART-TO-HEART DAYS using Voxer. She also leads a group program and community called THE NEST.CONNECT WITH KAREN:Website: http://karenkenney.com/Podcast: https://www.karenkenney.com/podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenkenneylive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenkenneylive/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarenKenney

Why is Rachel Imeinu buried on the road—outside Chevron, the resting place of the Avos and Imahos? And why is it specifically her weeping that brings Klal Yisrael home from exile?In this shiur, delivered at Kever Rachel to the campers of Sdei Chemed, we explore the story of Rachel Imeinu through the lens of Internal Family Systems—IFS.When pain feels too overwhelming or foreign to our essential self, we exile it. We then develop protective parts: anger protects us from feeling weak, ambition protects us from feeling like failures, and criticism protects us from confronting our own wounds. The inner exile mirrors the exile of Klal Yisrael.Rachel represents the compassionate presence that can meet the parts of ourselves we have pushed away. Her tears do not erase the pain. They create enough safety for us to feel it, reintegrate it, and return home.

Support the boys:PATREON - http://patreon.com/secondhandtherapypodMERCH - http://secondhandtherapypod.comPsychic Source: Go to our sponsor https://trypsychicsource.com/sht10 and use our code sht10 to try up to 40 minutes with an advisor for just $19.80. That is up to a $240 value!BetterHelp: If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/secondhandtherapy for a discount on your first month of therapy. #sponsoredIf you have questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are credentialed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation, here is an overview written by the YouTube creators behind the channel Cinema Therapy that goes into these topics: https://www.reddit.com/r/cinema_therapy/comments/1dpriql/addressing_the_betterhelp_concerns_headon_deep/Southern New Hampshire University: Go to https://snhu.edu/sht to explore over 200 degree programs and find your path forward. #sponsoredhttp://vasectomyfarms.com — A portion of all profits are donated to women's reproductive resources_____Can you ever truly let go of control?This week on Secondhand Therapy, Louie shares what surprised him most after trying camping for the first time in decades. Away from mirrors, screens, and the constant pace of everyday life, he discovers an unexpected sense of stillness that sparks a much deeper conversation.From there, Michael opens up about a major breakthrough in therapy around control, anxiety, perfectionism, and the exhausting need to predict every possible outcome. Together, they explore how hypervigilance, codependency, people-pleasing, and childhood survival strategies can turn everyday decisions into overwhelming mental battles—and what it takes to begin letting go.They also discuss Internal Family Systems (IFS), parts work, body image, self-consciousness, nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and why learning to tolerate uncertainty may be one of the hardest—and most healing—skills we can develop.If you've ever struggled with overthinking, anxiety, perfectionism, control issues, or feeling like your brain never stops planning for the worst, this episode is for you.BUSINESS INQUIRIES: business@shtpod.comFollow us here:http://instagram.com/secondhandtherapypodhttp://tiktok.com/@secondhandtherapypodContact us:secondhandtherapypod@gmail.com818-850-2448PO BOX 230595, Las Vegas, NV 89105Cover Art Design: Louie PaolettiTheme Music: Jamie FranksTopics: anxiety, control, overthinking, perfectionism, Internal Family Systems (IFS), parts work, codependency, people pleasing, nervous system healing, emotional healing, self-worth, mindfulness, camping, therapy, mental health podcast.

When your partner shuts down in the middle of a hard conversation, it's easy to read it as punishment — as coldness, stubbornness, or not caring. What if that's almost never what's actually happening?In this episode, Todd Creager — Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 35 years of experience — takes a closer look at stonewalling, one of the patterns John and Julie Gottman identified as a serious warning sign in relationships. Todd offers a different way to understand it, one rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the way protective parts of us learned to manage emotional danger long before our current relationship existed.He explains that stonewalling isn't cruelty. It's a manager — a protective part that decided somewhere along the way that silence was safer than speech. That part didn't develop in response to your spouse. It developed in response to what happened much earlier: a child who was dismissed when they spoke up, shamed when they were vulnerable, or simply never had anyone attuned enough to make expression feel safe.Todd walks through real examples from his practice, including the client who remembers being met with anger as a child for expressing a normal feeling — and the client who has no clear memories of meanness, only an absence of attunement. In both cases, the outcome was the same: the body learned to go quiet.The shift Todd describes — from "why are you doing this to me?" to "what does that part of you need so we can come back to each other?" — is where real repair begins. Not just of the current conflict, but of older wounds the relationship has quietly been carrying.If you or your partner stonewalls, this episode gives you a new framework for understanding what's actually happening, and a starting point for approaching it with less blame and more curiosity.Listen now — and if this work is resonating, visit toddcreager.com to learn more about individual and couples therapy, or explore his self-guided programs. If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who could benefit and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more couples who are ready to transform their lives.Check out my complete program "From Bickering & Escalating to Connecting & Loving" for more in-depth guidance: https://www.toddcreagertraining.com/loving-connecting-masterclassTodd Creager, LCSW, LMFTTodd is a sex expert and therapist in Huntington Beach.  He provides relationship coaching to couples throughout the world and in Orange County including Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Seal Beach and Long Beach.  (714) 848-2288.You can find more tips and resources from Todd Creager at:  https://toddcreager.com  HELPFUL LINKS:Get your FREE copy of Healing Infidelity From The Inside Out https://www.toddcreagertraining.com/heal-infidelity Secrets to a Sexy Marriage:  https://toddcreager.kartra.com/page/sexy-marriage-secrets7 Ways to Divorce Proof Your Marriage: https://toddcreager.kartra.com/page/optin-DPYMBe...

Why Do I Still Feel Stuck? Understanding the Hidden Barriers to Healing After Betrayal Episode Summary One of the most common questions betrayed partners ask is, "Why do I still feel stuck?" Despite reading books, attending therapy, participating in support groups, and listening to countless podcasts, many people feel like they aren't making the progress they expected. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Skinner and MaryAnn Michaelis explore why feeling "stuck" is often a normal part of the healing process rather than a sign of failure. They discuss how trauma symptoms, incomplete disclosure, unresolved questions, unrealistic expectations, and misplaced responsibility can all interfere with recovery. The conversation also highlights the difference between individual healing and relational healing, emphasizing that while a relationship may temporarily feel stuck, an individual does not have to remain there. Dr. Skinner and MaryAnn explain how healthy boundaries, differentiation, trauma-informed therapy, support groups, and compassionate communication create the conditions for lasting progress. Listeners will also learn why healing is a journey rather than an event, why comparing your progress to someone else's can be harmful, and how small intentional steps toward joy, self-awareness, and personal growth often become the turning points that move people forward. Whether you are the betrayed partner, the partner seeking recovery, or a clinician walking alongside couples, this episode offers practical guidance and hope for navigating one of the most discouraging stages of betrayal recovery. Key Takeaways Feeling stuck is often a normal part of betrayal trauma recovery. Healing is a journey, not a single event or milestone. Trauma symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, triggers, nightmares, and hypervigilance often improve gradually—not immediately. Full therapeutic disclosure often becomes a major turning point in healing. You cannot control another person's recovery or prevent someone else's relapse. Healthy boundaries focus on your response rather than controlling another person's behavior. Differentiation builds confidence by helping you act consistently with your own values. Trauma-informed therapies such as EMDR, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) can significantly assist healing. Support groups and trusted relationships provide essential stability when a partner cannot yet respond with empathy. Recovery grows through self-awareness, compassion, patience, and small daily steps rather than perfection. Resources To learn more about betrayal trauma recovery, relationship healing, and the Intimacy Repair Method (IRM), visit: Human Intimacy: https://www.humanintimacy.com Explore courses, assessments, podcasts, and additional recovery resources designed for individuals and couples rebuilding trust after betrayal. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may benefit from this conversation. Together we can help create healthier relationships built on honesty, compassion, and lasting intimacy.

In this deep psychological exploration of Parshas Matos, Rav Burg examines the request of Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven to stay on the other side of the Yarden through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS).Eretz Yisrael represents the inner space where a person comes into Self — where he stops being carried and begins to live with courage, responsibility, and purpose.Their request to remain on the other side of the Yarden was not simply about land or livestock. It was the voice of a protective part afraid to leave the familiar and enter a larger life of responsibility. Moshe Rabbeinu teaches them — and us — that our protective parts are not bad, but they are not meant to lead the system. They must learn to trust the Self, the Nefesh Elokis, and cross the Yarden with us.

Have you ever felt like you've done all the inner work... yet one fear refuses to leave? In this compassionate and eye-opening coaching session, Christine works with Ilaria, who has spent years in therapy, practicing breathwork, nervous system regulation, and inner child healing. Yet one fear continues to consume her: the overwhelming fear of losing her parents. As she approaches her mid-thirties and begins thinking about creating a life of her own—finding a partner, becoming more independent, and stepping into her future—the fear grows even stronger. Why? Because underneath the anxiety isn't simply a fear of loss. It's a younger part of her that believes worrying is the only way to protect the people she loves. Christine introduces Ilaria to the powerful framework of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Parts Work, helping her recognize that this fear isn't all of who she is—it's one protective part that's been trying to keep her safe since childhood. Together they explore acceptance, self-compassion, nervous system healing, and why sometimes the greatest breakthrough comes not from trying harder to fix ourselves, but from changing how we relate to the parts of us that are hurting. If you've ever felt trapped by anxiety, worried constantly about the people you love, or wondered why years of healing haven't made a particular fear disappear, this episode offers a deeply hopeful new perspective. Press play to discover how accepting your fear—rather than fighting it—may be the very thing that finally brings you peace. Consider / Ask Yourself Is there a fear you've been trying to eliminate for years without success? Do you constantly worry about losing the people you love? Have you confused your anxiety with your identity? Could one protective part of you be trying to keep you safe in the only way it knows how? Key Insights and A-Ha's Anxiety doesn't define you—it may simply be one protective part of your inner world. Healing isn't always about eliminating fear; sometimes it's about changing your relationship to it. Love and fear often become intertwined, making it difficult to experience one without the other. Parts Work (IFS) helps create compassion for protective patterns instead of fighting against them. Nothing truly heals through judgment—acceptance creates space for transformation. How to Deepen the Work Notice when fear shows up, and gently ask yourself, "Which part of me is speaking right now?" Practice separating your identity from your anxious thoughts: "This is a part of me, not all of me." Explore Parts Work or Internal Family Systems with a trained practitioner if this approach resonates. Allow yourself to fully experience love without assuming fear must always accompany it. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Featured Sponsor: Peluva Barefoot Shoes Christine shares why she loves Peluva, a minimalist five-toe shoe designed to strengthen the feet, encourage natural movement, and improve overall foot health. Use code CHRISTINE for 10% off your first pair. Visit: peluva.com Internal Family Systems (IFS) Christine recommends learning more about Parts Work (Internal Family Systems) and references her previous podcast conversation with Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS, along with his book: No Bad Parts These resources offer a deeper understanding of how protective parts shape our emotional lives and how compassion can create lasting healing. Social Media + Resources:  Christine Hassler — Take a Coaching Assessment Christine Hassler Podcasts Including Coaches Corner Christine on Facebook Expectation Hangover by Christine Hassler @ChristineHassler on Twitter @ChristineHassler on Instagram @SacredUnionCouples on Instagram Email: jill@christinehassler.com — For information on any of my services! Get on the waitlist to be coached on the show! Get on the list to be notified about the upcoming certification program for coaches!

This week's episode is a solo conversation tackling one of the most common, and most painful, themes that emerges after a traumatic birth: self-blame.If you've ever found yourself replaying your birth and thinking, "I should have spoken up," "I should have known something was wrong," or "My body failed my baby," this episode is for you. Kayleigh explores why these thoughts are such a common response to trauma, how our nervous systems use self-blame as a way to create a sense of safety and control, and why simply hearing "it's not your fault" often isn't enough to create lasting healing.Rather than trying to convince you to stop blaming yourself, this episode invites you to approach these thoughts with curiosity, compassion, and a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of trauma.In This Episode, We Discuss:

Why is asking for help so hard? In this episode, Heather is joined by somatic coach Hyo North to explore the stories of Elisha and two remarkable women in 2 Kings 4. Together they discuss trauma, the nervous system, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and how scripture reveals a compassionate Savior who meets us in our unmet needs. They explore why we often stay tied to old identities, why our nervous systems resist change, and how God invites us to receive support instead of carrying every burden alone. Through the lens of coaching and "Come, Follow Me", you'll discover that what feels like "being stuck" may actually be a protective response—and that healing begins with curiosity, compassion, and faith. If you've ever felt burned out, struggled to receive help, or wondered why spiritual growth sometimes feels uncomfortable, this conversation offers hope, practical insight, and a beautiful reminder that Christ is deeply aware of the mountains you're trying to move. For more information about Hyo and for links to access all she has to offer, please click HERE. View on YouTube, go HERE. For more information and available downloads, go to: https://ldslifecoaches.com/ All content is copyrighted to Heather Rackham and featured coaches. Do not use without permission.  

Have you ever felt like there is a war raging inside of you between conflicting feelings or desires? If so, this episode will empower you to lead your thoughts, emotions, and sexual attractions with compassion rather than condemnation through an exercise called "the table." You'll learn why the table—not just the cross—is the ultimate symbol of grace, belonging, and transformation. Grounded in both Christian theology and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, this exercise shifts your internal posture from hostility to hospitality. It can be life-changing!Keep in mind that most of this episode is a step-by-step guided audio meditation. So find a quiet, comfortable space to sit back, slow down, and welcome all parts of yourself into the healing presence of Jesus.IFS Resources mentioned in this episode:Boundaries For Your Soul: How To Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts And Feelings Into Your Greatest Allies by Alison Cook and Kimberly MillerMove Toward: A Simplified IFS Therapy Tool to Welcome All Parts of You by Jenna RiemersmaAltogether You: Experiencing Personal and Spiritual Transformation with Internal Family Systems Therapy by Jenna RiemersmaSupport the showTake the Husband Material Journey...Step 1: Listen to this podcast or watch on YouTubeStep 2: Join the private Husband Material CommunityStep 3: Take the free mini-course: How To Outgrow PornStep 4: Try the all-in-one program: Husband Material AcademyThanks for listening!

— In this profound and deeply heartfelt episode, Valeria sits down with Colleen Quinn to explore the sacred intersection of psychology, spirituality, breathwork, and soul awakening. Together, they dive into the transformational journey behind her upcoming book, Essence Merging — a raw and intimate exploration of trauma, healing, divine love, and the courage to return home to the authentic self. Through near-death experiences, conscious breathwork, mystical synchronicities, and emotional truth, Colleen shares how life's deepest wounds can become portals into awakening and radical self-love. Blending decades of clinical expertise with spiritual insight, this conversation invites listeners into a deeper understanding of what it means to heal not only the mind, but the soul itself. This episode is a powerful reminder that within every breakdown lies the possibility of transformation, and within every breath lives a pathway back to love. Valeria interviews Colleen Quinn — She is the author of  "Essence Merging." Colleen Quinn is a transpersonal psychologist with a child specialty along with certification in breathwork. The word psychology comes from the Greek meaning study of the soul. True healing always takes us into direct relationship with our own soul, bringing coherence to mind, body, and heart. This is Colleen's devotion, not only for herself, but for all. The most reliable way to converse with our own soul is through conscious, integrative breathwork. Colleen has taught psychology at The Ohio State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Columbus State Community College and was the dean at Hondros College.  Colleen has published research in many top-tier scientific journals, among them Emotion, Adolescent Psychology, and Residential Treatment for Children and Youth to name a few. In her private practice, spanning decades, Colleen used Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Both techniques use breathwork to find and feel our body's stored traumas, loving them to bring healing.  In 2018, Colleen had her second near-death experience, leading her to utter the plea, "let me be love in every moment." This was the catalyst for her spiritual awakening. Her profoundly intimate and raw transformation is chronicled in the upcoming book by Vanguard Press, Essence Merging, due out in April 2026. Colleen uses story to inspire others that there is so much more to life. Emotional truths are interwoven into an unconventional love story that connects us with Colleen and her breathwork partner as they follow the leadings of conscious breath into rediscovery of ancient tantric practices. SE and IFS come to life in her breathwork descent journeys. She weaves in pop culture, mystical synchronicities, psychology, and ancient traditions as she sheds her shame to in-spire others. This story is an invitation for readers to discover their own divine blueprint, and a guide to returning home to the sacred self.  To learn more about Colleen Quinn and her work, please visit: https://www.essencemerging.com/.

What if your relationship with food isn't about willpower… but about the parts of you that have learned to use food as protection, comfort, control, or survival? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kim Daniels, Clinical Psychologist, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and author of Heal Your Love-Hate Relationship with Food: An Intuitive Eating and Internal Family Systems Workbook, for a powerful conversation about healing our relationship with food by understanding the inner system driving our eating behaviors. Together, we explore how diet culture and societal messaging deeply shape our beliefs around food, body image, and worthiness — often creating polarized parts that keep us stuck in cycles of shame, restriction, emotional eating, and disconnection from our bodies. Dr. Kim shares what inspired her to write her new workbook and how combining IFS with intuitive eating offers a compassionate path toward true healing. We also dive into the critical role of Self-energy in helping us build trust with eating parts, why traditional approaches to food often overlook the emotional and protective functions behind our behaviors, and how parts work can help us move from a love-hate relationship with food into greater freedom, connection, and self-compassion. In This Episode We Explore: • Dr. Kim's inspiration behind writing Heal Your Love-Hate Relationship with Food • The impact of diet culture and societal messaging around food and body image • Understanding eating disorders through the lens of Internal Family Systems • How protective parts influence our eating behaviors and relationship with food • The role of Self-energy in healing food-related struggles • Why intuitive eating and parts work are powerful when integrated together • Moving beyond shame and toward healing your relationship with food About Dr. Kim Daniels Dr. Kim Daniels is a Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in Hartford, Connecticut. She is a Certified, Level 2 trained Internal Family Systems therapist, an approved clinical consultant, and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. Dr. Daniels is the author of Heal Your Love-Hate Relationship with Food: An Intuitive Eating and Internal Family Systems Workbook and host of the Emotional Eating (and Everything Else) Podcast. She specializes in working with clients struggling with food and body concerns and especially enjoys supporting fellow IFS therapists in their own personal and professional growth. Connect with Dr. Kim Daniels Website: https://www.drkimdaniels.com/ Book: https://www.newharbinger.com/9781648487286/heal-your-love-hate-relationship-with-food/ Podcast: https://www.drkimdaniels.com/podcast __________________________ Want to work with Natalie for Intuitive Parts Therapy or Spiritual Consultation? Contact her below Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/ Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact  Instagram: @nataliedeering _____________________________   Help Support the Podcast by Donating Here!    You can also support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review! 

When mom guilt takes over, it's hard to feel like the calm mama you want to be. In this episode, guest Jessica Tomich Sorci shares why moms feel bad about themselves, along with mindful parenting tools to break the cycle. Learn how self-compassion isn't selfish; it's the foundation for confident parenting and real emotional connection with your kids.You'll Learn:How to have a better relationship with yourself as a human, a woman, and a momWhat being an empty-nester looks like for me right nowWhat I like to say to myself when I'm feeling anxiousWays to love all the parts of you - even the challenging onesWhat surprised me about my Mom Parts assessmentJessica Tomich Sorci is a licensed marriage and family therapist, as well as a specialist in Internal Family Systems (IFS). Her focus is on maternal mental health. She's here today talking about her new book, When Good Moms Feel Bad: An Empowering Guide to Transforming Guilt, Anxiety and Anger Into Compassion, Confidence and Connectedness, which she wrote along with Rebecca Gushuri. ----------------------------------------Resources/Previous Episodes:Episode 183: Internal Family Systems (IFS, part 1)Episode 184: Finding Your SELF (IFS, part 2)Episode 185: Being What Your Kids Needs (IFS, part 3)Episode 197: Freedom From the Good Mom Myth with Dr. Angele CloseEpisode 198: Letting Go of Mom Shame with Dr. Angele CloseFree Resources:Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!In this free guide you'll discover:✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you've started (This one thing will get you calm.)✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit hereConnect With Darlynn:Book a complimentary session with DarlynnLearn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.comFollow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tipsRate and review the podcast on ItunesConnect with Jessica Tomich Sorci:Take the Mini Mom Parts quiz (and listen to the full podcast episode to hear Darlynn's results!)Get the book - When Good Moms Feel Bad: An Empowering Guide to Transforming Guilt, Anxiety and Anger Into Compassion, Confidence and ConnectednessFollow Jessica on IG @jessicatomichsorci Learn more on her website: https://www.jessicatomichsorci.com/for-moms

Did you know that you are one human made up of multiple personalities, or parts, that interact internally, much like people interact in the external world? This is what Internal Family Systems (IFS) teaches us. These parts are responsible for the bulk of your habits, so when you understand these parts or personalities better, you have the secret to understanding your habits.   This week, discover how your habits can be explained as thoughts, feelings, and actions that originate from distinct parts of yourself. I'm giving you an overview of IFS, and sharing a practical exercise that will help you notice and name the parts of yourself that contribute to your specific habits.   Get the full show notes and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/75   Join the Habits on Purpose newsletter for extra tools, prompts, and stories between episodes: https://habitsonpurpose.com/

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. GET THE SELF-LED PAUSE STARTER KIT AND 25 IFS MEDITATIONS FREE @ EXPLOREIFS.COMThe episode explores the concept of numbness in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, reframing it as a protective mechanism rather than a sign of disconnection. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and softening protectors, and encourages a gentle approach to working with numbness.TakeawaysNumbness is a protective mechanism, not a sign of disconnection.Softening protectors and approaching numbness with curiosity and gentleness can lead to healing.Chapters00:00 Creating a Sacred Space07:04 Softening Protectors

In New Book, Ph.D. Psychologist Asks How Tightly We Should Hold Any Belief—Whether Religious, Spiritual, or Personal—and Finds the Answer Is Less Than You Think What if the issue isn't what we believe, but how tightly we hold our beliefs? At a time when so many people are questioning inherited frameworks, exploring mindfulness or psychedelics, and looking for meaning outside rigid institutions, quantitative psychologist Joshua Pritikin, Ph.D., offers a thought-provoking perspective: that growth and insight may depend less on finding the “right” beliefs than on learning to relate to belief itself with more openness and flexibility. His new book Religion Unburdened by Belief: The Way of Open Inquiry explores how tightly held beliefs can shape identity, emotional reactions, and even our sense of reality — and how loosening that grip can create space for greater clarity, resilience, and personal transformation. Drawing from psychology, spirituality, and Internal Family Systems, he offers a framework for examining beliefs without discarding the search for meaning. Other points he can speak to include: 3 ways to adjust your beliefs for greater clarity, growth, and insight 5 rules for exploring consciousness safely Why we want AI to be conscious (and what it says about us) Tired of asking “what's true?” Stop fact-checking and do this instead. If this is of interest, I'd be glad to connect you with Joshua for an interview tailored to your audience. WHAT IF OUR PROBLEM ISN'T WHAT WE BELIEVE, BUT HOW FIRMLY WE BELIEVE IT? A New Book Asks How Tightly We Should Hold Any Belief—Whether Religious, Spiritual, or Personal—and Finds the Answer Is Less Than You Think Religion Unburdened by Belief: The Way of Open Inquiry, by Joshua Pritikin, Ph.D., Praised by Kirkus Reviews as “counterintuitive yet compelling” Releases June 15, 2026 There's increasing recognition that the beliefs we hold—about ourselves, what we're striving for, and even reality—may be quietly limiting how we think, feel, and grow. But while much has been said about what to believe or disbelieve, far less attention has been paid to a more fundamental question: how tightly should we hold any belief at all? Pritikin argues that a minimal set of beliefs is still needed—but only those that make exploration possible. In his new book Religion Unburdened by Belief: The Way of Open Inquiry, quantitative psychologist Joshua Pritikin, Ph.D., offers a provocative framework for doing exactly that. Drawing from psychology, philosophy, and the study of consciousness, Pritikin challenges a deeply ingrained assumption: that personal growth, insight, and meaning come from finding and holding onto the “right” ideas. Instead, he argues, transformation comes not from adopting the right beliefs, but from loosening our attachment to belief itself—and learning to navigate experience with disciplined, open inquiry. The result is a shift not just in what we think, but in how we relate to our thoughts, emotions, and sense of self. Beliefs held too tightly can narrow perception, reinforce identity, and amplify emotional reactions. But when approached with flexibility, they can be examined, tested, and even strategically adjusted—opening the door to new ways of thinking, feeling, and experiencing the world. The book introduces a structured yet accessible method for exploring this idea in practice. Borrowing from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Pritikin shows how different “parts” of the mind hold different beliefs—often as a way to protect us. By understanding and working with these parts, readers can begin to shift beliefs in a way that feels safe, intentional, and sustainable.

What if the part of you that wants to drink, use, or self-sabotage isn't the enemy — it's just trying to protect you the only way it knows how?In this episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery's outpatient center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with licensed professional counselor and IFS therapist Kristy Crabtree for a deep conversation on trauma, healing, and what it actually means to recover from the inside out.Kristy breaks down Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in plain language — explaining why we all have protective “parts,” why no part is bad (even the addictive ones), and how to work with your inner world instead of fighting it.In this episode, you'll learn:What IFS therapy is and why it works for addiction and traumaThe difference between a “manager” and a “firefighter” — and which one is driving your behaviorWhy your addictive urge has a positive intention (and how to redirect it)How trauma gets stored in the body and blocks spiritual growthA simple breathwork technique to regulate your nervous system right nowHow to begin healing the inner child without becoming overwhelmedKristy Crabtree is the founder of Inner Light Counseling in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and Sacred Revolution, a consciousness expansion practice. She is the author of Sacred Revolution and Reclaiming Eden, and host of the Transcendence Talks podcast.

What happens when you've tried every diet, every protocol, every workout... and you're still not feeling like yourself?In this special episode of The Transformation Show, Janell sits down with somatic practitioner Meggie Martin for a conversation about the healing journey that transformed her health, relationships, and ultimately the work she does today.After years of chronic stress, digestive issues, emotional eating, burnout, and feeling disconnected from her body, Meggie discovered that the missing piece wasn't another nutrition plan—it was learning how to work with her nervous system instead of against it.Together, Janell and Meggie explore:• Why your body communicates through sensation• The connection between chronic stress and physical symptoms• How emotional eating often becomes a nervous system coping strategy• Why nervous system healing isn't just about calming down• Internal Family Systems (IFS) and understanding the different "parts" of ourselves• How healing transformed Meggie's marriage, parenting, and relationship with herself• Why awareness—not perfection—is often the beginning of lasting changeIf you've been following the recent episodes of The Transformation Show, this conversation beautifully expands on the themes of nervous system regulation, somatic healing, and learning to trust your body's signals.Ready to experience this work for yourself?Join Janell and Meggie for Regulate Her, a one-day immersive women's nervous system retreat focused on helping you reconnect with your body and create a foundation of safety for healing.Learn more:https://www.thetransformationlife.com/regulate-herIf this episode resonated with you, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that healing isn't about trying harder—it begins by feeling safe enough to listen.As always...Have Faith & Take Action.

OCD isn’t just about managing symptoms—it’s about understanding the parts beneath them In the third and final part of our OCD series, expert Melissa Mose explores the complexities of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), discussing evidence-based treatments like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can complement traditional approaches. Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience, Melissa shares practical strategies for navigating OCD, while highlighting the roles of self-leadership, compassion, and understanding the different “parts” that influence thoughts, fears, and behaviors. “ERP has been shown to be the most effective treatment. Exposures help the brain rewire and learn resilience.” – Melissa Mose  Time Stamps for The Hidden Parts of OCD: ERP, IFS, and Self-Leadership with Melissa Mose (303) 00:12 Introduction to OCD and treatment 02:58 Understanding exposure and response prevention (ERP) 08:13 The role of the therapist in ERP 10:45 Integrating internal family systems (IFS) with ERP 13:30 The impact of shame in OCD 16:09 Differentiating reassurance from compulsions 36:25 Understanding exiled parts in therapy 40:58 Obsessive and compulsive parts: A closer look 43:38 Navigating the helicopter parent dynamic 47:40 Differentiating between anxiety and OCD 55:45 The connection between attachment and OCD About our Guest – Melissa Mose, LMFT Melissa Mose is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice in Los Angeles since 1995. She has specialized in the treatment of OCD and anxiety since 2011 and currently trains and supervises associates in her group practice. Melissa is also an Internal Family Systems therapist. She is Level 3 trained and Certified and an IFSI-approved clinical consultant. She has served on staff as a PA for multiple Level 1 and Level 2 experiential IFS trainings through the IFS Institute. Melissa's experience as the parent of a child with OCD led her to specialize in the treatment of individuals with anxiety and OCD as well as their families. She is a graduate of the IOCDF's general, pediatric and advanced Behavior Therapy Training Institutes (BTTI) as well as the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) program and Cognitive-behavioral Intervention for Tics training (CBIT). Her fifteen years of experience prior to that specialization provided a broad foundation of skills and approaches that infuse her integrative approach. With a background in family systems and mindfulness practices, she became driven to find more compassionate and accessible treatment for OCD. Melissa has developed an integrative approach that utilizes an IFS framework to provide evidence-based exposure therapy for OCD. She is an international speaker and educator on obsessive compulsive disorder and its treatment, and she is currently the president of the board of directors of OCD Southern California, an affiliate of the International OCD Foundation. In her role on the board of OCD SoCal advocates for individuals with OCD, hosts speakers' series, trainings, and one of largest virtual OCD conferences worldwide. It is her mission to raise awareness, improve early identification and greater treatment accessibility for individuals with OCD and their families. Resources for The Hidden Parts of OCD: ERP, IFS, and Self-Leadership with Melissa Mose (303) Melissa’s website – Resources & information IFS for OCD Clinician’s Guide – Melissa’s book – Internal Family Systems for OCD: A Clinician’s Guide  www.OCDSoCal.org – Melissa is president of OCD Southern California Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!   Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.       You are invited!  Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!!    Get your copy of Secure Relating here!! Please support our sponsors – they keep our podcast free and accessible to all!  A coffee alternative with 4 adaptogenic mushrooms and ayurvedic herbs. With only a fraction of caffeine as a cup of coffee, you get energy without the anxiety, jitters, or crash of coffee Go to mudwtr.com/tu to support the show and use code TU for 15% off

Feeling safe in a relationship isn't just about talking things through—it's about what happens deep within our bodies. When emotional wounds strike or betrayals occur, the impact is felt not only in the heart but in the nervous system, shifting how we experience and respond to our partners. Real healing goes beyond surface-level dialogue and requires us to understand how our physiological state shapes our sense of security, trust, and connection. In this episode, listeners are guided to rethink emotional safety as a whole-body experience. By unpacking the link between the nervous system and relationship repair, the discussion provides science-backed insights and actionable strategies to rebuild trust and connection after relational harm. Whether you're seeking healing after a rupture or tools for ongoing growth, this episode offers a fresh, embodied perspective on what it takes to create lasting emotional safety. Dr. Monique Thompson is a trauma-informed therapist, life coach, and best-selling author with over two decades of clinical experience. Her work integrates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Polyvagal-informed care, and principles of epigenetics to help individuals and couples heal trauma, rebuild trust, and create lasting emotional regulation and resilience.   Episode Highlights 03:56 Reflecting on healing through a car wreck metaphor. 09:09 Exploring Jill Bo Taylor's groundbreaking insights. 15:37 Exploring modern infidelity in relationships. 17:57 Exploring complex relationship dynamics and boundaries. 20:25 Addressing hidden relationship issues. 24:38 Exploring the hidden mental health benefits of walking. 28:35 Exploring color connections to mood during walks. 31:51 Reflecting on and expressing gratitude with loved ones. 36:12 Decoding therapy lingo and referral insights. 39:36 Navigating decisions with trauma awareness. 43:34 Navigating healing after childhood trauma. 48:58 Exploring stress and its hidden effects. 50:29 Exploring the concept of emotional hygiene. 53:32 Discovering unexpected insights from partners who cheated. 57:04 Exploring relationship growth resources.   Your Checklist of Actions to Take Pause and Breathe: Take a moment of pause with deep breaths to settle yourself and become present before addressing relationship issues. Self-Inquiry: Regularly check in with your deeper feelings and truths, beyond your immediate surface reactions, to get clarity on your emotional state. Take Ownership: If you've contributed to a rupture, take personal responsibility and reflect on the most obvious way you can begin repair, such as ending harmful behaviors. Prioritize Emotional Check-ins: After a rupture or betrayal, consistently check in emotionally with both yourself and your partner to stay aware of what you both need. Spend Time in Nature: Set aside at least 11 minutes outside, either walking or sitting, to help lower stress levels and support nervous system regulation. Engage in Movement: Use mindful walks of 30-45 minutes to process emotions and shift your physiological state toward calm and self-connection. Invite Supportive Companions: Bring to mind or reach out to someone who has supported you in the past, letting their positive influence help regulate your emotions. Seek Professional Guidance: If trauma or recurring ruptures persist, consult a trauma-informed therapist or coach, asking for specific referrals rather than relying on generic online searches.   Mentioned Infidelity Recovery Workbook for Couples (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book) My stroke of insight (TED) (video) Helen Fisher (website) Polyvagal Theory (website) Gottman Institute (website) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression 12 Relationship Principles to Strengthen Your Love (free guide)   Connect with Dr. Monique Thompson Website: doctormoniquethompson.com Facebook: facebook.com/MoniqueThompsonLPC YouTube: youtube.com/@mthompsonlpc Instagram: instagram.com/drmoniquethompson LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-monique-thompson-dha-lpc-lpc-s-a3066041  

Jessica Fern is an author and integrative therapist with over 25 years of experience supporting relational and personal transformation. Her work draws on conflict transformation, trauma therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic and narrative approaches, attachment theory, and spiritual and shamanic counseling traditions. She is the internationally recognized author of Polysecure, Polywise, and her newest book, Transforming the Shame Triangle. Through her private practice and teaching, Jessica works with individuals, couples, and multi-partner relationships to help them move beyond reactive patterns, cultural conditioning, insecure attachment, and unresolved trauma—supporting greater self-leadership, emotional resilience, and intimacy in life and love. Learn more at JessicaFern.com *BRANDITSCAN** **Protect Your Digital Presence** One of the best defenses against social media fraud, impersonation, and stolen content. Protect your name, likeness, and online presence today, and get your first month free when you sign up through my link: **Sign Up:** https://branditscan.com/?aff=marcelaalonso ### **PODCAST AFFILIATES** **SDC | The Lifestyle Community** Looking to explore the lifestyle, meet open-minded people, or learn more about non-monogamy? Join one of the largest lifestyle communities online. **Explore here:** https://www.sdc.com/signup.php?ref=37593 *Take control of your sexual wellness with private at-home testing kits. Convenient, easy, and informed health tracking. **Shop Kits:** https://prodxhealth.com/products/pro-13-home-collection-kit?variant=42594725298278&_ef_transaction_id=&oid=1&affid=123 **Mums Candy | Sweet Deliveries** Treat yourself to fun candy and treats delivered directly to your door. **Get Treats:** https://www.mumscandy.com?sca_ref=11159574.RUXJwCcADs0U8m ### **FOLLOW MARCELA** **Exclusive Content (OnlyFans)**  * **VIP Membership:** https://onlyfans.com/marcela_luv  * **Free Membership:** https://onlyfans.com/latinamilfnyc **Untamed in the City (Substack)** Deep dives and personal writing on lifestyle and culture. **Subscribe:** https://substack.com/@untamedinthecity*ProDx Health | Wellness From Home** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is jealousy making you feel out of control — or controlling? Before you try to talk yourself out of it, it's worth understanding what it's actually doing for you.In this solo episode, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Todd Creager takes an honest, compassionate look at jealousy — not as a character flaw or a red flag, but as a protective response rooted in older, unhealed pain. If your partner mentions a coworker and your chest tightens, or a liked photo on social media sends your mind into overdrive, this episode speaks directly to what's happening beneath that reaction.Drawing on Internal Family Systems (IFS) — a framework that recognizes we all carry different "parts" of ourselves — Todd explains that jealousy is rarely about the present moment. It's a protective part standing guard over a much older wound: the early learning that love can be taken away, that you can be made to feel unimportant, invisible, or replaced.Todd walks through two specific types of protective responses that show up when jealousy hits. The first is the manager — the part that watches, checks, scans for threats, reads texts over your partner's shoulder, and keeps a quiet inventory of who they spend time with. The second is the firefighter — the part that reacts, explodes, accuses, or shuts down just to stop an unbearable feeling. Both are trying to prevent pain, even when the behaviors are causing damage.The shift Todd offers isn't about pushing jealousy away. It's about bringing curiosity and compassion toward the part of you that's scared — so you can stop reacting from fear and start communicating from your whole, settled self. When you understand that jealousy's intent is always protective, you gain options you didn't have before. You stop being run by your past and create real space for a different kind of relationship.Whether you're the one struggling with jealousy or you're on the receiving end of a partner's reactions, this episode gives you a way to see it differently — and work with it rather than against it.If this resonates with you or someone you know, share this episode. Todd reads and responds to comments, and he'd love to hear from you. If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who could benefit and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more couples who are ready to transform their lives.Check out my complete program "From Bickering & Escalating to Connecting & Loving" for more in-depth guidance: https://www.toddcreagertraining.com/loving-connecting-masterclassTodd Creager, LCSW, LMFTTodd is a sex expert and therapist in Huntington Beach.  He provides relationship coaching to couples throughout the world and in Orange County including Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Seal Beach and Long Beach.  (714) 848-2288.You can find more tips and resources from Todd Creager at:  https://toddcreager.com  HELPFUL LINKS:Get your FREE copy of Healing Infidelity From The Inside Out https://www.toddcreagertraining.com/heal-infidelity Secrets to a Sexy Marriage:  https://toddcreager.kartra.com/page/sexy-marriage-secrets7 Ways to Divorce Proof Your Marriage: https://toddcreager.kartra.com/page/optin-DPYMBe...

Singer-songwriter and actor Will Young speaks with disarming honesty about surviving decades of trauma, hypervigilance, and the long shadow of shame. Following a breakdown during Cabaret, Will opens up about spending over ten years in a state of severe dissociation, describing it as living behind frosted glass, unable to recognize faces or feel joy.He also shares his profound path to healing through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, learning to befriend the frozen parts of his past rather than fight them. It's a powerful and reassuring look at how the core self can endure even the deepest pain, and how a simple daily act of kindness from a neighbor ultimately helped save his life.This episode covers the following themes: Trauma, Shame, Dissociation, Therapy, and Healing.Need Support?Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.orgNarcotics Anonymous: na.orgAlcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukMental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.ukShout: https: giveusashout.orgIAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/Better Help

My name is Molly Downs-Stoller and I'm a gay, Christian, Marriage and Family Therapist who lives in San Diego with my wonderful wife Sue and our dog Sir Andrew James.  I have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Point Loma Nazarene University and a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. I became a Christian in high school after going to a Southern Baptist youth group and I have been involved with conservative churches up until the day I met my wife. Meeting her totally rocked my world!  For years, I have heard preaching about homosexuality being a sin, however I found myself in love with a woman, and one who loves God. I didn't understand how our amazing love for each other could have been a sin.  Wow…I was completely wrong all of those years and I know without a doubt that God not only loves me but will never leave me. The journey that we walk as LGBTQIA Christians can be a difficult one, however it doesn't have to be a lonely one. I ended up losing my church, my best friend and my goddaughter, however I have never been happier or felt as free as I do now. I needed supportive/affirming friends and an affirming therapist to help me get to the other side of my loss and confusion and now I have the chance to walk alongside others. I have worked in the mental health field for over 15 years and have seen the healing power of faith and therapy.  I became a therapist so I could join others in the difficult stories and experiences in their lives and finding clarity and freedom in those places.  I have extensive experience working with depression, anxiety, trauma and crisis intervention. I am also Level 2 trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS), as well as EMDR. I am so truly blessed to be able to help people sort through what they believe in, how they see God, how they see themselves, and how God sees them.   So let's do this together! Molly's Previous Appearance on GAY with GOD! Connect with Molly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queerlesbiantherapist/   Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lesbiantherapist   Website: https://www.thechristiancloset.com/therapists/2022/2/2/molly-downs-stoller

Do you go blank, get quiet, or feel like you've completely left your body the moment conflict shows up in your relationship? There's a reason that happens — and it has nothing to do with not caring.In this solo episode, Todd digs into one of the most misunderstood patterns in long-term relationships: shutting down during conflict. Whether you go still and silent or reach for your phone, the fridge, or anything else to escape the moment, Todd explains what's actually driving that response — and why blaming yourself or your partner for it keeps you stuck.Drawing from his 30+ years working with couples, Todd breaks down how our earliest experiences with conflict — loud households, being shamed for speaking up, or learning that staying quiet was simply safer — wire a protective part of us that can still show up decades later, even when our partner isn't actually a threat.Todd introduces two key protective patterns from Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy: the manager, who tries to smooth things over and avoid making things worse, and the firefighter, who numbs you out or pulls you into distraction the second things get too intense. Both are doing the same job — shielding a younger, wounded part of you that once learned that conflict meant something bad was about to happen.The good news? Once you can recognize these protective parts with curiosity instead of frustration, you can start showing up in conflict as yourself — calm, present, and actually able to stay in the room.Todd shares a real client story that illustrates how deep this goes, and walks you through what it looks and feels like to begin separating yourself from the part that hijacks you — so you can respond from a place of clarity instead of running on autopilot.If you've ever wondered why you or your partner shuts down, this episode gives you a grounded, honest look at what's happening beneath the surface — and what you can start doing differently.Listen in and take that first step toward showing up more fully in your relationship. If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who could benefit and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more couples who are ready to transform their lives.Check out my complete program "From Bickering & Escalating to Connecting & Loving" for more in-depth guidance: https://www.toddcreagertraining.com/loving-connecting-masterclassTodd Creager, LCSW, LMFTTodd is a sex expert and therapist in Huntington Beach.  He provides relationship coaching to couples throughout the world and in Orange County including Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Seal Beach and Long Beach.  (714) 848-2288.You can find more tips and resources from Todd Creager at:  https://toddcreager.com  HELPFUL LINKS:Get your FREE copy of Healing Infidelity From The Inside Out https://www.toddcreagertraining.com/heal-infidelity Secrets to a Sexy Marriage:  https://toddcreager.kartra.com/page/sexy-marriage-secrets7 Ways to Divorce Proof Your Marriage: https://toddcreager.kartra.com/page/optin-DPYMBe...

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. You've hit the milestones. You've built the career, shown up for your kids, and done everything right. So why does it still feel like you're not enough? If you're a high-achieving mom who looks successful on paper but feels empty, restless, or like you're always chasing the next thing — this episode is for you. And the answer isn't doing more. It's understanding what's actually driving your ambition in the first place. Brooke Taylor is a career coach, speaker, and former marketing lead at Google, where she worked with some of the highest-performing teams in the world. After running a study of over 5,000 women, she discovered that burnout, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome weren't the real problem — they were all symptoms of something deeper she calls the success wound. What you'll learn: What the success wound is — and why it's the real reason no matter how much you achieve, it never feels like enough The early childhood experience that teaches high-achieving girls to tie love and belonging to performance The five archetypes of the success wound — and how to spot which one is driving your behavior The difference between ambition plugged into your success wound versus ambition plugged into your true self Why confidence is contextual and will always let you down — and what to build instead What high-achieving moms are unintentionally modeling to their kids about self-worth and achievement Why rewarding effort is good but rewarding resilience is the next level — and what that looks like in practice The three daily practices that build self-worth like deposits in a bank account Why making decisions when you're only 51% sure is actually the key to trusting yourself Why certainty is a career killer — and what to do instead "You don't rise to the level of your confidence. You fall to the level of your self-worth. Which is why you can be confident at work, have a big failure, and have your confidence crumble completely." Resources mentioned: Healing the Success Wound by Brooke Taylor — brooketaylorcoaching.com/book Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy — the framework behind the "true self" concept discussed in this episode The Four Cs framework from Dr. Benjamin Hardy — commitment, courage, competence, and confidence (you only need the first two to start) Connect with Brooke: Website: brooketaylorcoaching.com Instagram: @brookevtaylor Remember: the best mom is a happy mom. Take care of you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a text message if you have a question you want answered on the podcast.As an LDS therapist, one of the most common things I hear from women is, "I feel torn inside." There' is a part of you that wants to be calm and faithful, and another part that's anxious, or exhausted, or just done. Both can be true on the same day. That's not hypocrisy. That's being human.In this episode, I sit down with JoAnna Bethea, an Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor and the very first therapist to join me at Aligned Counseling. JoAnna walks us through Internal Family Systems, the modality she uses with her clients, and shows how it weaves beautifully with the gospel and with the Mind Body Bridging work I already teach. She shares her own story of a four day anxiety attack the week her youngest son finished his last high school sport, and how that hard season led her into the most freeing work she's ever done.If you've ever felt torn in two, this one is for you._______________________________Get to know our guest:JoAnna Bethea is an Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor at Aligned Counseling Utah. She specializes in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and weaves it together with Mind Body Bridging and the gospel of Jesus Christ to help LDS women heal from anxiety, perfectionism, people pleasing, and the quiet identity loss that often shows up in motherhood and empty nesting. She is also the heart behind a brand new Instagram account, Teaching Them To Fly, for moms walking their kids (and themselves) into the next chapter.If you're in Utah and what JoAnna shared today felt like a light bulb moment for you, she's currently taking new clients at Aligned Counseling Utah. Website: AlignedCounselingUtah.comInstagram: @teachingthemtofly_______________________________Stick around for more Mental Health support & resources: 

David Hoffman joins me to talk about his most recent book, The Art of Impasse-Breaking in Mediation.  David is well known in the conflict resolution field and the recipient of numerous well-deserved honors and awards.  David takes us through the concept of impasse in mediation, an introduction to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, and insights on how we can recognize and more effectively deal with unconscious bias. You can learn more about David's work at the Boston Law Collaborative website:https://blc.law/ If you click on his profile page, you will learn about David and find information on his books, articles, and other resources.  Do you have comments or suggestions about a topic or guest? An idea or question about conflict management or conflict resolution? Let me know at jb@dovetailresolutions.com! And you can learn more about me and my work as a mediator and a Certified CINERGY® Conflict Coach at www.dovetailresolutions.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/janebeddall/. Enjoy the show for free on your favorite podcast app or on the podcast website: https://craftingsolutionstoconflict.com/    

Send us Fan MailThis episode is a companion audio diary to my interview with Ted Riskin, recorded while participating in one of his five-day Internal Family Systems (IFS) ketamine-assisted group retreats in Asheville, North Carolina. Over the course of the retreat, I recorded stream-of-consciousness reflections into my iPhone each day as I moved through group process, ketamine journeys, hikes in the mountains, and conversations about healing, anger, meaning, and inner balance.This episode is more personal and less structured than my usual interviews. Part field journal, part psychological exploration, it captures what it feels like to enter one of these increasingly popular healing environments.Timestamps0:00 - Audio Diary Retreat Setup1:55 - Meeting The Group And The Method4:19 - Setting Intentions For Inner Balance5:16 - First Ketamine Journey And Comeback10:32 - Integration Plus Hikes And Workday13:14 - Anger Work And Nature Reset15:14 - Lower Dose Insights And Next StepsSubscribe to the Developing Meaning Substack newsletter: Developing Meaning SubstackDeveloping Meaning is NOT MEDICAL ADVICE and is NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY INSTITUTIONS.Theme music by The Thrashing Skumz. Developing Meaning is produced by Consilient Mind LLC.

What if the anxiety, overthinking, people pleasing, emotional shutdown, hypervigilance, burnout, and relationship struggles you experience today… were never actually "you" to begin with? In this deeply personal and profoundly eye-opening solo episode, Darin Olien dives into the hidden nervous system programming formed between the ages of 0 and 8 that silently shapes our adult lives. Drawing from neuroscience, trauma research, attachment theory, epigenetics, somatic healing, and his own emotional breakthroughs, Darin explores how childhood experiences become subconscious operating systems that influence everything from relationships and stress responses to chronic disease and self-worth. This episode is a powerful roadmap toward healing. Darin breaks down the science behind trauma, the ACE study, nervous system dysregulation, emotional patterning, and neuroplasticity, while also sharing practical tools like somatic experiencing, expressive writing, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems to help listeners begin rewiring their emotional lives from the inside out. What You'll Learn How childhood experiences program the nervous system Why most adult emotional reactions are subconscious survival patterns The connection between trauma, stress hormones, and chronic disease How the nervous system stores emotional experiences in the body Why people pleasing, hypervigilance, burnout, and emotional shutdown develop The science behind neuroplasticity and rewiring the brain What the ACE Study revealed about childhood trauma and adult health How trauma impacts the amygdala, hippocampus, and stress-response systems Why emotional patterns are adaptations, not character flaws How epigenetics can pass trauma responses across generations The role of somatic experiencing in trauma healing Practical tools for emotional regulation and nervous system repair Chapters 00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife 00:00:32 – Sponsor: Bite Toothpaste and eliminating toxic plastic exposure 00:02:47 – Darin introduces emotional reactions and nervous system triggers 00:03:15 – A personal story about reacting vs responding in conflict 00:03:50 – Emotional shutdowns, rage, withdrawal, people pleasing, and overcorrection 00:04:19 – Darin's physical pain journey and emotional discoveries in 2025 00:04:42 – Birth trauma, childhood conditioning, and nervous system programming 00:05:04 – Why the ages of 0–8 are the most neurologically influential years 00:05:18 – Theta and delta brainwave states during childhood 00:05:55 – How children absorb emotional patterns without filters 00:06:22 – Childhood experiences becoming subconscious operating systems 00:06:44 – Adults unknowingly living through a 5-year-old nervous system 00:07:12 – Why this episode became deeply personal for Darin 00:07:35 – The neuroscience behind stress responses and emotional conditioning 00:08:17 – Brain development, neuroplasticity, and subconscious programming 00:09:13 – How the HPA axis, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex are shaped early in life 00:09:45 – Core childhood questions that program the nervous system 00:10:29 – Why adult stress responses originate in childhood environments 00:11:05 – Research showing childhood adversity alters brain structure and chemistry 00:11:18 – The ACE Study explained 00:11:49 – Why patients losing weight became emotionally overwhelmed 00:12:18 – The ten categories of adverse childhood experiences 00:13:02 – "The health crisis of America begins in childhood" 00:13:36 – How adverse childhood experiences increase disease risk 00:14:03 – Suicide, alcoholism, autoimmune disease, depression, and trauma correlations 00:14:37 – Chronic disease as a nervous system issue 00:15:04 – Survival mode, inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and emotional scarcity 00:15:42 – Self-sabotage and emotional coping patterns explained 00:16:02 – Why your emotional patterns are not character flaws 00:16:22 – Childhood survival adaptations and nervous system intelligence 00:16:52 – Hypervigilance, people pleasing, rage, emotional shutdown, and fear 00:17:05 – Sponsor: Manna Vitality and frequency-based wellness 00:18:59 – Epigenetics and inherited trauma responses 00:19:22 – Cortisol regulation genes and hyperactive stress responses 00:19:51 – Holocaust survivors, inherited trauma, and generational nervous systems 00:20:19 – Why healing requires nervous system awareness—not just intellectual understanding 00:20:45 – "You were never supposed to get over it—you were supposed to heal from it" 00:21:01 – Real-life examples of subconscious nervous system programming 00:21:16 – Why receiving compliments can feel unsafe 00:21:30 – Darin's personal struggle with overachievement and scarcity programming 00:22:03 – Emotional neglect, chronic striving, and feeling "not enough" 00:22:16 – The nervous system roots of burnout and exhaustion 00:22:23 – Hair-trigger emotional reactions and hyperactive amygdala responses 00:22:38 – Chronic self-abandonment and losing personal boundaries 00:22:52 – Fear of intimacy, trust issues, and emotional safety 00:23:02 – "The body keeps the score" explained 00:23:22 – Trauma stored in posture, breath, digestion, immunity, and emotional regulation 00:23:43 – Harvard research on trauma-related brain changes 00:24:19 – The radical power of neuroplasticity and nervous system rewiring 00:24:48 – Why healing requires conscious participation 00:25:01 – Darin shares how healing changed decades of emotional pain 00:25:33 – Somatic Experiencing and Peter Levine's trauma work 00:25:57 – How animals discharge stress naturally 00:26:23 – Trauma as incomplete physiological responses frozen in the body 00:26:42 – Why humans suppress emotional discharge 00:27:16 – PTSD research and the effectiveness of somatic experiencing 00:27:41 – A step-by-step somatic grounding practice 00:28:14 – Why healing is more powerful with a regulated person beside you 00:28:38 – EMDR and reprocessing traumatic experiences 00:28:55 – Internal Family Systems and the "parts" inside the psyche 00:29:13 – Inner critics, overachievers, and nervous system adaptations 00:29:39 – Compassionately listening to emotional parts instead of suppressing them 00:29:51 – Expressive writing as a trauma healing practice 00:30:22 – The neuroscience behind emotional journaling 00:30:48 – A four-day expressive writing protocol for healing 00:31:05 – "You are not broken" 00:31:16 – Reprogramming the nervous system through love and safety 00:31:37 – Why deep healing happens in the presence of another regulated person 00:31:52 – Darin considers creating a future healing workshop 00:32:04 – Final reflections: "You are not what happened to you" 00:32:12 – Peace. Love. SuperLife. Thank You to Our Sponsors Bite Toothpaste: Go to trybite.com/DARIN20 or use code DARIN20 for 20% off your first order Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order. Join the SuperLife Patreon: This is where Darin now shares the deeper work: - weekly voice notes - ingredient trackers - wellness challenges - extended conversations - community accountability - sovereignty practices Join now for only $7.49/month at https://patreon.com/darinolien     Connect with Darin Olien: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences Platform & Products: superlife.com New Show: Roadmap to Happiness Key Takeaway "The emotional patterns, fears, reactions, and coping mechanisms that run your adult life are often survival adaptations created by your nervous system during childhood. They are not your identity. They are not permanent. And through awareness, somatic healing, emotional processing, nervous system regulation, and conscious repetition, those deeply rooted patterns can be rewritten into something healthier, freer, and more aligned with who you truly are." Bibliography/Sources Neuroscience & Early Programming Agorastos, A., Pervanidou, P., Chrousos, G. P., & Baker, D. G. (2019). Developmental trajectories of early life stress and trauma: A narrative review on neurobiological aspects beyond stress system dysregulation. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, Article 118. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00118 Bolton, J. L., Short, A. K., Simeone, K. A., Daglian, J., & Baram, T. Z. (2019). Programming of stress-sensitive neurons and circuits by early-life experiences. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 13, Article 30. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00030 Shonkoff, J. P., & Boyce, W. T. (2024). Toxic stress and developmental programming of the HPA axis. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology. https://www.annualreviews.org/journal/devpsych Teicher, M. H., & Ohashi, K. (2023). Childhood trauma and reduced hippocampal, anterior cingulate, and corpus callosum volumes. JAMA Psychiatry. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking / Penguin. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313183/the-body-keeps-the-score-by-bessel-van-der-kolk-md/ ACE Study & Adverse Childhood Experiences Felitti, V. J. (2002). The relation between adverse childhood experiences and adult health: Turning gold into lead. The Permanente Journal, 6(1), 44–47. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6112216/ Felitti, V. J., & Anda, R. F. (2010). The relationship of adverse childhood experiences to adult health, well-being, social function, and healthcare. In R. Lanius, E. Vermetten, & C. Pain (Eds.), The impact of early life trauma on health and disease (pp. 77–87). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511777042 Hillis, S., Mercy, J., Amobi, A., & Kress, H. (2023). Economic burden of health conditions associated with adverse childhood experiences among U.S. adults. JAMA Network Open, 6(12). https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen Liu, Y., Croft, J. B., Chapman, D. P., et al. (2013). Associations between adverse childhood experiences and health outcomes in adults aged 18–59 years. PLOS ONE, 8(3), e58625. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0058625 Epigenetics & Trauma Baratta, M. V., et al. (2021). Epigenetics of childhood trauma: Long term sequelae and potential for treatment. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 132, 1049–1063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.043 Jiang, S., Postovit, L., Cattaneo, A., Binder, E. B., & Aitchison, K. J. (2019). Epigenetic modifications in stress response genes associated with childhood trauma. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, Article 808. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00808 Provençal, N., & Binder, E. B. (2015). The effects of early life stress on the epigenome: From the womb to adulthood and even before. Experimental Neurology, 268, 10–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2014.12.001 Healing Modalities — Research Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., et al. (2017). Somatic experiencing for posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled outcome study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 304–312. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22189 Fratarolli, J. (2006). Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 823–865. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823 Gilbert, P. (2009). The compassionate mind: A new approach to life's challenges. New Harbinger Publications. https://www.newharbinger.com/9781572248403/the-compassionate-mind/ Justice Resource Institute. (2022). Evaluation of the efficacy of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for trauma-related symptoms among complexly traumatized adults. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05155930. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05155930 Kuhfuß, M., Maldei, T., Hetmanek, A., & Baumann, N. (2021). Somatic experiencing — effectiveness and key factors of a body-oriented trauma therapy. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 12(1), Article 1929023. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1929023 Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books. https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/shop/in-an-unspoken-voice/ Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(1), 28–44. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21923 Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1997.tb00403.x Rodenburg, R., Benjamin, A., de Roos, C., Meijer, A. M., & Stams, G. J. (2009). Efficacy of EMDR in children: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(7), 599–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.06.008 Schwartz, R. C. (2021). No bad parts: Healing trauma and restoring wholeness with the Internal Family Systems model. Sounds True. https://www.soundstrue.com/products/no-bad-parts Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press. https://www.guilford.com/books/Eye-Movement-Desensitization-and-Reprocessing/Francine-Shapiro/9781462532766  

What if a faith crisis isn't the end of belief — but the beginning of spiritual transformation?In this profound conversation, Megan Farner sits down with Tucker Boyle, founder of Harmony Road Retreats and former LDS Seminary teacher, to explore faith deconstruction, nervous system regulation, meditation, spiritual awakening, and the deeper path of inner harmony. Tucker shares his deeply personal story of questioning long-held beliefs while pursuing a PhD focused on Joseph Smith, and how that painful process ultimately opened the door to spiritual rebirth, embodied faith, and direct experiences with God.00:00 – Introduction  02:23 – Tucker's Faith Journey 09:49 – Mystical experiences, divine love & inner peace 12:00 – Meditation, harmony & healing 13:10 – Why faith crises can become spiritual rebirths 15:04 – Fear, doubt, and inherited religious conditioning 17:38 – Stages of faith 20:10 – Suffering, transformation & the gift inside discomfort 22:50 – “Christ at the edge of the map”  25:47 – Triggers, repentance & emotional healing 28:06 – How to navigate a faith crisis in a healthy way 32:00 – The Nervous System's Role in Faith Expansion 41:11 – Panic attacks, conditioning & Internal Family Systems (IFS) 44:17 – “You are not your thoughts” and witnessing consciousness 46:31 – Meditation & grounding practices for nervous system regulation 51:05 – Guided embodiment exercise for processing emotional triggers 55:53 – Healing through awareness, curiosity & surrender 58:05 – Descending before ascending: spiritual death and rebirth 01:00:34 – Final reflectionsTucker Boyle is a former LDS Seminary and Institute teacher with more than two decades of experience teaching Christian scripture and supporting spiritual development. He is the founder of Harmony Road Retreats, a nonprofit organization that creates compassionate spaces for individuals navigating faith shifts, spiritual awakening, and personal transformation. Through meditation, retreat experiences, nervous system regulation practices, and community dialogue, Tucker helps people move through faith crisis toward greater inner harmony, spiritual maturity, and embodied connection with God. He lives in Utah with his wife Katie and their five children. Harmony Road Retreats: https://harmonyroadretreats.comResources & References Thomas McConkie — Navigating Mormon Faith Crisis David Ostler — Bridges Eckhart Tolle — The Power of Now Richard Schwartz — No Bad Parts Richard Schwartz — You Are the One You've Been Waiting ForAll Together You (Christian IFS resource mentioned in discussion)  If you're ready to move from understanding into lived experience, join me for Parting the Veil Women's Retreat this June near Paragonah. Hidden Wisdom initiates truth-seekers into the Mysteries, guiding listeners toward a lived experience of the Divine that awakens and transforms faith—without dismantling family or community. Pursue your Journey: ✨ Hidden Wisdom App – Join for FREE and enjoy pathway programs, community, expansive library, and more!

Sex can feel complicated when our parts get involved Patricia Rich introduces the concept of self-led sexuality — approaching sexuality from curiosity, compassion, and connection rather than fear or conditioning. She explains how understanding our internal “parts” can help individuals navigate conflicting desires, deepen consent, and create greater safety within themselves and their relationships. Explore the complexities of sexuality, emphasizing the importance of self-led sexuality and the integration of Internal Family Systems (IFS) in sexual therapy. The conversation also examines the broader cultural forces that influence sexuality, including capitalism, gender expectations, and the silence many therapists themselves experience around sexual topics. Grounded in both clinical insight and humanity, this episode offers a refreshing framework for understanding sexuality as a space for healing, embodiment, and authentic connection. “Listening to our desires doesn’t mean we have to act on them all. Simply acknowledging the parts of ourselves who hold those desires and validating their longings can bring inner connection and vitality.” – Patricia Rich, LCSW CST-S Time Stamps for Bonus – Self-Led Sexuality: Reclaiming Intimacy Through IFS with Patricia Rich, LCSW CST-S (299) 01:51 The challenges of discussing sexuality 07:53 Integrating IFS into sexual therapy 13:39 The positive intentions of our parts 22:17 Self-led sexuality: Leading from within 28:01 Therapists’ relationship with sexuality 35:51 The six S’s of sexual self-energy 40:28 Creating Safety in Sexual Conversations 45:03 Exploring sensuality and its barriers 01:01:10 Exploring exiled parts and performance pressure 01:05:07 The concept of internal consent 01:11:36 Cultural influences on sexuality and self-perception About our Guest – Patricia Rich, LCSW, CST-S (She/Her) Patricia Rich, LCSW, CST-S (she/her) is an IFS Institute Certified Level 3 IFS Therapist and Approved Consultant and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor. She has developed a unique integrative model for Self-Led Sexuality to help people findmore ease, joy, and confidence in the bedroom and beyond. She has originated IFS- informed concepts such as Internal Consent and The Six S's of Sexual Self-Energy. Patty has presented at the IFS Annual Conference, taught a module for the IFS Institute Online Continuity program, led workshops internationally, and authored a chapter in Altogether Us: Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities and Trends. She offers training and consultation to professionals and loves helping people to BeHold and Lead their Internal Sexual Systems (BLISS)TM. She hosts “Self-Led in Bed: An IFS & Sexuality Podcast” and lives in the Philadelphia area where she also has a private practice. You can get her free guide to The Six S's and learn more about her offerings at www.patriciarich.com or follow her on Instagram @patriciarichconsulting. Resources for Bonus – Self-Led Sexuality: Reclaiming Intimacy Through IFS with Patricia Rich, LCSW CST-S (299) Self-Led in Bed: An IFS & Sexuality Podcast – Patricia’s podcast Patricia’s website – Information & resources IFS Integration: A Comprehensive Guide to Applying Internal Family Systems Across Modalities, Populations, and Clinical Presentations – Check out Patricia’s chapter in this book Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!   Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.    

Why do the habits and reactions you most want to change often feel so difficult to shift? In this episode, I wrap up the Internal Family Systems (IFS) series by exploring how to move beyond simply noticing your inner parts and begin building a more intentional relationship with them. Understanding your parts is important, but real transformation happens when you start to work with them rather than against them.           You'll learn why trying to silence, banish, or overpower difficult parts of yourself often backfires, and why befriending them can create deeper and more sustainable change. You'll also discover practical ways to start connecting with your parts through reflection, inquiry, and supportive internal dialogue. By learning what your parts fear, need, and protect, you can begin leading your internal system more effectively and create meaningful shifts in how you think, feel, and behave.                  Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/222           Join the Habits on Purpose newsletter for extra tools, prompts, and stories between episodes: https://habitsonpurpose.com/

“I want to offer you a perspective shift when it comes to your inner a-hole voice. What if that voice and even your struggles with food are not actually the problem? What if they are trying to help you?”What if your inner critic isn't the enemy, but a protective part of you? In this episode, I'm joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Jeanne Catanzaro to explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help you understand the different “parts” driving your thoughts and behaviors around food. We unpack why dieting can feel safe even when it's not serving you, and how to replace self-criticism with curiosity and compassion so you can break free from old cycles and build a healthier, more supportive relationship with yourself.What You'll Learn:Where your inner critic really comes from, and why it's so loud about food and bodyWhy dieting and controlling food can serve as coping mechanisms (and what they're trying to protect you from)How the tug of war between food freedom and restriction happens inside, and why it actually makes senseSteps to start responding to your inner critic with curiosity and compassion rather than shameWhat it means (and looks like) to approach your relationship with food differently, so you can finally break the cycleResources:Jeanne's book, Unburdened Eating: An Internal Family Systems Approach to Healing Your Relationships with Food and Your BodyJeanne's WebsiteIFS InstituteEpisode 220, How Tracking Macros Turned Toxic for Jamie (and the food freedom she finally found!)Grab the Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale and take your next step toward building trust with your body and food.Connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel.Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?You don't have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we're covered in your state and learn how to get started.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Heather Smith, founder of The Moxie School and a certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, about the intersection of parts work and psychedelic healing. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-354/?ref=278  Heather explains how IFS offers a practical framework for working with what arises during psychedelic experiences. She describes IFS as an approach that helps people stay present with different parts of themselves, especially when difficult or unexpected material comes up. The conversation explores how psychedelic experiences can bring awareness to underlying patterns and past experiences, and why that awareness on its own often doesn't lead to lasting change. They also discuss common misconceptions about combining IFS with psychedelics, the role of preparation and integration, and how working directly with parts supports more stable change over time. Highlights: Misconceptions about IFS in psychedelic work IFS as a mindset, not a method How psychedelics reveal internal parts Why insight alone isn't enough The unburdening process in healing Working with fear and difficult experiences Preparation and integration as core skills Practitioner integrity and embodied practice Heather Smith is a visionary in the field of psychedelic healing, blending Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy with expanded states of consciousness to catalyze deep transformation. A Certified IFS therapist, she has completed Levels 1–3 of training and served as a Program Assistant multiple times. She is the founder of The Moxie School®, where she trains psychedelic facilitators in IFS-informed approaches and supports both personal and professional development through immersive training and retreat experiences. Episode Links: The Moxie School How to Journey: An IFS Field Guide to Psychedelic Journeys Episode Sponsors: The Microdosing Practitioner Certification at Psychedelic Coaching Institute. The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave's Psychedelic Coaching Institute. Golden Rule - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization. Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can't and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn't responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.