Internal Family Systems IFS is one of the fastest growing psychotherapy models worldwide today. Richard Schwartz developed the model, with the aid of his clients over 30 years ago. Dr Schwartz was originally a Family Systems Therapist and he developed the IFS model from this background.

Availability

• I have spaces for new clients recently opened up on a – Tuesday afternoon and evening and I am also adding Wednesdays to my working week, starting September.
• I will update my availabilty here on a regular basis.

A brief intro.

• My name is Maggie and I offer IFS therapy and energy healing. I work online and I am based in Scotland,UK.
• I offer you a warm welcome to my website and if anything here, resonates with you, please don’t hesitate to be in touch by text or email.
• I am passionate about helping people on their healing journey, to help them become the best version of themselves in current time and space.

I believe this is possible using IFS therapy.

Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems is a safe, gentle way to work. It is guided by the client and their inner system or parts.

IFS in my experience is an experiential way to work, All IFS sessions will be unique to the the client and the therapist, as each of us is unique and bring our own way of working. However, they, will also share some common elements or attributes.

IFS allows us to get to know our parts, in a safe and gentle manner and further allows exploration of our internal system, by helping us discover and differentiate our different parts and their individual roles. Then, when the time is right, to enable parts to unburden past roles or beliefs. After which parts are invited to bring in new and different energies or qualities that better serve you and your internal system going forward.

All of the above is enabled and enhanced by Self energy. Self is what was missing when the original trauma/upset occured and parts then took on their indivdual roles to protect and manage the inner system and upset/trauma that occured.

It’s not a quick fix or a miracle cure, but it is in my opinion both magical and mystical.

Internal Family Systems is now the main model of Counselling/Psychotherapy I offer as both personally and professionally I have experienced profound results with it.

Qualifications

I have completed Level 1 & Level 2 IFS training, between 2018- 2020. I plan to take a Level 3 training as soon as an in person training becomes available again.

I was part of an IFS practice group for over a year, following completion of Level 1, with one of the IFS Lead Trainers.

I have since attended the following IFS specific CPD with –

Osnat Arbel – Embracing our Legacy Burdens and Heirlooms

Robert Falconer- Unattached burdens

Liz Martins (with Guest Emma Redfern) – Integrating IFS into Supervision and Consultation

Above CPD were organised and presented by https://lifearchitect.com/workshops/

I have monthly group Supervision with an IFS Lead Trainer

Monthly Supervision for my private practice as required by my Counselling Member body COSCA.

I have had 2 different IFS personal therapists and also continue with IFS therapy with different IFS therapy buddies.

Special Interest

As I mentioned else where – I have a special interest in working with people who have experienced T(t)rauma in their lives.

Especially, early trauma that occured – in the womb, at birth or was pre verbal.

In IFS we work somatically, working with the body and from a bottom up rather than a top down perspective. So working with what is happening in the body physiologically, via the nervous system and sensation, rather than top down using words.

Other professional training and accreditation

I hold accreditation as a Counsellor/Psychotherapist with COSCA, having gained accreditaion in the first instance with BACP.

I have 20 years plus experience working in this field. I have dedicated my training and CPD to help me to understand and work with implicit and explicit T(t)rauma.

Alongside IFS, the other main training models I have undertaken and that have influenced my practice are – Diploma Psychodynamic Counselling, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level 1, Brainspotting level 1 & 2, Looking through the Eyes of Dissociation, Sandra Paulson, A few by Deirdre Fay including Becoming Safely Embodied and The Comprehensive Resource Model CRM, completing several trainings with Lisa Schwartz

My approach to my work

My approach to my work is client centred and I like to work creatively and somatically: that is with the body.

I believe in a holistic approach to enable wellness – to help us become the best version of ourselves in current time and space, this is why I also trained and practice energy medicine

Internal Family Systems

You can check out the main IFS website here https://ifs-institute.com/

There is also a UK IFS site here https://internalfamilysystemstraining.co.uk/

In IFS Self is represented by the 8 c words above in the diagram, when we are in Self we are experiencing or feeling of one or more of the above 8 c words.

Internal Family Systems

“Self is a spiritual essence within us and around us, like a field, that can quiet that thinking part of the brain”.
⠀
Dick Schwartz, from his new book No Bad Parts, available now via link in bio:
https://ifs-institute.com/nobadparts

In IFS there are 3 main parts and Self.

The 3 main parts are known as Managers, Firefighters and Exiles.

Managers and Firefighters are both manager parts, Managers are pro active and Firefighters are reactive Managers, whose jobs are to protect the exile, which is the part that holds the original wound or trauma.

Overlaps

I am also noticing many overlaps between IFS training and my Energy Healing training – which includes – Reiki Master and training as a Shamanic Practitioner. I am loving this as I have always been looking for a way to sucessfully combine all of training and expereinces in my professional practice.

For me I found that IFS practice is similar to going on a shamanic journey, it’s an journey in which we journey within ourselves, with the intention of finding, connecting with and working with different parts of us that we may find. These parts may get our attention as a feeling, an image, a sesation, a voice or a memory.

I am always reminded in IFS work slow is fast.

Lastly here, let’s end with a quote from the model founder – “All parts are welcome” says Internal Family Systems developer Richard Schwartz.

I also offer combined Internal Family Systems Therapy with Reiki Energy Healing if thats something you would like to explore. more info about that here – https://maggiecostella.com/trauma-healing-sessions-fife/