Podcast
Purely IFS with Emma and Gayle
Hosted by Gayle Williamson and Emma Redfern · EN
Purely IFS is for you if you are a mental health professional who is transitioning to using the Internal Family Systems model with clients.
Hosted by IFS psychotherapists Gayle Williamson and Emma Redfern, this show aims to support IFS beginners by offering clarity and discussion on the various aspects of the model and the key skills. We're also hoping that you'll get many useful additions to your IFS vocabulary and that our podcast will keep you engaged with learning this amazing approach.
We put the emphasis on working as a 'pure' IFS therapist because IFS is a complete approach - it gives you just about everything you would ever need as a therapist. Combining it with other approaches not only makes it harder for beginners to master but dilutes the transformational power of what IFS offers.
Join us each episode for stimulating and educational conversations.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep 18: Being aware of our own parts: a case example
Mar 300:28:40Tap to summarizeSend a textIn this episode, we roleplay a case example from Gayle's supervision group that highlights the importance of specific IFS supervision if you're practising as an IFS therapist. The therapist in question was having trouble using the model with a client who has suffered several losses, and when Tina 'went inside' she discovered there was a very good reason for this. **Thanks to Tina (not her real name) for allowing us to spotlight this work for this episode!We also give a roleplay example of using the No-overwhelm Contract - always good to make sure you're familiar with for those times when a client is hijacked in session by a strong part.Emma's new book: Internal Family Systems: Making a start - getting curious about parts.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →Episode 17: Legacy Burdens part two: case study
Dec 2900:11:17Tap to summarizeSend a textIN PART TWO of our focus on Legacy Burdens, we detail fascinating work with client *Jo, where legacy work was the last piece in the jigsaw to help resolve stuckness in her career. It involves Jo connecting to her dead father and grandmother - so you might wish to reassure any sceptical parts that come up that this is entirely normal in this kind of work! *Not her real name. The client has given permission for the case material to be used.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →Episode 16: Legacy Burdens: part one
Dec 2300:18:31Tap to summarizeSend a textIN THE first of two episodes focusing on Legacy Burdens, Emma and Gayle talk about the many benefits of learning this fascinating aspect of the IFS model. We discuss what exactly they are, how you might spot them and discuss the bigger picture in terms of their effects on wider society. Be sure to join us again after Christmas for part two where we go into detail with a case study.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →What change looks like in IFS therapy: part 2
Jun 2100:34:52Tap to summarizeSend a textIN THE second part of our focus on what change looks like in IFS, we talk about:the pressures to change that clients and therapists face;the concept of constraint release;the importance of encouraging our clients to work on their connection with parts inbetween sessions; and how do we handle it when a dominant protector just will not step back and allow any change.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →What change looks like in IFS therapy
Jun 2, 202500:22:38Tap to summarizeSend a textTODAY we're exploring what we mean when we talk about change in IFS therapy... what are the expectations around this and how much change is actually possible? And if there is an urgent agenda for change, a key thing to consider is: who inside our client, or ourselves, is leading this? We'll also discuss what clients self-report in terms of change.As usual, we'll give useful examples and tips; and because there's a lot to this topic there will be a part two coming soon.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →Practising ethically as an IFS therapist
Apr 16, 202500:26:59Tap to summarizeSend a textIN this episode, we look at the ethical aspects of working as an IFS therapist. It's a very different way of working, so the psychotherapy profession's existing, mono-minded ethical framework inevitably will not cover everything for the IFS professional. It's an important topic for those transitioning to IFS, and we cover issues around the therapeutic relationship, the therapeutic contract and IFS therapist responsibilities... as well as giving our take on the drama Adolescence!Resources referred to: Relational Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counselling in Private Practice by Caz Binstead and Nicolas Sarantakis- Professional Transitioning by Emma Redfern, in the BACP’s Therapy Today- Emma also spoke with Sally Brown about this subject on a Therapy Today podcast.- Consent in IFS Practice by Ash Chudgar for PARTS&SELF magazine.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →Episode 12: the step-back process
Feb 3, 202500:25:40Tap to summarizeSend a textIn today’s episode, we’re focusing on the process of asking parts to step back. It's a part of the protocol that often causes a lot of uncertainty, about when to ask parts to step back, whether this was the right decision or not, or whether the part should have become the new target part instead. We talk about many of the different aspects of the step back process, give some case examples, and focus in on the language options - with particular focus on the difference between 'step back' and 'pull back'. Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →How IFS equips us as therapists and supervisors
Nov 26, 202400:27:30Tap to summarizeSend a textIn this episode, we're talking about just how well the IFS model equips us as therapists and supervisors. We provide plenty of useful examples and draw comparisons with traditional talk therapy.Both Gayle and Emma talk about their experience of being therapists prior to encountering IFS; and how equipped they now feel knowing there is always a part to talk to; and that there's always a way into some meaningful work. Let us know what you'd like us to tackle next! Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →Working with polarisations: Part two
Sep 30, 202400:31:14Tap to summarizeSend a textIN part two of our focus on polarisations we look at polarisations involving more than two parts, polarisations across systems, eg, between client and therapist or parent and child; and addictive processes. We also discuss navigating conflicts in the wider world and how we can bring more Self to difficult conversations.*Details of the film we refer to: The Crisis in Gaza - Navigating difficult conversations: A Q&A with Dr Gabor Mate and Daniel Mate (available on the Science and Non-Duality website or YouTube)Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →Working with polarisations
Aug 15, 202400:33:03Tap to summarizeSend a textAfter taking a break for summer, we're back with a new episode focusing on polarisations.Being able to detect relationships between parts, particularly parts who are fighting against each other, has lots of benefits - including reducing the inner conflict that many people experience as well as easing any stuckness a client may be experiencing in their life.We discuss what exactly polarisations are, and suggest a three-stage progression for how a therapist might develop their skills in working with them. We give examples of common polarisations and also look at how therapist and client parts may polarise with each other.There's so much to look at here, so we'll be following up with a part two on this topic, where we'll look at addictive processes and polarisations in the wider world.Emma E Redfern MBACP (Snr Accred) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. Emma is a certified IFS psychotherapist as well as approved IFS clinical consultant. She edited Internal Family Systems Therapy: supervision and consultation (2022, Routledge) and authored Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners (2023, Routledge). Her most recent publication, co-edited with Helen Foot, is Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room (2023) .See www.emmaredfern.co.uk for details of workshops and articles as well as books. You can also follow Emma on Linked In.Gayle Williamson (MIACP) initially trained in humanistic integrative psychotherapy. She took one of the alternative routes to IFS training now available, through IFSCA and the Adler College, Canada. She works fulltime as a pure-IFS psychotherapist and also writes widely on mental health. Her most recent article 'The Myth of Mental Illness' is published in the latest IAHIP professional journal. Gayle runs small-group, online trainings and skills workshops for IFS beginners as well as group supervision. She also edited Emma's book, Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy: A companion for therapists and practitioners. See www.ferneytherapy.ie for further info, resources and Gayle's articles.
Transcribe →