Intuition in feelings and the body

Intuition in feelings and the body The Wisdom of Emotions: How Our Bodies Tell the Story Logic Can’t Emotions are more than fleeting feelings—they’re messages, data points, and stories that live in the body. For many of us, especially those who have experienced trauma, our emotional world can feel overwhelming, confusing, or even threatening. But […]

What makes it so easy to judge?

What makes it so easy to judge? We’ve talked about shadow sides and parts we don’t like before, but not how it applies to judgment of self and others. When we can accept that our shadows are part of what makes us who we are and can stop running from ourselves, then we can also […]

Time to switch roles with our parts

Time to switch roles with our parts Are we (or some of our parts) ever really frustrated with the behaviors our parts use to protect us? YES. Have these very same parts been protecting and helping us our whole lives, ensuring we survive and can move forward in life? ALSO YES. Our parts have been […]

Listening Deeply

Listening deeply is a skill learned in IFS therapy. It requires more than just sitting with feelings, it requires listening to them–not guessing what or why it’s happening, but just being there and listening to what that emotion or part needs you to know. Listening helps us understand, and understanding is one of the foundations […]

Boundaries are like bumpers

Boundaries Are Our Relationship Bumpers This is a quote from our clinic founder, Max Dahmen, LCSW. There’s a lot of talk about boundaries, but we find most people are still confused on what they are supposed to be. Boundaries don’t mean someone can’t make mistakes, or that we have to be perfect in a relationship. […]

The Most Important Part of IFS

The Most Important Part of IFS The unburdening process (or where we reprocess past experiences and trauma in IFS) is transformational. But if we stop there, our influence over our system will dwindle. Just because we have unburdened parts doesn’t mean they disappear or stop having feelings! They also don’t stop needing your support when […]

Moving Forward

Moving Forward Where are you at today? How are things different for you today, than they were a year ago? Knowing what we’ve done and where we have come from gives us a better understanding of what our next step can be! What is the next step for you, realistically, in your own life? What […]

One Step At A Time

One Step At A Time Some days that’s all we need to focus on. Some days it’s enough to remember that all you need to do is what is in front of you at that very moment. You don’t always have the capacity to think of all the other stuff and that is OK. You […]

UNBROKEN

UNBROKEN You are always capable of healing parts that hold your pain and your trauma. Self is never broken. In her work, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes talks a lot about the “ryzome” in all of us, the seed that is waiting to grow and never loses the potential for this growth. With it, there is […]

Capable of Survival

Capable of Survival We all have generations of generations of strength in our blood. In IFS talk, these would be legacy heirlooms. What are yours?