Open help menu
Live Webinar

The Meadows 50th Anniversary Senior Fellows Series: IFS Foundations and Principles

Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D.
|

Information

Date & Time

Description

Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by Richard C. Schwartz, offers a compassionate framework for understanding the mind as a system of inner parts guided by an inherent core Self. In this presentation, Dr. Schwartz will introduce the foundational principles of IFS and explain how the model understands behaviors, emotions, and symptoms as protective strategies rather than pathology. Participants will learn how different parts of the internal system including managers, firefighters, and exiles work to protect individuals from emotional pain. The session will explore how accessing Self energy such as curiosity, calm, and compassion can help facilitate healing and internal balance. Attendees will gain a clear overview of IFS concepts and their relevance to trauma-informed care approaches used in various treatment settings.

Educational Goal

This presentation introduces the foundational principles of Internal Family Systems (IFS), including the concept of the mind as a system of protective “parts” guided by a core Self. Learners will gain an understanding of how symptoms and behaviors can be reframed as adaptive responses to emotional pain and how accessing Self-energy supports healing and integration.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe the core principles of Internal Family Systems, including the concepts of Self and the multiplicity of the mind.

  • Identify the three primary roles of parts within the IFS model (managers, firefighters, and exiles) and understand how they function within an individual’s internal system.

  • Explain how protective parts develop in response to emotional pain or trauma and how they influence behavior and coping strategies.

  • Recognize how IFS concepts can support trauma-informed clinical care, including their relevance for treatment settings such as addiction and behavioral health programs.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Nurse
  • Physician
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D.
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.

Financially Sponsored By

  • The Meadows