IFS-Informed EMDR Therapy: An integrative approach for transformative healing of trauma, anxiety, and more

EMDR is widely considered the field's premier approach to rapidly process trauma and free clients from suffering.

And when combined with Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy's unique ability to establish safety and overcome stuck points, you can offer deep and profound healing — even with the most complex cases!

Effective guidance on how to integrate these revolutionary interventions has been rare and often difficult to get into.

That's why we've partnered with Stacy Ruse, certified EMDR instructor and IFS-Institute approved clinical consultant…

…for this one-of-a-kind, start-to-finish course that provides the detailed roadmap you need…

…so, you can effectively apply the strengths of these evidence-based treatments into one fully integrated therapy model.

In this programme you'll experience:

• 10 on-demand modules that teach you, step by step, how to apply IFS-Informed EMDR
• Real client demonstrations and experiential exercises, so you can see exactly how to integrate the techniques in your sessions
• PDF handouts of slides, illustrations, and exercises to use as quick reference resources
• Free bonus workshop on trauma-focused tapping techniques

 

Whether you're trained on EMDR or IFS therapy, or you're brand new to the models, you'll gain new skills to work with difficult clinical challenges, including stuck clients, blocking, looping, dissociation, and much more!

Part I: Integrating IFS & EMDR

In this first section, you'll get access to the essential insight you need to be effective with this new integrative approach. You'll end this portion with the confidence to know when and how to use IFS-Informed EMDR therapy.
 

• Discuss shared treatment goals of IFS and EMDR
• Learn how to determine if your client is the right fit for this approach
• Address client readiness and preparation for trauma processing
• Identify safe tools from these approaches that all therapists can use
• Discuss IFS Therapy understanding of Self and Burdening that will inform the healing journey

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Part II: A Roadmap for IFS-Informed EMDR

In this section, Stacy will guide you through the start-to-finish of applying this powerful treatment model. Through in-depth learning sessions, clinical exercises, and in-session demonstrations, you'll walk away fully prepared to implement this approach in your practice.
 

• Phase 1 - Understanding Your Client
  • How to set meaningful intentions, goals, and expectations for treatment
  • What clients you should not proceed to doing trauma work
  • How to determine readiness and when to build more resources
  • How to build a Self-Leadership therapy environment that establishes a safe healing space for your client
  • How to effectively relate to, speak for, and map a client's inner parts
  • Clinical exercise: Tapping in Self-qualities
• Phase 2 - Engagement and Building Trust
  • Client engagement, trust, & relationship building
  • Introducing the IFS-Informed EMDR model
  • Successfully attuning to clients
  • Tapping into the nervous system as the key determiner of whether an environment is safe or dangerous
  • Building your therapeutic parts detector to understand your client's internal system
  • Techniques to communicate with Parts
  • Clinical demonstration: Gathering space exercise
• Phase 3 - Resourcing and Unblending
  • Important goals when resourcing and unblending
  • Develop missing coping skills
  • Using bilateral stimulation to connect to client's head, heart, gut, and nervous system
  • Specific steps to identify internal parts
  • Clinical exercise: Light stream protocol
• Phase 4 - Getting Permission, Trailheads, and Target Selection
  • Getting permission from the protective system
  • Working with exile and protector parts
  • Identifying "trailheads" as guides to parts that need to be investigated
  • Addressing common fears and concerns about protective parts
  • Building inner collaboration for balance & repair
  • Clinical exercise: Meditation: Getting to know parts
• Phase 5 - Witnessing, Processing, and Self
  • Working with the impact of trauma on parts
  • Guiding clients through the unburdening process: witness, retrieve, re-do, invite, and integrate
  • Connecting with exile parts
  • Step-by-step process of unburdening parts
  • Clinical demonstration: Working with blocking beliefs
• Phases 6-7 - Retrieve, Unburden, Body Scan, & Invitation
  • Connect and extend Self-energy
  • Self-lead healing: witnessing, retrieval, redo/rescue missions, unburdening
  • Steps and invitations to fill space where burdens were
  • Overcome common treatment issues
  • Using the body as a guide to work with parts
  • Clinical exercise: Body Scan
• Phase 8 - Integration and Evaluation
  • Appreciate parts and address concerns
  • Closing techniques that integrate the work
  • Powerful ways to check back and notice changes
  • Integrating other models
  • Clinical demonstration: Integration and Evaluation process

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Part III: IFS-Informed EMDR Therapy Review & Special Considerations

This final section will equip you with essential insight into today's specific therapy challenges and populations, so you can be confident adapting this new approach to the specific needs of your clients.

Finally, you'll end with a section to review the new skills you've learned, which will help solidify your knowledge and competence in applying IFS-Informed EMDR therapy.
 

• Contraindications and Other Considerations
  • Addressing Problems & Other Considerations
  • Combining principles of IFS & EMDR to resolve internal polarisations
  • Contradictions and risks to IFS therapy, use of Bilateral Stimulation (BLS), EMDR, and trauma processing
  • Working with inner conflict, flooding, lack of body awareness, dissociation, and complex systems
  • Legal and ethical considerations
  • Cultural competency
  • Research Overview
  • Clinical exercise: Alternative Nostril Breath


• Review: Core Techniques in this course
  • Tapping in Self-energy
  • The 8 C's of Self-energy
  • Gathering Space Protocol
  • Unblending with the 6 F's
  • State change exercises
  • Use of BLS for resourcing and symptom reduction
    • Blocking beliefs protocol
    • Resource Installation Development
    • Attachment-based resourcing
    • Interweaves
  • Steps to the Unburdening Process
  • Communication methods: Direct access/In-sight; Implicit and Explicit
  • Speaking from Self
  • Getting permission from protective parts
  • Circling back for integration of work and closing sessions
  • Somatic Embodiment & vagal toning exercises
  • Circling back for integration of work and closing sessions
  • Somatic Embodiment and Vagal toning exercises