The support and collaboration of IFS Institute, the Foundation’s conference host and one of its crucial sponsors, made the 2020 Foundation Friday at the IFS Conference in Denver, Colorado, USA, possible. Foundation Friday continued the consistent effort to build and strengthen community connections and collaborations.

Morning Plenary: Executive Director, Toufic Hakim, PhD, presented an invigorating address about recent Foundation highlights during the plenary Friday morning.

Day Activities: The Board proceeded with its second full day of meetings and engaged with members of the community, some of whom hosted lunch conversations around research and IFS in schools.

Evening Activities: Later that evening, over 100 attendees joined the Foundation Board, staff and volunteers for an evening reception and engaged in meaningful conversations around how to disseminate IFS across various professions and sectors of society. The festivities were kicked off with a surprise 70th birthday greeting for Richard Schwartz, PhD, and followed by an address from chair Harley Goldberg, DO, and board member Requina Barnes, LICSW.

Those present visited Islands of Discovery acquiring insight and appreciation of the Foundation’s accomplishments and ongoing endeavors and donating along their way.

       

The Foundation is thankful to those attending the reception and for their generous contributions that amounted to $7,498.

 

• Research Island, hosted by Senior Research Manager Ilanit Tal, PhD, who shared status of two funded research studies and the next priority of a Phase II randomized-controlled PTSD study that the Foundation intends to fund.
• Education Island, hosted by Joanna Curry-Satori, LMFT, who presented updates on the newly Foundation-funded effort to bring IFS fully into three schools in Connecticut, USA.
• Advocacy Island, hosted by Mark Milton, gathered input about ways to promote notions IFS broadly among youth and adults.
• Community Connections Island, hosted by Michelle Glass, Editor of OUTLOOK, imparted information regarding ways for new members to engage with the Foundation and how to subscribe to our magazine, encouraging one and all to Join the Movement

Items such as Online Circle membership, L2 training, IFS videos and books, and a four-day cabin retreat in South Carolina, were given away to fortunate winners. The Foundation is grateful for the community’s generosity which contributed $6,959 towards further Foundation activities. Foundation-designed greeting cards, and posters featuring the IFS 8 Cs, entitled Cultivate SELF Leadership, were available again for purchase at the Institute store.

Foundation Friday culminated in the production of Good Grief, an Everett Company production. The audience was captivated by performers who expressed a dynamic exploration of minds and bodies after enduring trauma, through dance, videography, and storytelling. Made possible by a grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), along with matching funds from corporations and individuals, including David Medieros, MSW, LICSW, who served as consultant to the performers.

The Foundation thanks the many volunteers involved, without whom the events could not have taken place (Rina Dubin, EdD; Julie Warren, LCSW-C; Irina Diyankova, PhD; Dana Rosenstein, LCSW-C; Molly Kellogg, LCSW; Sue Kazolia, LICSW; Jenny Fiebig, MS, LCPC; Carl Marcus, MS, MSS, LCSW; and Katherine McCamant). The Planning Team consisted of Pamela Krause, MSW, LCSW; Toufic Hakim, PhD; Michelle Glass, BA, Michele Bruce, BA; and Kelly Gaule.