Dear IFS Community,

In these remarkably polarizing times, the need for Self-led people and systems is dramatically clear. Discovering appropriate action on our path forward can be challenging.  [Read more…] 

Teaching Teachers: IFS in Inner-City Schools, a Pilot Program
Another example of the utilization of constructs of the IFS Model (parts & Self) is within the field of education. Many have envisioned IFS concepts and language to be accessible to students at schools. What a great practice to start early! Understanding oneself and others through the IFS lens would be a desirable step toward preventing and peacefully negotiating/resolving conflict among students (or among parents and teachers for that matter) and instituting peaceful climates at our schools across the globe.  [Read more…] 

Multiplicity on the Big Screen
Award winning filmmaker and IFS coach Jen Kleiner, MFA, CPLC has partnered with CSL to make a documentary about multiplicity for mainstream audiences. It follows several subjects from all walks of life exploring how people deal with and embrace their multiplicity, as well as provides historical context with supporting research on how parts awareness transforms the way humans interact, develop and heal.  [Read more…] 
 

IFS, Spirituality, and Peace
In past editions of OUTLOOK, we have featured many areas where others are using IFS. Here we introduce three members of our community who have used IFS directly in their daily work: a Christian minister, a Zen Buddhist priest, and a Christian Orthodox priest. OUTLOOK asked for their thoughts on how divided world religions are and how they see the potential impact of IFS on bridging different spiritual beliefs and on global peace.  [Read more…] 
 

Beyond Intimacy from the Inside Out
Toni Herbine-Blank, MS, RN, C-SP needs little introduction these days, but for those of you who have not yet heard of her, she is an IFS Lead Trainer, developer of Intimacy from the Inside Out© (IFIO), and Clinical Specialist Psychotherapist in Durango, Colorado. It’s a pleasure to bring to you a conversation with her about her evolution and of her contributions to IFS.  [Read more…] 

Searchable Online IFS Resource Database Going Live
We announced the IFS Annotation Project back in the October 2015 edition of OUTLOOK. The Project, led by Jenn Matheson, PhD, LMFT, and funded by the Foundation, consisted of a comprehensive review and “annotation” of published IFS articles of relevance to researchers who wish to study IFS.  [Read more…] 

Research Validated IFS Scale
In 2003, Lia DeLand, MS, created the IFS Scale, an IFS-based personality scale that allows therapists an advantageous overview of a client’s internal system. The 57-item questionnaire asks individuals to report how often they experience different feelings and thoughts.  [Read more…] 
 

How Can IFS Help Soothe the Immigrant Experience?
Much of the last year has seen a renewed social and political dialogue on issues of immigration and the plight of immigrants seeking refuge in the US and around our world. Many immigrants come to our shores not only with their own recent experience of trauma and dislocation but also with family and cultural histories that carry many legacy burdens.  [Read more…] 

Strengths & Balance Inside Out: IFS in Coaching
The application of IFS in the field of life and executive coaching is rapidly developing. “Multiplicity of mind” is gaining acceptance as a viable lens for enhancing client self-awareness and growth. Getting to know the strengths of the subpersonalities (i.e., parts) is still a relatively novel approach to helping clients engage and balance their strengths.  [Read more…] 
 

Funded Physiology Study Update
In addition to funding a pilot study that examined the efficacy of IFS in treating complex trauma, which showed promising results and is now in the process of being published, the Foundation has also granted a research award through an independent review to a study assessing physiological effects of IFS on clients and therapist.  [Read more…] 

Independent International IFS-Oriented Research
A German study published in May 2017 reveals the positive impact of knowing one’s own system of parts. The study, conducted by Tania Singer, PhD; Lukas Hermann; Anne Böckler; and Fynn-Mathis Trautwein of Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Berlin, and Tom Holmes, PhD, of Western Michigan University in Kalama- zoo, examined the effects of 141 individuals who took part in a contemplative training course over a nine-month period.  [Read more…] 

Inspiring Self-leadership: An Update on Mount-Hike
In April, OUTLOOK featured Ray Mount, PhD, who had just set about on a six-month, 2,200-mile pilgrimage along the Appalachian Trail to access more Self leadership as he prepared for retirement and as a fundraiser for the Foundation. Extreme winds kept him from finishing the summit of Mt. Katahdin on September 28th, his expected completion date. At the time of this publication he anticipates having crossed the finish line the first week of October.  [Read more…] 

Exciting New Strategic Directions: A Foundation Update
Four years ago, the Foundation was launched to support IFS research and garner for IFS an empirical, evidence-based status as a clinical practice. The Foundation’s Board pursued this goal early on, taking advantage of a study by Shadick, Sowell, et al. that had been recently published. A comprehensive, rig- orous application, making the compelling case for such a status, was completed and filed with the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s NREPP registry.   [Read more…] 

Why do you donate to the Foundation?

“I enjoy contributing to the Foundation for Self Leadership because the experience of IFS is truly healing from the inside out. The more that people experience it, the more healing and compassion there is on the planet. My vision is to build a local community where the staff and volunteers at homeless shelters, hospitals, nonprofits, and local churches who serve similar populations are all trained in IFS."  [Read more…] 

It is comforting that our very own community, with ever-growing Self leadership, continues to bring hope to those desperately searching for deeper connection and healing. Each member of our community is valuable and plays an important role in his/her world. Here in these pages of OUTLOOK, we bring you glimpses of the varied ways in which members of our community are serving as hope merchants to the masses and securing continued validation of the Model through empirical research.  [Read more…]  

OUTLOOK is an occasional bulletin that the Foundation for Self Leadership will publish to share news relevant to IFS, the IFS community, and developments relating to the Foundation. The ultimate purpose of OUTLOOK is to support the Foundation's mission of promoting the notion and agency of Self leadership.

Do you know of any IFS-related news our community would like to know?  Please share with us such developments or happenings within one of these categories: IFS research, IFS within psychotherapy or programming, and IFS applications beyond psychotherapy. Please complete the form on our website or send general information in a short email to Michelle Glass at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please reach us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..