“Our ultimate goal, ideally, is for Black therapists’ to go out and teach other people about diversity awareness, why it matters, and especially why it matters in therapy.”

As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, BTR’s mission is to increase awareness of the social and psychological issues impacting marginalized communities and reducing barriers that prevent emotional healing. Deran emphasizes her intention to make sure people know Black therapists exist. “We’re about diversity awareness. Black therapists are only 1% of the field of mental health professionals,” she shares. “Our ultimate goal, ideally, is for Black therapists to go out and teach other people about diversity awareness, why it matters, and especially why it matters in therapy.”

Deran created the Facebook group Black Therapists ROCK^TM primarily as a means of finding support for herself in March 2016. Since then, the Facebook group has flourished, growing to over 20,300 members, with around 3,000 waiting to be approved. This private group, for Black therapists only, is a safe space where members have freedom to speak both for and from parts.

“We are working with a traumatized population, no matter how you look at it. The Model is wonderful for this!”

“Just being Black is traumatizing,” Tamala explains. “We are working with a traumatized population, no matter how you look at it. The Model is wonderful for this!” As a trauma therapist, Tamala was enthusiastic when she found out how well IFS works for trauma and how open clients are to it. She believes that Black therapists can take IFS back to their communities and bring deeper healing and help to children and families with trauma. As the IFS Consultant for BTR, Tamala speaks to BTR members who are interested in IFS and encourages them to apply for training.

Though only a few BTR members know about IFS, nearly all are trauma therapists. Deran and Tamala, along with BTR’s Vice President, Requina Barnes, LCSW, were the first Black Program Assistants in the current Level 1 training with Nancy Sowell, LICSW, and Chris Burris, LMFT, which concludes in May 2019. With twenty Black therapists, several LGBTQ, non–US-born citizens, and young trainees, this training was the most diverse training group in IFS history. There is already a long list of Black PA applicants for the next BTR training. All BTR members in the current training received CSL’s Organizational Training Program (OTP) assistance, making the training a possibility. As part of CSL’s mission to expand trainings to marginalized communities, OTP intends to train IFS practitioners who will bring IFS treatment services to minority and marginalized populations. The Foundation, which embraces this philosophy and strongly endorses CSL’s strategy, is currently looking for ways to fund a leadership program to expand diversity among IFS practitioners. (Please see more on CSL’s OTP in the Community Connections section of this edition.) All are hopeful that more people of color will take IFS trainings to increase diversity and broaden healing.

BTR’s presence began at the 2017 Conference, when Deran, Chris, and Nancy presented a well-attended full-day workshop titled Working with Our Shadow Parts and Releasing the Hidden Potential for Connection, Compassion, Curiosity, and Courage by Exploring Issues of Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, and Other “Isms”. It is anticipated that members of BTR may present at upcoming conferences. Deran and Jory Agate, MDiv, MA, will give a training in Cambridge, Massachusetts, called Engaging Difference: Meeting Race, Culture, and Identity Effectively Using the Intercultural Development Curriculum and the Internal Family Systems Model on June 14–15, 2019. This training is open to all. See Therapy Boston for details.__MLG

Editors’ Note: Please consider supporting Black Therapists Rock with financial donations or through volunteering. Deran’s time is dispersed, as she’s engaged in a PhD program, works as a therapist, is a mother, and tends to the BTR Facebook page. Any inquiries for BTR can be made using the organization’s online form.

Deran Young, Tamala Floyd, Fatimah Finney, Iliona Okereke, Nicole Smith, and Lennie Carter

“This of course trickles down to the veterans who then receive greater continuity of care,” Amy observes, “increasing the likelihood that very skilled therapists will be able to remain in my program to help veterans with their suffering.”

In 2017, Amy was approached by the former commissioner of the Maine Bureau of Veteran Services regarding specific assistance for veterans experiencing issues with suicidality. Amy saw this as an opportunity to engage in some creative negotiating and ultimately received funding for 30 of her Vet Center colleagues to attend IFS Level 1 training in Auburn, New Hampshire, staffed by Barb Cargill, MA, ADTR; Einat Bronstein, MSW, LCSW; Osnat Arbel, PhD, LMFT; Toni Herbine-Blank, RN, MS, CS-P; and Marushka Glissen, MeD, MSW, LICSW.

Amy attended this training as a Program Assistant and noted that, since then, her newly minted IFS colleagues and many veterans at her center are now talking in parts language. Amy and her colleagues use IFS with individuals and groups to provide readjustment counselling to veterans who have served in war zones, survivors of military sexual trauma and their families. She is enthused about the healing that IFS allows in the veterans with whom she works, but noted she is most excited about the potential that IFS provides to her colleagues “by way of self-care and burnout prevention”.

Amy came to IFS initially as a client, following her experiences as a veteran in the US Army in 1992. Her first deployment was to Somalia where she was the only mental health clinician assigned to a brigade of infantry soldiers, which placed a high level of responsibility on her. In addition, Amy fresh out of graduate school, was working largely on her own with little or no access to supervision. The levels of stress were extreme. “I’m a creative and practical person, so I got through, but many exiles were born during that deployment,” Amy recalls.

Soon after returning from Somalia, Amy was posted again—this time to Haiti. Stress levels were at a premium again, and this time Amy was intimately involved in managing the aftermath of two soldier suicides for which parts of her felt responsible.

On return from this deployment, Amy experienced her own emotional turmoil resulting in the end of a significant relationship and symptoms of difficulty sleeping, irritability, and perfectionism. This prompted her to attend an IFS retreat with IFS Founder Richard Schwartz, PhD, in 2013, which was a profoundly moving experience for her. For the first time, Amy was able to notice and acknowledge her exiles with compassion and without judgment. “The IFS Model really sings to me, both as someone who benefited from it, and also as a clinician using it with my clients,” Amy shares.

She notes that the larger impact of training centers utilizing IFS provides her colleagues potential for greater self-care and burnout prevention. “This of course trickles down to the veterans who then receive greater continuity of care,” Amy observes, “increasing the likelihood that very skilled therapists will be able to remain in my program to help veterans with their suffering.” Of the 30 therapists who attended the initial training, about half of them continue to meet on a regular basis for practice groups, case discussion and peer supervision. Some of them are Vet Center Directors in other areas. Amy anticipates these directors will take IFS back to their staff and spread the word even further. When reflecting on her career so far, Amy says, “I think the thing I will be most proud of when I retire is bringing IFS to my colleagues and the veterans they help. I really mean it when I say IFS has changed my life.” Amy can be contacted at dirigocenter@gmail.com. Visit the VA website for more information.__SD

Editors’ Notes: Given its commitment to bringing IFS as an evidence-based modality for treating PTSD to the attention of the Veterans Administration, the Foundation is working closely with CSL and IFS-trained VA psychologists to support agency-wide training, combined with rigorous research, at a large Veterans Health Administration Center in the Northeast-USA.

Amy Marcotte

Blending IFS with Other Models:
There’s More Than Meets the Eye

What do you get when you cross
the IFS Model as presented by Richard
Schwartz, PhD, with the work of Brené
Brown, PhD, LMSW, as presented in
The Daring Way™ Model? The answer is
a dedicated therapist in San Diego,
California, who thinks a lot about courage,
shame, vulnerability, and Self energy.

“I became aware that when many of my clients were in a ‘face-down moment and out of alignment with their core values,’ they were actually blended with their parts and struggling to get in touch with their Self energy,...”

Rebecca Ching, LMFT, is a Certified IFS Therapist and Daring Way™ Facilitator and Consultant who runs her own integrated mental health practice helping people deal more effectively with struggle, failure, and vulnerability while they navigate the intersection of mindset and mental health. The Daring Way™ is a highly experiential methodology based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. The method was designed for work with individuals, couples, families, work teams, and organizational leaders. It can be facilitated in clinical, educational, and professional settings. The primary focus is on developing shame-resilience skills and daily practices that transform the way we live, love, parent, and lead. As an early adopter of Brené’s work on shame and vulnerability, Rebecca was familiar with the concept of failure as a natural consequence of putting oneself out there. “I became aware that when many of my clients were in a ‘face-down moment and out of alignment with their core values,’ they were actually blended with their parts and struggling to get in touch with their Self energy,” Rebecca reflects. This acknowledgment of the fundamental notion of multiplicity of mind, and the legitimate place for shadow (i.e., any parts we are unaware of) and ultimately Self energy, is just one of the conceptual overlaps Rebecca has rumbled with in the past as she engages in her work integrating IFS with The Daring Way™.

In 2007 and 2009, Rebecca attended an International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals conference where she was exposed to Richard Schwartz, PhD, and the IFS Model. This inspired her to take both Levels 1 and 2 and eventually blend the models. Rebecca notes that Brené’s research on vulnerability—defined as risk, uncertainty and emotional exposure—has shown that to have love, belonging, connection, and creativity—elements that sustain living wholehearted lives—we need to be able to tolerate vulnerability. This means not always knowing the outcome, which, of course, takes courage—another conceptual overlap with IFS.

Rebecca has recently started working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to help them navigate the complex nexus between their mindset and mental health using a combination of IFS and The Daring Way™. A major focus of this work is to support leaders as they serve their communities while staying connected to their core values and to lead from Self energy instead of being parts-led. This is achieved by acknowledging protective and exiled parts with caring and compassion. These days, the integration of the two models has become the norm for Rebecca, who notes, “I don’t know how to do one without the other anymore, and IFS is the root that keeps me grounded.” Rebecca can be contacted at rebecca@potentiatherapy.com.__SD

New York City and Metro Area

The NYC IFS Workshop Series brings IFS practitioners in the NYC-metro area together for the purpose of creating conversation, connection, and community and providing opportunities for continuing education in order to advance the use of the Model. Over the past two years, the series has hosted seventeen speakers, including: Richard Schwartz, PhD; Frank Anderson, MD; Ann Sinko, LMFT; Steven Krantz, LCSW; Loch Kelly, LCSW-R; Sue Richmond, LCSW; Lisa Spiegel, LMHC; Marla Silverman, PhD; Pam Krause, LCSW; Michelle Glass, BA; Jim Andralis, LCAT; Mary Kruger, LMFT; Anna Tansi, MS; Nancy Bravman, LCSW; Roberta Omin, LCSW; Chris Ratte, LCSW; and Patricia Rich, LCSW (most of whom are IFS-Certified). Workshops are offered monthly in the intimacy of a beautiful rooftop community room, except during the summer, with attendance ranging from 10 to 50 participants. Criteria for participation vary and are at the discretion of the speaker. Advanced workshops require a minimum experience of Level 1 completion, while others only require a familiarity with the Model’s basics.

Barbara Bennett, LMFT, and Certified IFS therapist Karen Berman, LCSW, created this series shortly after each had relocated in NYC with a strong desire to build community. The series was largely inspired by Barbara’s experience of IFS community in Connecticut, where she regularly attended Ann Sinko and Sue Richmond’s Central Connecticut State University’s IFS workshops. As such, it is modeled after the workshops at CCSU. Shortly after Barbara relocated to NYC, she had a strong desire

to build community. At the same time, Karen moved to the city where they both met at the 2017 Women’s March. She asked Karen if she wanted to join her in creating the NYC Metro IFS Workshop Series and “the rest is history,” they report. Upcoming speakers include Nancy Bravman, LCSW, on Integrating IFS and EMDR; Richard Schwartz, PhD, to be announced; and Patricia Rich, LCSW, on Befriend and Transcend Your Sexual Story: Welcoming Sex Parts for Increased Self Energy, Pleasure and Healing. To find information on their upcoming workshops, check the Tristate-NY-IFS listserv and contact Peter Gambino at peterg4995@gmail.com to join. Barbara may be contacted at barbarabmft@gmail.com and Karen at kkberman@gmail.com.

Karen Berman, Richard Schwartz, and Barbara Bennett

The Foundation decided to partner with Jen after learning about her preliminary efforts with The Center for Self Leadership to create a documentary about the natural nature of multiplicity and the life and work of IFS creator, Richard Schwartz, PhD. “When I saw Jen’s sizzle reel for the upcoming documentary, I was very impressed by her creativity, professionalism, and ability to distill the teachings of IFS for a broader community,” says Foundation Executive Director, Toufic Hakim, PhD. “We engaged her to help the Foundation become more visible through a series of short films that would raise awareness about our mission and inspire others, within the IFS community and beyond, to get involved.”

This past November, the Foundation released its first two official videos in an effort to cultivate advocacy and inspire contribution. The first video 2.5-minute short was presented at the 2018 Annual IFS Conference in Rhode Island and was intentionally made for IFS practitioners unfamiliar with the Foundation’s work. This video can be seen here. In an effort to share the healing potential of the Model and introduce the Foundation to a broader community, a second video was made for the general public and released on the Foundation’s website and YouTube® Channel, which can be viewed at on the left

of your screen. Both videos share a common message of hope and healing, though depicted in different ways.

Jen and her team provided creative direction for the videos, after iteratively reviewing and editing scripts prepared by Foundation’s staff. This was an intensive, engaging and painstaking process that led to the final products.

There are a few other short films in the pipeline, including research documentaries in development that will follow different subjects through their various IFS journeys to witness the impact it has had on their healing. In the meantime, you can help spread the word about the Foundation by re-posting the general public video on your various social media platforms. You can learn more about her work at Intuitive Artists and Reframe Pictures.__SD

Editors’ Note: The Foundation is gathering input from its community in an effort to produce version 2.0 of these videos intent on ensuring that the message is crisp, compelling, and highly consistent with the IFS Model and the Foundation’s values. For reactions or suggestions, please write to Outreach@FoundationIFS.org.

The program was co-developed and led by Jody Nelson, EdD, LMFT, and Jennifer Ramji, MA, LMFT, LICSW, with Change, Inc. It consisted of a number of connected components:

• Sessions introducing IFS to the full suite of staff and teachers at each of the two urban, public middle schools with challenging conditions (Northeast Middle School and Justice Page Middle School), with which the facilitators had existing and trusting relationships

• Recruitment and selection, through an open application process, of 16 teachers (eight from each of the two schools) to participate in an extensive IFS-focused experience

• Engagement of the 16 teacher participants in a 40-hour experience, spanning 10 months (four hours one Saturday each month), which involved journaling and mentoring as needed between monthly gatherings

• Planning by teachers of action research agendas for translating what was discovered or learned from their experience into classroom-related activities

• A qualitative outcomes evaluation, conducted by Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner, MEd, with GW Consulting, who served as an external, independent evaluator.

The following includes excerpts from Jennifer’s comprehensive report (15+ pages of analysis and nine appendices).

The external review sought to provide a baseline exploration of the question: Does promoting teachers’ growth in self-understanding, self-compassion, and inner-connectedness using the Internal Family Systems Model result in increased joy in teachers’ work as well as positive outcomes for their students?

The evaluation was conducted at the intersection of results from clinical IFS research that shows promising effects on mind (depression, anxiety), body (physical health conditions), and spirit (person resilience and self-concept) and from research on youth development that shows young people are more likely to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically in engaging environments rich with opportunities to develop positive relationships with supportive adults.

A number of tools were employed:

• Pre-program needs assessment

• Pre and post 25-item personal IFS assessment (based on the Lia DeLand Self Scale)

• On-going teacher journal submissions

• Mid-session survey (four months)

• Mid-point focus group (eight months) Post-participation survey of program experiences and personal and professional outcomes

• Post-participation key informant interview

• Action Research Project follow-up reflections

Overall, the evaluation of the pilot program, referred to locally as Inner Lives of Teachers, indicates that it was a highly positive experience—both because of the IFS Model and the facilitators’ design and approach. Impactful for participants, due to time investment and deep work, the experience is worth replicating and examining in more depth. Nearly all participants indicated a desire to continue the work in some capacity, either on their own as an informal cohort or with some support from their administrators and the program facilitators.

Overall, the evaluation of the pilot program indicates that it was a highly positive experience—both because of the IFS Model and the facilitators’ design and approach.

Key Post-Program Outcomes

School Environment. Teachers emphasized in the focus groups that they work in a very difficult, challenging field, with high burnout and high mobility (teachers switch schools frequently, whether by choice or not). Students come to school with numerous significant needs and increasingly those needs include addressing mental health issues. The IFS Model and this new experience gave them, they said, tools for better helping and supporting students, while also attending to their own self-care, something many of them have tended to neglect.

Teacher Outcomes. On a scale of 1-5 (5 the positive end), the average ratings for the experience were above 4 on both personal and professional impact. Teachers referred in their surveys to various outcomes: strengthened relationships with family and friends, increased comfort level in interactions with others, and having better boundaries. On the professional effect, they shared that they are now more patient and better understanding of other people’s perspectives; they are collaborating more with onsite counselors and other student support staff members, are hopeful about the school year that was about to begin, and have a newfound willingness to be vulnerable and open with students.

Teachers self-reported positive change. Among what they shared, they experienced:

• High satisfaction: “The chance to link teaching to areas of mental health and social emotional learning was invaluable. Contexts were given for many of the situations we teachers are dealing with daily.” They valued their new community and opportunities for learning and self-reflection.

• Expanded compassion and patience—in relation to students, families, and colleagues: “I’m far more patient and understanding and more temperate.” And, “I was pretty compassionate and patient before this work. I think [the experience] helped give me words and greater understanding.”

• Heightened curiosity about students and self: “Instead of jumping to conclusions or reacting to undesirable behaviors of students, I am now often able to think about what part of them is showing up and what does it need? Why is it here?” And, “The main bit of curiosity I had [about students] through the years was them as family members, sports teams, etc. Now I want to know their parts and how the parts fit together to be the person I have in my room.”

• Significantly increased confidence in abilities as educator, stating they are better able to remain calm in difficult situations and resolve conflict.

   

• Change in their perspective about students and judgment of others: “I’m seeing my interest in getting to know kids and understand their different parts is growing. Knowing that they’re complicated, different people (same as me!), I’m able to relate and understand them and get to know them better.” And, “I am more aware when I am getting triggered by a part of a student and able to relate it to my parts, which helps me self-calm and approach with compassion.”

Teachers took their learnings to the classroom in 10 different ways; below is a small sample. Evaluating the effects on the students is under consideration.

Here is a sample of what participating teachers are doing following the workshops to translate their experience into the classroom:

• Collaborate with a math teacher and behavior support staff to help students re-enter the learning environment.

• Teach students the Cs of compassion, calm, curiosity, connectedness, clarity, confidence, creativity and courage. The focus was on what it took to teach the big ideas as well as on how to “get the Cs into the classroom in order to have an environment where the Self drives the bus.”

• Strengthen ability to teach, model, and encourage resiliency by applying IFS concepts in the classroom and introduce concepts and vocabulary to students so that they can become more self-aware and start to put language to feelings, emotions, and actions.

• Develop a “minimal” lesson on parts and begin using the language with students. The goal was to diminish the frequency and/or duration of crisis situations involving three selected students.

• Keep a log of “how I am showing up to school each day as a teacher and a person.”

Supported by 169 target goals, the SDGs are driving a whole new movement of private and public organizations and agencies that recognize the critical nature of the work ahead on behalf of our planet, since “There’s no Planet B,” as stated by the UN.

All SDG’s appear connected to the work of the Foundation and our collective efforts as a community. Our priorities are most consistent with Goal 3.4 (promoting mental health and well-being) and 3.5 (preventing and treating substance abuse), for obvious reasons.

Our shared vision is also strongly aligned with Goal 4 (promoting a culture of peace and non-violence through education), which may be achieved, among other ways, by discovering and learning about Self leadership. We embrace SDG16 (Peace and Justice), knowing that inner peace is critical to facilitating conflict resolution, and SDG17 (Partnerships), since collective impact requires strong collaboration and coordination. Please see the SDG’s here.

It is within this context that Frank Anderson, MD, and Toufic Hakim, PhD, attended events at the United Nations, New York City, building on contacts initiated by Foundation Board Member, Mark Milton. These events were organized in conjunction with the launch of the 17 SDGs and the not-for-profit institute promoting them across our globe.

The first event, attended by both, was an annual summit on media and social impact. It showcased successful campaigns promoting change across a wide variety of human, social, and environmental causes; and featured conversations among individuals and organizations engaged in this work.

The second event, held during General Assembly week and attended by Toufic, was the launch of a new crypto-currency, Unify-Earth. An upgraded version of Block Chain, a secure public transaction ledger, was also announced. This version was designed to facilitate greater social engagement in a more transparent, fully accountable, and people-centered and led approach.

Participation in these events was for the purpose of seeking new partnerships to support the next phase of development for the Foundation’s global media campaign, tentatively referred to as “Take5”. The Campaign, with the aim to promote emotional fitness through a series of animated public service announcements, is being planned and managed by a joint venture between the Foundation and the

Swiss nonprofit, Education 4 Peace, which is founded and directed by Mark Milton.

Beyond the Campaign, the Foundation continues to seek building global connections and partnerships as it enters a new phase of development. It will vitalize such efforts, with the support of community volunteers. Sharayah Morrissey, LMFT, Global Outreach Associate, and Audrey Fernandez-Fraser, MDiv, LMSW, Social Media Coordinator, are engaged to help spark dialogues and build working relationships with like-minded (and like-hearted) international organizations. One such connection is with the Spirit of Humanity Forum, which Mark has been instrumental in establishing.

It is the hope that these new relationships will help to extend the visibility and strengthen credibility of the IFS Model, and broaden its accessibility at all levels, from individuals and families, to schools, corporations, and governments.

In an effort to increase efficiency and ease, as well as go paperless, CSL is engaged in IT optimization throughout all its operations. This will include effortless online registration, application, and payment processes. In addition, new graphic design, branding, and navigation on The CSL website will be rolled out in 2019. Stay tuned!

In March, CSL announced programs that were awarded assistance through their Organizational Training Program (OTP). As part of their mission to increase diversity and expand trainings, OTP will provide Level 1 training at reduced, or no cost to organizations and their

staff and volunteers who provide treatment services to marginalized and minority populations. Details on the OTP can be seen here. One example of recipients of the OTP assistance can be seen in OUTLOOK’s article, Increasing Diversity Inside and Outside of Marginalized Communities on page 6.

Due to popular demand, CSL is excited to host the Annual IFS Conference in 2019 in Denver, Colorado, for the first time. It will be held from September 26 - 28. For the past seven years, Providence, Rhode Island was home to the Annual Conference. The move

from the east coast to the mid-west will spread the travel and expense burden of community across the US. To sign up for the conference, visit The Center for Self Leadership’s website.

CSL continues its committed effort of a 50% increase of IFS Level 1 trainings in 2019 and another 50% increase for 2020. Accelerating the healing that IFS offers by providing more access to these trainings remains the core focus in the coming years. Many trainings have very long wait lists, as burgeoning demand in IFS persists.

Many members of our community continue to ask us how CSL and the Foundation are related.

The Foundation and The Center are two distinct organizations, with different organizational types (the Foundation, as an example, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit).

The two organizations have separate and independent legal, fiscal, and governance systems.

Yet they work together, as they must. After all, they share a similar name, a common vision, and a joint determination to facilitating Self-discovery and promoting Self leadership across the world.

Frank Anderson, MD

Osnat Arbel, PhD, LMFT

Einat Bronstein, MSW, LCSW

Chris Burris, LPC, LMFT

Ralph Cohen, PhD, LMFT

Cathy Curtis, LCSW

Rina Dubin, MEd

Michael Elkin, MEd, LMFT

Kay Gardner, MS, LCPC

Paul Ginter, EdD

Toni Herbine-Blank, MS, RN, C-SP

Steve Krantz, DSW, MSW, LCSW

Pamela Krause, MSW, LCSW

Mary Kruger, MS, LMFT

Susan McConnell, MA, CHT

Paul Neustadt, MSS, LICSW

Eva Orinsky, PÄD, DGSF, HPG

Mariel Pastor, MA, LMFT

Richard Schwartz, PhD

Ann Sinko, LMFT

Nancy Sowell, MSW, LICSW

Sarah Stewart, PhD

Cece Sykes, LCSW

Elizabeth Taeubert, MS, RN, LCSW

Jim Andralis, LCAT

Mona Barbera, PhD, CC

Fran Booth, LICSW

Toni Crossen, LMFT

Kevin Davis, LCSW, LMFT, LCAS

Mary DuParri, MA, LPC

Marushka Glissen, MEd, MSW, LICSW

Carol Graybeal, MSW, LCSW

Gretchen King, LMFT

Bill Nagahiro, PhD

Katelyn Staecker, LCSW

Toufic Hakim, PhD, current Executive Director

“My efforts with the Foundation continue to be largely a labor of love,” said Toufic. “I would not have missed this unique opportunity to give of my time, mind, and heart to contribute in a meaningful way to helping build a path to inner peace and better our shared world.”

“My colleagues on the volunteer board and I are very pleased to have steadily and deliberately reached this point in our development as a not-for-profit organization,” noted Board Chair, Harley Goldberg, DO. “We will be looking for the next seasoned executive to build on the successes achieved to date and lead the Foundation under the direction of our board during the next phase of growth.”

Harley singled out the efforts of two of his peers on the board: former Chair and Co-Executive and current Vice-Chair, Frank Anderson, MD, and, of course, current Executive Director and former Executive Advisor and Co-Executive, Toufic Hakim, PhD, “who have carried the lion’s share of the work that ensured our paced growth.” Both Frank and Toufic will continue serving on the board, and Toufic will remain fully engaged in supporting the executive search, providing executive counsel during the transition for at least six months.

“My efforts with the Foundation continue to be largely a labor of love,” said Toufic. “I would not have missed this unique opportunity to give of my time, mind, and heart to contribute in a meaningful way to helping build a path to inner peace and better our shared world.”

Toufic stated that he was “very fortunate indeed” to have been invited in 2012 to advise and assist in conceiving and growing the Foundation. He was appointed sole executive director by the board in January 2018 with the understanding that it would be a short-term engagement to solidify the operational infrastructure further and move the needle on new strategic priorities.

He added, “Together, we have achieved a long list of outcomes in such a short time. It is inspiring to work collaboratively, day in and day out, with a dedicated group of staff and volunteer associates.” He expressed how “proud and privileged” he was to call himself a member of this “welcoming community” and will do everything in his capacity to ensure a smooth transition and stay involved.

“A few challenges persist before us, to be sure,” he further stressed. “We have the passion and programs, ideas and innovative abilities; ensuring a steady and large stream of funding remains critical to our sustainability.” The Foundation has a “long road ahead in terms of expanding independent research engagement and advocacy work within and beyond psychotherapy,” according to Harley. Both see an expansive, diverse landscape of societal needs and possibilities ready to be served and explored by the Foundation.

candidates to manage the organization over the next phase, strengthening its funding base and extending its organizational effectiveness, community relations, and global leadership. The comprehensive search document can be found here.

EXECUTIVE SEARCH DETAILS & SELECTION PROCESS

The Foundation seeks a unique individual to grow its funding, manage its operations, and extend its reach, with direction and guidance from a volunteer board of directors. The executive director position will be a half-time, paid position.

The incoming executive director will be selected through a rigorous, confidential review and screening process involving a search committee that will conduct the screening and initial interviews. Final selection will be made by the board. The executive function’s charge and responsibilities are to:

• Effectively build a strong and sustainable funding base for the organization as one of the highest priorities ahead;

• Soundly and accountably manage a lean operation by inspiring and steadily guiding the work of staff and volunteer associates while enhancing the efficiency of existing operational and fiscal systems and processes;

• Consistently deepen relationships with a growing community of IFS practitioners and individual donors and foster existing and new collaborations with partnering organizations, The Center for Self Leadership among them;

• Successfully oversee and expand branding efforts and public communication, including the semi-annual OUTLOOK magazine, digital communiqués, and social media activities;

• Effectively lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of strategic programs designed to cohesively and synergistically advance the Foundation’s mission.

The ideal candidate will have relevant experiences in organizational leadership, executive management, and/or development with a track record for achieving results; proven qualities of servant, collaborative, and creative leadership; community-building abilities; emotional maturity and a commitment to personal growth; an entrepreneurial spirit and a can-do attitude; a global outlook; and a passion for making a positive difference in people’s lives (further details below). It is further anticipated that the selected executive director will seek to gain deeper understanding of, and personal experience with, the IFS Model over time.

The successful candidate is expected to start on or around July 1, 2019, serving in a half-time capacity (equivalent to a 20-hour-per-week engagement) during the first year. The prospective executive will direct and oversee the performance of a small team of paid and volunteer staff and be the only member of the organization’s staff reporting directly to the board of directors. Given the wide dispersal of staff and volunteer associates and board members, the new executive may operate from any geographic location, assuming full access to video technology.

Applications, which include a cover letter addressing a series of questions, a résumé, and references must be received at Executive- Search@FoundationIFS.org by April 30, 2019. Process details and essential and desired qualifications of competitive candidates are listed explicitly in the search document. Members of the IFS community are invited to share this information broadly within their network.

Circle of Visionaries:

Anonymous Funding Source

Josh and Meggan Guberman

The Center for Self Leadership

Circle of Luminaries:

Abram and Walter D. Cohen

Foundation /Joanne Cohen-Katz,

PhD, Trustee

Fagen Family Fund Michelle Glass

Harley and Miriam Goldberg

Circle of Advocates:

Steven Ball

Toufic Hakim and Robyn Rajs

Brenda J. Hollingsworth

Pamela Krause

Vicki McCoy

Jim Mulroy

Michele Quesenberry

Glen Reinl

Shepard Family Foundation

Circle of Stewards:

Tanis Jo Allen

AmazonSmile Frank Anderson

Linda Anderson

Danae Ashley

Barbara Bennett

Nancy F. Berkowitz

Karen Berman

Lisa Bertucci

Wende C. Birtch

Jamie T. Bloom

Evan Bollinger

Fran Booth

Sabine Boots

Nancy Bravman

Arlene Brennan

Padmani Brown and David Luedtke

Dorie Cameron and Rick Felty

Marta Chaussee

Mary Ellen Cirelli

Ralph Cohen

Greg Collins

Maryann Connolly

Michael Crespi

Randi Cutler

Kimberly DaHarb

Elizabeth Davenport

Marjorie Davis

Kathleen de Boer

Lia Deland

Vivian Dent

Ann Drouilhet

Deirdre Fay

Michele Fishel

Amy Fitzpatrick

Kelly and Julie Gaule-Clarke

Melissa Greenwell

Dana Gillispie

Paul Ginter

RueAnn Glass

Kim Gordon

Carol Graybeal

Cathie Gum

Lea Hakim

Gail Hardenbergh

Shelley Hartz

Suzanna Hillegass

Christine Holle

Nicola Hollings

Marilyn Hunt

Bridgette A. Huntley

Ken Jaeger

Brian Jaudon

Tulasi Jordan

Molly Kellogg

Donna and Saul Kerpelman

Laura Leslie

Tonya Lester

Barbara Levine

Kirsten Lundeberg

Tracy MacNab

Carl and Karin Marcus

Eva Markham

Teri McCann

Mark Milton

Arthur Mones

Joan L. Murphy

Roberta Omin

Donald Paine

Gene D. Palmer

Mariel Pastor

Ilpa Patel

Sue Perry

Leslie Helen Petruk

Lena Plamondon

Richard Podlesnik

Jessica Reed

Lynne Reveno

Patricia Rich

Ted Riskin

Pamela Rodriguez

Cindy Rosenbaum

Lawrence Rosenburg

Jonathan Rubenstein

Guthrie Sayen

Jeri Schroeder

Timothy Schuback

Ann Sinko

Jill Stanzler-Katz

Mary Steege

Elissa Stein

The San Francisco Foundation

Lindsa Vallee

Janet Weathers and

Ronald Cobb Family Fund

Kathy Weiner

Gary Whited

Catherine Winikates

Carol Wolf

William Yakowicz

Yvette Yeager

Edward Yeats

Susan Zeichner

Anonymous*

Circle of Supporters:

Susan E. Aeschbach

Jory Agate

Mona Barbera

Clare Brown

Cheryl Congrove

Kathy Cox

Donna Dallal-Ferne

Irina Diyankova

Rina Dubin

Dianne Dugan-Richards

Daniel Fermin, Jr.

Audrey Fernandez-Fraser

Stan Einhorn

Meri Fox

Kira Freed

Full Circle Counseling

Bette Galen

Carol Gillen

Ellen Harmansky

Theresa Hoffmann

Mark R. Hurwich

Kristina Kartheiser

Sam Kifer

Lara Krawchuk

Grant Leitheiser

Richard Levinson

Dana Lindsay

Ken Mackie

Lynne E. Mancinelli

Pat Manny

David Marks

Erin Metz

Tish Miller

Mary Mitrovich

Dan Morley

Patricia MU

Charles Murphy

Kevin Ogle and

Carol Ann Siciliano

Virginia O’Toole

Camille Palombo

Marije Paternotte

Peder Poulsen

Andrew Purchin

Pamela Riordan

Michi Rose

Dana Rosenstein

Lisa Saile

Ann Semich

Jennifer Shields

Laura Silverstein

Leslie Simmings

Miles Simmons

Linda Singer

Pamela Smith

Glenn Strait

Judy Strumbell

The Humanist Society of Concord

Angela Trainor

Christiana and Daniel Wall

Ellen Weaver

Gale West

Mitchell Wood

Jennifer Wortham

Sherry Zitter

Anonymous*

*At the Annual IFS Conference we received a few donations without names. Should you be one of them and wish to be acknowledged, please contact us at Outreach@FoundationIFS.org.

Posters. Put one up in your office or place it in the lobby or behind you when you’re on your video session. Use it as a prompt for you or your client. (Specs: 18x24 Cultivate Self Leadership poster, depicting the 8Cs)

Greeting Cards. Use them to write notes for clients, friends, or family. Give them as gifts. (Specs: 4.25x5.5 set of 8, one for each C, blank on the inside; “Find a way to peace & harmony. Discover Self.” on back.)

At the Conference this past November, Foundation Friday began before the plenary where Executive Director, Toufic Hakim, PhD, engaged attendees with an enlivening address about recent Foundation highlights including the status of the pilot teacher program in Minneapolis, the status of the complex trauma study, both funded by the Foundation, and the Take5 Campaign (see excerpts of his address on page 11). He then debuted one of our two short videos, The Gift of Self-Discovery, created in partnership with Jen Kleiner, MFA, CPLC. You can read more about both videos on page 18.

Following the day’s IFS workshops, the Foundation hosted an evening reception where board members anchored one of four Islands of Discovery, allowing the community to take home a deeper understanding of each of the Foundation’s current ongoing efforts and successes. Research “island” featured the success of the pilot complex trauma study ready for publication and the physiology study nearing completion, both funded by the Foundation; IFS in Schools “island” highlighted the first program for IFS in schools, sponsored by the Foundation, which has completed and is being expanded; Advocacy “island” focused on our efforts to bring IFS to military veterans in a number of ongoing ways (see the article on page 8); and Community Connections “island” spotlighted the Take5 Campaign as it enters a new phase of development: seeking funding and athletes, with the contract with Pixar now signed. Donations were accepted at each island, where the community generously contributed $7,788 towards further Foundation endeavors.

Meanwhile, videographer Michael Thompson, Joanna Larson, MA, EdS, LMFT, and Jill Stanzler-Katz, MSW, BCD, LICSW, captured interviews of IFS Stories of Transformation at a video booth—some of which may be featured in upcoming editions of OUTLOOK. In addition, many community members signed up as volunteers to promote IFS and partake in future Foundation engagements. Foundation mugs, greeting cards, and posters featuring the IFS 8Cs, entitled Cultivate SELF Leadership, were available for purchase at the CSL bookstore. Greeting cards and posters are now available on the CSL website. Please see page 36 for more details.

Past Foundation Friday events include:
2013—Formal Gala—Generated $11,300;

2014—Formal Gala—Generated $13,875;

2015—The first Silent Auction—Generated $12,600
(in addition to general donations of $11,134, for a
total conference amount of $23,724);

2016—Silent Auction–Generated $14,380
(in addition to general donations of $6,589,
for a total conference amount of $20,970); and

2017—Reception and Gallery Walk, with the
MyIntent bracelet gift—Generated $6,136

Introducing New Foundation Associates and Staff

The Foundation is delighted to present to the community three new volunteer associates and staff members who have joined our growing team. Their energy, talent, and commitment significantly extend the delivery and reach of our mission. We are grateful for their engagement. Please welcome Shaun Dempsey, PhD; Sharayah Morrissey, LMFT; and Audrey Fernandez-Fraser, LCSW, MDiv.

Shaun Dempsey, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, joins the Foundation team as OUTLOOK’s first Assistant Editor. Shaun, a Certified IFS Therapist in full-time private practice in North Queensland, Australia, specializes in working with adults who have experienced complex trauma related to childhood abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. Shaun, who began IFS in 2016 with the IFS Online Circle and completed Levels 1 and 2 in 2018, provides supervision for experienced clinicians around complex cases.

“I’m delighted to be able to contribute to OUTLOOK’s publication and, through that, hope to be a small part of community building for IFS in Australia and internationally.”

As Assistant Editor, Shaun contributes many of our feature articles as well as engages in the review and dissemination process. As OUTLOOK expands, his efforts will ensure our continued growth. (OUTLOOK has naturally evolved from twelve pages to fourty-four pages and counting over the past nine editions. Perhaps we’ll be a full-fledged magazine one day.) “I’m very excited about my new role as assistant editor and am already

enjoying the opportunity to meet and talk with interesting people who are highly IFS-focused,” Shaun shares. “I’m delighted to be able to contribute to OUTLOOK’s publication and, through that, hope to be a small part of community building for IFS in Australia and internationally.” While not helping his clients, working, or writing for OUTLOOK, Shaun enjoys riding his bike, hanging out in the bush, and dodging the summertime heat by swimming with his wife and two young children. Shaun may be contacted at Shaun@FoundationIFS.org.

Sharayah Morrissey, LMFT, serves as Global Outreach Associate in a volunteer capacity.Sharayah is a bilingual behavioral health clinician in a private practice who works with individuals and families in Waterbury, CT. She learned about IFS during her graduate program at Central Connecticut State University with Ralph Cohen, PhD, LMFT, and upon graduating in 2013 was inspired to work toward applying these concepts on a global level to address international conflict.

“The most magical moments for me are those Self-to-Self connections with others, when words and fears fall away and there is nothing left but awareness and love.”

In her new role, Sharayah hopes to facilitate connections between the Foundation and other international organizations to further promote global awareness and application of the IFS Model. “I am particularly fond of IFS because of its relevance in addressing the overlapping features of trauma, attachment challenges, emotional dysregulation, and internal and interpersonal conflict, which contribute to the ongoing challenges of today’s society,” she explains. “The most magical moments for me are those Self-to- Self connections with others, when words and fears fall away and there is nothing left but awareness and love.” Sharayah recently mapped correlations between the Foundation’s missions and the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and its 169 related targets. See the article Partnering for Global Self Leadership on page 24 for more details. She spends most of her free time with her wife and recently adopted son and engages in foreign languages, music, dance, martial arts, sports, hiking, traveling, and devouring books about IFS and related concepts when not working. Sharayah may be contacted at Sharayah@FoundationIFS.org.

Audrey Fernandez-Fraser, LCSW, MDiv, serves as Social Media Coordinator in a volunteer capacity.Audrey is a therapist currently practicing at Downtown Psychiatric Group in Lower Manhattan, providing weekly therapy to approximately 35 individuals and couples of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds alongside more than 40 other therapists, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners. She learned IFS in 2009 when her therapist began using its concepts, which inspired her to take Level 1 in 2016 with Ralph Cohen, PhD, LMFT, and Ann Sinko, LMFT.

As part of her new role with the Foundation, Audrey will be running two Twitter accounts: (1) an internal one for the community to share developments about the Foundation, and (2) an externally facing one through which we may share broader messages and engage in thought leadership. Audrey and Sharayah will collaborate on identifying organizations to follow or court for the latter. Audrey is fascinated with the intersections and unions between disparate parts, people, modalities, and cultures, having been raised in a multicultural household and discovering various passionately and (ostensibly) conflicting opinions among her internal parts.

“My intellectual, religious, skeptical, gregarious, therapeutic, and activist parts, to name a few, are thrilled at the opportunity to forge new connections, conversations, and potential collaborations between the IFS community and like-minded people in other modalities, cultures, and walks of life,” she declares. Audrey aspires to bring Self energy to the Twitterverse through appreciation of protective efforts, expressions of compassion toward the downtrodden and exiled among us, and curious questions far and wide, along with some good Self-led memes. Audrey can be reached at Audrey@FoundationIFS.org, where she welcomes suggestions for Twitter outreach. Follow her efforts on Twitter at @FoundationIFS and @FriendsofIFS, and tweet back!__MLG

The Foundation’s Gifts Acceptance Policy, as approved by the board in April 2017

Preamble. The Foundation for Self Leadership aspires to the highest ideals of social harmony and peace. We work to help build a future in which individuals have discovered and learned to tap Self leadership through self-awareness and emotional connection toward achieving overall well-being and peaceful interactions with others. We endeavor through our work to help build communities in which individuals live together with mutual trust, exhibiting respect and kindness toward each other. We also share a commitment to living, as humans, in harmony with our natural environment, cognizant of the scarcity of natural resources,

the rights of future generations to inherit a healthy planet, and the value of sharing our collective home with other nonhuman species.

It is within this context that our mission unfolds and that we accept gifts from individuals and organizations to help advance our mission when they are aligned with the values above.

Policy. Beyond cash donations, the Foundation will accept gifts of equity stocks, real estate, artwork, and transportation vehicles, among other gifts. The Foundation’s Gifts Acceptance Policy states that all the gifted assets may be liquidated as soon as possible following their receipt.

Furthermore, the Foundation reserves the right not to accept any gifts if its board concludes that such

gifts are not consistent with the Foundation’s ideals or if there is a high likelihood that accepting them would exert undue financial pressure on or unreasonable effort by the Foundation, especially if such gifts do not appear to be readily or affordably cashable.

Since the Foundation is a U.S.- incorporated 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, cash donations to the Foundation can be tax deductible to the full extent of applicable laws, in the U.S. or other countries as pertinent, when there is no exchange of goods for services. Non-cash donations may also be tax-deductible based on their fair market value, with appraisals being the responsibility of the donors.

"My wife and I are interested in supporting organizations that truly address the root cause of issues impacting the world we live in."

Why do you donate to the Foundation?

“My wife and I are interested in supporting organizations that truly address the root cause of issues impacting the world we live in. We wholeheartedly agree with the power and efficacy of IFS and the possibility of bringing about peace to our world by first looking within. We are excited about the possibilities of what will happen when we bring the notions of IFS to others, especially children and our veterans. As both of our fathers were veterans, we are especially aligned to organizations addressing the needs of our service members.

We support the Foundation on a monthly basis because, first of all, it is so easy! I entered our payment information once, and that’s it! We also believe it’s important for nonprofits to have some confidence in knowing what revenue they will receive on a monthly basis, allowing them more time to focus on other things such as programming.”

Kelly and Julie Gaule-Clark Winthrop, MA

JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

We are your Foundation. The Foundation is yours. Be counted as an active member of our growing caring global community. Foster compassionate Self leadership with your support. Impart the wisdom of IFS and advance the work of the Foundation to those in your circle. It takes a village, please join our efforts!

To receive our new OUTLOOK Shorts, a brief periodic communiqué to keep abreast of a wide range of developments around IFS and our community, please complete the form.

OUTLOOK is an occasional magazine that the Foundation for Self Leadership publishes to share news relevant to IFS, the IFS community, and developments relating to the Foundation. It is not intended to appear solely and passively in the conventional print mode; rather, it is designed to interface with the Foundation’s social media and online platforms. Nor is it a venue for sending information out; it is envisioned more as an attempt to generate discussions within the community around issues and ideas of general interest and great impact.

The ultimate purpose of OUTLOOK is to support the Foundation’s mission of promoting the notion and agency of Self leadership. By naming it OUTLOOK, we hope it stands as a reminder that IFS is at once an external as much as an internal peace-seeking model, while holding a far-reaching view of the future.

The Foundation is grateful to Advisor and Publisher Toufic Hakim, PhD; Editor Michelle Glass, BA; and Assistant Editor Shaun Dempsey, PhD, who play key roles in its production; Sylvia Miller for layout and graphic design; Joshua Lisojo, MS, for online content; and Kira Freed, MA, LPC; Karen Locke, MA; and Laura Taylor, JD, for proofreading.

Founded in the early 1980’s by family therapist and author Richard Schwartz, PhD, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy suggests that the “inner self” is not a single persona but rather a complex system of distinct parts (thoughts, feelings, and beliefs), each with its own viewpoints, desires and agendas.

The main agenda of these parts is to protect us from inner pain generated through developmental and life traumas. The Model rejects psychopathology and posits that there is an undamaged Self with healing attributes that is at the core of each individual, even in the presence of extreme behavior.

The Model continues to generate growing interest among psychotherapists and practitioners outside the realm of psychotherapy, where it promises a myriad of applications simply as a thought process. Thousands of practitioners have been trained in IFS through a rigorous training program, administered by The Center for Self Leadership; and tens of thousands of therapy clients and workshop attendees have experienced personal transformations through the IFS paradigm.

Internal Family SystemsSM and IFSSM are service marks of The Center for Self Leadership. Read more about IFS at here.

About the
Foundation

The Foundation for Self Leadership is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization registered in Illinois, USA. Its global mission is to advance IFS research, promote the IFS Model far and wide within and beyond psychotherapy, and increase access to IFS trainings through scholarships, especially among groups with limited financial ability.

The board and the Foundation’s executive function are supported by a number of associates and volunteers:

Daniel Fermin, part-time Financial Controller; Anne Eberhardt, Dipl-Psych, Operational Associate (Volunteer); Kelly Gaule, Development Advisor/ Associate; Michelle Glass, BA (Certified IFS Practitioner), Editor of OUTLOOK and Stewardship Associate; Shaun Dempsey, PhD, Assistant Editor of OUTLOOK; Audrey Fernandez-Fraser, LCSW, MDiv, Social Media Coordinator (Volunteer); Sharayah Morrissey, LMFT, Global Outreach Associate (Volunteer); Michele Bruce and Ilpa Patel, MPA, part-time Administrative Staff; and Joshua Lisojo, MS, Website Programmer and Developer.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Harley Goldberg, DO; Physician Executive,
Kaiser Permanente, USA; Chair (2021)

Frank G. Anderson, MD; Practicing Psychiatrist and Certified
IFS Therapist, USA; Vice Chair and Director of Research
Development; Clinical Supervisor for IFS Research
Studies (2021)

Lester Fagen, MA, JD; Partner in Boston Office
of Cooley, LLP, USA (2020)

Toufic Hakim, PhD; Senior Managing Principal, Group i&i
Consultancy, USA; Executive Director; Publisher of
OUTLOOK & Other Print/Online Media Content (2019)

Pamela Krause, LCSW, Lead IFS Trainer,
in Private Practice, USA (2019)

Vicki McCoy, MA, President, McCoy Communications
and Training, USA (2020)

Mark Milton, Founding Director, Education 4 Peace,
Switzerland (2020)