Psychedelic Medicine & Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
A clinical skills manual
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) holds incredible promise for mental health, but without a clear framework, it can be risky, confusing, and even unsafe.
This book provides that framework by integrating PAT with Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy – a model that is uniquely suited to the multiplicity and intensity of the psychedelic state. Drawing on decades of clinical practice and research, the authors offer step-by-step guidance for every phase of the psychedelic journey, from preparation to dosing to integration.
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
- Create a safe, therapeutic “set and setting”
- Negotiate with protector parts to reduce backlash
- Reduce the risk of “bad trip” reactions
- Navigate the effects, risks, and contraindications of key psychedelics (ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin, ayahuasca)
- Support clients through intense or confusing journeys
- Guide clients in translating insights into lasting change
- Honor the Indigenous roots of psychedelic medicine and practice ethically
Whether you’re new to IFS and PAT or an experienced clinician, this book is the blueprint you need to collaborate with the psyche and help clients access their innate healing wisdom.
Note: This product is not affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify toward IFS Institute credits or IFS Institute certification.
Excerpts From IFS Health Therapy: Treating Trauma-Related Physical Illness & Toxic Stress
What We Listen for and Talk About in IFS Health Therapy
In addition to listening for shame and blame, as well as stressful experiences that can have a negative effect on parts and the body, we also listen for a legacy of family trauma or chaos. A history of dysregulated family, cultural, and social systems can cause ongoing autonomic dysregulation. Protectors work hard to handle or combat the dysregulation in their environment—and the more pain these external systems inflict, the more they look outward for help and solutions. While this makes sense, instability in the client’s own internal system is the driving force behind their distress. Internal processes are the engine of despair and need to be addressed first. Despair arises from, on one hand, disconnection from the Self, and on the other hand, from past frightening, shaming, or physically painful experiences that live on inside and are easily evoked by similar experiences in the present.(pg. 39)
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Rather than defining autism as a series of deficits or lack of connections, neurologist Bergenfield and psychotherapist Sweezy make a convincing case for it being a collection of differences and a surplus of connections. Bergenfield, who was diagnosed with autism at age 50, shares amazing firsthand insights into how her mind works. With messages coming from every direction—every sound, taste, smell, touch—the brain, trying very hard to predict what will happen, can easily become overwhelmed. Routines, repetitive motions, and reruns can all help the autistic person adapt. The authors introduce and adapt the concept of IFS (Internal Family Systems)—that the mind consists of interacting parts—for autistic thinkers. They describe ways that autistic people can function in neurodiverse relationships, including marriage and parenting. Diagnosis is seen as a relief and a pathway to understanding behaviors. While the explanations are fairly complex, autistic readers and the non-autistic people who interact with them (aka everyone) will be enlightened by this positive approach that includes both the challenges and the bonuses of the condition.
This is a groundbreaking and compassionate book, weaving together neuroscience, sensory experience, personal experience, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to shine a powerful new light on autism. With insight and warmth, the authors illuminate the inner landscape of sensory surplus and show how embracing every part of oneself can lead to healing, integration, and self-trust. A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper, kinder understanding of neurodiversity—from the inside out.Wired to Feel offers a deeply personal and compassionate exploration of the autistic experience through Sarah Bergenfield’s journey as a late-diagnosed woman. Bergenfield and Sweezy present a groundbreaking reframe of autism—viewing sensory overwhelm not as deficit but as an abundance of connection with the world. This fresh perspective has the potential to transform the field. Essential reading for anyone seeking to better understand autism from the inside out!
Psychedelic therapies invite profound healing experiences, and the quality of therapeutic support matters deeply. Under the influence of psychedelics, people spontaneously start talking about their parts. By weaving Internal Family Systems therapy into psychedelic practice, this book honors the intuitive way the psyche often reveals itself during these journeys. It offers clinicians a humane and sophisticated road map for navigating complex inner landscapes and stands as a timely and valuable contribution to the next chapter of psychedelic medicine.
This book is a long-awaited primer on what experienced psychedelic therapists have discovered over decades: working with parts in the IFS framework in psychedelic therapy is one of the most potent approaches to healing trauma. The authors offer a compassionate, grounded road map for clinicians and seekers alike to understand how psychedelic medicine and IFS can work in concert to unlock profound healing and inner freedom. This is an important, timely, and deeply humane contribution to the future of psychotherapy and human potential