Beyond Technique: Advanced Clinical Applications of IFS in Trauma Healing

Please note that all registrations have to be paid in full before the event takes place - otherwise you will miss out on receiving the Zoom link (this is usually sent two days before the event takes place). 

This event will be recorded for all those who are registered on the day. Recording is available for three weeks.

This advanced 2-hour training is designed for clinicians already familiar with the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model who wish to deepen their trauma-informed applications using the neurobiological framework developed by Dr. Frank Anderson.

Through an integration of current research, case-based teaching, and practical exercises, participants will explore how to navigate complex trauma systems, access Self-energy in challenging cases, and apply culturally sensitive, neuroscience-informed techniques. The workshop emphasizes safety, containment, and pacing, while honoring each client’s unique inner system.

Participants will also engage in guided reflection and live demonstrations to enhance their ability to work with protectors and exiles in real-time clinical scenarios. This session includes emerging research around IFS and psychedelic-assisted therapy, as well as a focus on legacy burdens and systemic trauma.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Apply Internal Family Systems strategies to complex trauma presentations, including polarized systems and legacy burdens.
2. Incorporate recent neuroscience and trauma research into their clinical use of IFS, including Dr. Frank Anderson’s integration of vagal tone, implicit memory, and trauma dynamics.
3. Demonstrate advanced clinical techniques for building trust with protective parts and engaging Self-energy in high-intensity trauma systems.
4. Describe culturally informed ways to address systemic trauma, legacy burdens, and diverse internal systems using IFS-informed language and approach.

PRESENTER; FRANK ANDERSON

Frank Anderson, MD, is a world-renowned trauma expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist and global speaker. He is the co-author of the IFS Skills Training Manual (2017), acclaimed best-selling author of Transcending Trauma (2021) and newly released memoir, To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Trauma and Transformation (2024). Dr Anderson has a long affiliation with Bessel van der Kolk at the Trauma Research Foundation and is a lead trainer at the IFS Institute under Richard Schwartz. He is passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with cutting edge models of therapy.

Dr. Anderson believes that traumatic events can have a lasting effect on the health and well-being of individuals and that addressing these events will help lead people down a path of love, connection and unity. He is the director and cofounder of the Trauma Institute (traumainstitute.com) and Trauma-Informed Media (trauma-informedmedia.com), organizations that provide educational resources and promote trauma awareness. As a result of his early childhood experiences and personal journey transformation, he is dedicated to bringing more trauma healing to the world. He splits his time between Boston and Los Angeles where he lives with his husband and two sons. Follow him at FrankAndersonMD.com and on Instagram at frank_andersonmd.