Episode 16: Internal Family Systems and Psychedelics with Dick Schwartz
“And now 40 years later, thousands of parts and thousands of people using this all over the world, we can safely say that Self is in everybody; it can’t be damaged, it knows how to heal, and it is just beneath the surface of these parts…and psychedelics seem to have a way to access that pretty quickly.”
Welcome to Integrating Psychedelics, featuring insights gleaned from psychedelic experiences and conversations around how to integrate this wisdom into our daily lives. I'm your host, Jenny Weinar, and in today's episode I'm speaking with Dick Schwartz.
Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. He is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, and has published five books, including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model. Dick lives with his wife Jeanne near Chicago, close to his three daughters and his growing number of grandchildren.
In this conversation we discuss::
How listening to his patients led Dick to develop the therapeutic model of Internal Family Systems
How IFS is fundamentally different than most other paradigms for understanding the psyche
The role of inner child parts in the IFS framework
The goals of IFS and how it differs from mindfulness
How parts work fits naturally with psychedelics
The problem with the concept of ego dissolution
The relationship of IFS to set, setting and psychedelic facilitators
My personal experience incorporating IFS with ketamine
Why parts work is helpful for people who seemingly don’t respond to the medicine
How the inner work of IFS extends to social justice and the world at large
Why it’s vital to follow up with parts even after healing has occurred
Dick’s vision for the future of IFS
...and more!
You can learn more about IFS and purchase books by Dick Schwartz on the IFS Institute website.
You can connect with me on Instagram, through my website and very occasional newsletter. In addition to providing Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy in Philadelphia, I offer Psychedelic Integration Therapy to residents of Pennsylvania, Colorado and New Jersey.
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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice. Please do your research about the legality and safety of any substance you are considering using and make the most informed choice possible for your unique situation and self.