Newsletter Archive

Healing and recovery, whether from trauma, addiction, illness, or emotional pain, are deeply personal journeys. While many people think of healing as an individual effort, the truth is...

I've been practicing internal family systems (IFS) for over two years now and have made considerable progress in understanding and caring for my system. Actually, as I reflect back, it's really been more like four years in total, although...

As the calendar turns over into a new year, I am choosing a different path than usual. Rather than following the trend to set resolutions and get myself geared up for a list of new things, I am following nature's example in this winter season and enjoying some rest...

Grieving often seems easier to understand when a loved one has passed away, but what about when we have lost someone that is still living? Perhaps it was the end of a romantic relationship or a rupture with a close friend. And what about a loss that we may have chosen like...

The one constant thing in life is change and all change involves loss of some kind—letting go of what was in favor of what is becoming. Even though what we give up in the process of change may be something we are happy to let go of, it is loss nonetheless—and every loss involves grief...

The body is the house that our parts and Self live in, and it serves as a means of communication between the internal system and the outside world. It allows us to express outwardly what we think and feel inwardly...

The IFS model recognizes that our psyches or personalities are comprised of an “internal family” of different parts, sometimes called subpersonalities or ego states. Like a family member, each part has its own opinions, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, memories, points of view, beliefs, motives, assumptions, and perspectives about the world...

There were several changes within the PATH leadership in 2023, which left the Board of Directors with three members, Achara Tarfa, David Kerwin and Laura Lively. This small but mighty team has worked to provide Self-leadership for PATH as it navigates changing seasons and also to determine the road ahead for the organization...

In the United States, during the month of June we have a holiday set aside to celebrate fatherhood – a role within the family that is traditionally associated with protecting and providing security and safety (both financial and physical)...

The month of May has a day set aside to celebrate mothers. While some people are experiencing joy and gratitude during this holiday, there are also people that may experience grief and sadness. I for one have a mix of emotions present and this holiday brings to mind a book that...

We are holistic beings of a body, mind, heart, and spirit that interact to create who we are. One basic assumption of the IFS model is that the mind's true nature is divided into several subpersonalities or ego states, called parts. These parts interact with an aspect of ourselves called Self...

When I was growing up, I would spend summers with my grandparents. I remember myself as a kid playing on the cold concrete steps that led to their den. I remember the stickiness of the vinyl covering on the sofa that clung to my legs, especially when it was hot. I remember...

We have ushered in a new year and are preparing for the change in nature's seasons from winter to spring. Although change is often said to be the one constant thing in life, it can still be uncomfortable and even activating for certain parts as it brings uncertainty and a variety of thoughts and emotions...

“I've never been good at meditating. I just can't make my brain stop!” This is what one of my parts thought for a long time after listening to all the experts repeatedly tout meditation as the answer to everything. It's true that...

The holidays can bring with them a wide range of emotions, memories and activities. And the sensory aspects—sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and sensations—can further amplify the experience and may very well activate certain parts. Many people experience some form of anxiety and/or depression around holidays, which can be related to...