Step One
Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists
2 Day Live Experiential Workshop
This is a 13 hour introductory course for mental health professionals.
It is not an integration course! It is an introduction to IFS.
It provides the experiential background in IFS required as preparation for our integration courses; Syzygy Steps Two and Three.
And it can be taken by mental health professionals without EMDR training who are interested in an experiential introduction to IFS.
Alternative Time Zone Offerings
US Eastern *
US Pacific **
Europe/London***
Shabbat-friendly schedule^
In-person workshops are listed in local time of venue.
UPCOMING STEP ONE schedule - REGISTER
*7/25 & 26, 2024 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Introduction to IFS 2-day with Crystal Whitlow / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time) SOLD OUT!
*8/22 & 23, 2024 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Introduction to IFS 2-day with Beau Laviolette / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time) SOLD OUT!
*9/19 & 20, 2024 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Introduction to IFS 2-day with Jenn Pagone & Tina Taylor / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time) SOLD OUT!
*10/24 & 25, 2024 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Introduction to IFS 2-day with Beau Laviolette / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time) SOLD OUT!
*11/7 & 8, 2024 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Introduction to IFS 2-day with Crystal Whitlow and Nancy Simons / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time) SOLD OUT!
*1/30 & 1/31/25 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists 2-day Experiential with Michelle Richardson & Elizabeth Venart / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time)
*2/6 & 2/7/25 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists 2-day Experiential with Nancy Simons & Jenn Pagone / Online / 9:00am - 4:30pm (US Eastern Time)
*2/20 & 2/21/25 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists 2-day Experiential with Crystal Whitlow / Online / 8:30am - 4:00pm (US PACIFIC Time)
*3/7 & 8, 2025 (Friday & Saturday) IN PERSON - Step One: Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists 2-day Experiential with Tina Taylor & Nancy Simons in Louisville, Kentucky / 9:00am - 5:00pm (US Eastern Time) Venue information can be found on our In Person Louisville, KY page
**3/13 & 3/14/25 (Thursday & Friday) - Step One: Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists 2-day Experiential with Beau Laviolette / Online / 8:30am - 4:00pm (US PACIFIC Time)
This is an introductory experiential IFS course.
An interactive 13 hour live online course for mental health professionals who treat individuals with a trauma history.
Designed for the EMDR therapist preparing for our IFS-Informed EMDR courses.
Of course, since it focuses predominantly on teaching the basics of IFS, non-EMDR therapists are welcome and will benefit as well.
Participants must attend the course in its entirety and complete a course evaluation to earn CE credit.
What you will learn:
EMDR has long had concerns related to dissociation, defenses, and complexity. Ego state therapy in various forms has been highly recommended by notable leaders in the EMDR and trauma treatment field as a necessary adjunct. IFS is becoming widely known for its systemic, relational, non-pathologizing features.
In IFS, ego states are parts are embedded in an adaptive and protective system and can be guided by a (higher) Self, which is qualitatively different from those parts. The Self is capable of healing burdened, stuck, wounded, or extreme/symptomatic parts through its energetic presence in a healing relationship. Self-Energy, a product of Self-Presence has a healing effect on such parts.
Participants will be introduced to the assumptions and basic concepts of the model via powerpoint lecture, and then shown the process in volunteer demo sessions, followed by practice sessions in the roles of therapist and client, coached by an experienced Guide. There is a 3-1 participant-to-Guide ratio in the course.
Read up, and be prepared.
You should be familiar with IFS basic concepts from reading, prior workshops, or your own personal IFS therapy to optimally benefit from this course. A bibliography is available below. With participants having that preparation, lectures can be short and experiential learning from live volunteer demos and Guide-supported practice sessions can be optimized.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:
1. Describe concerns about using the EMDR Standard Protocol without additional knowledge and skills.
2. Identify the unique advantages of IFS as an Ego State model for use in combination with EMDR.
3. Explain the makeup of parts and how IFS gathers information about parts as targets for processing.
4. Identify the three categories of parts in IFS.
5. List at least 8 unique qualities of the Self in IFS.
6. Discuss what blending with a part is, and the IFS process of unblending.
7. Explain what the IFS therapist does when a part won’t unblend.
8. Describe Witnessing and list the 6 F’s of Witnessing in IFS.
9. Explain the IFS concept of burdens.
10. Describe the two components of a Protector’s Positive Intention.
11. Recite the 3 ingredients of “Special Sauce” IFS witnessing ‘cadence comments’ and explain their importance in witnessing.
12. Discuss the role of the Self in IFS healing.
13. Identify two final IFS healing processes that follow witnessing.
Step One
More Info:
Accommodations for the Disabled:
This workshop is held in a facility and/or delivered in a manner that complies with the Americans Disabilities Act. Please contact hello@syzygyinstitute.com if special accommodation is required.
Cancelation and Refund Policy
Refunds and transfers are permitted up until 30 days prior to the start date of the event. An administrative fee of $75 will be applied. No refunds will be issued for cancellations that occur within 30 days of the event date. Transfer requests received within 30 days of the event date can only be accomplished if your roster spot can be filled from a waiting list (if there is one), and if there is an open roster spot in a currently scheduled workshop to place you in. There will be an administrative fee of $150 for this service as it requires significant effort and time constraints on our part.
Grievance Policy
All grievances must be in writing to hello@syzygyinstitute.com, and will be replied to within 5 - 10 business days.
Questions or Concerns
Please contact hello@syzygyinstitute.com, or call 814.944.3852 with any questions or concerns regarding the workshop.
*The content of this course is evidence-based.
*There is no known commercial support nor conflict of interest for this program or presenters.
You’ve devoted a lot of time and energy into your EMDR training and see the benefit this modality brings to your work with clients!
Somehow, there are still places where you feel stuck, or your client seems to loop with little shift in affect or insight. One session it feels like there is a breakthrough, only to find yourself back in the starting place a few sessions later. Some clients express not wanting to do EMDR anymore or have become anxious when coming in for their next EMDR session. Why does this keep happening?
EMDR therapists, including Francine Shapiro herself, have long spoken about the challenges and shortcomings using EMDR with clients with complex trauma histories.
The Internal Family Systems therapy model offers an empowering solution to the limitations of EMDR therapy.
“The Internal Family Systems Model is an elegant, efficient, and powerful ego state treatment modality that, when used with EMDR, can increase its range of effectiveness.”
Richard Schwartz & Joanne Twombly
Twombly, J. H., & Schwartz, R. C. (2008). The integration of internal family systems model and EMDR. In C. Forgash & M. Copeley (Eds.), Healing the heart of trauma and dissociation with EMDR and ego state therapy (pp. 295–311). New York, NY: Springer publishing.
In order for EMDR Therapists to integrate IFS effectively, it is essential to have a fundamental and experiential understanding of IFS.
Nothing is better for that purpose than Level One Training by the IFS-Institute. That said, IFS Level One training is costly, time-consuming, and currently there are substantial waiting lists and lottery systems to get in, so we understand that this is not accessible to everyone!
If this is what you are seeking, Syzygy Institute’s Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists is for you!
This introductory workshop will begin to unpack the assumptions and basic concepts of the Internal Family Systems therapy model with lecture, live demonstrations, and professionally guided break-out practice sessions. Click here for complete detailed information!
You’re ready for Step One of the Syzygy Institute if YOU are:
An EMDR Therapist…
…familiar with IFS basic concepts
…or a non-EMDR therapist seeking an experiential introduction to IFS
Our Three-Step, Advanced Training Model:
FAQs
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YES, EXCEPT FOR INTRO TO IFS, WHICH IS NOT AN INTEGRATION COURSE EVEN THOUGH GEARED TOWARD EMDR THERAPISTS. NON-EMDR THERAPISTS CAN BENEFIT FROM THAT COURSE SINCE EMDR IS NOT INVOLVED.
YES. We require that anyone being trained to integrate the two models are first fully trained in EMDR, and secondly have a fundamental experiential understanding of IFS.
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NO. While this is preferred, we recognize that receiving this certification through the IFS Institute can be a challenging process. Our Syzygy STEP One IFS INTRO Training is the best place to begin if you feel lacking in your IFS knowledge and understanding. AND MEETS THE MINIMAL IFS REQUIREMENTS FOR STEP TWO.
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BEYOND EMDR TRAINING, It is highly recommended that you have a background in IFS Therapy. Our experience has shown that participants with minimal IFS experience struggle to integrate the material, especially in practice exercises. If you haven't already begun to use IFS principles in your practice, you will not optimally benefit from our Step Two and Three trainings.
Experiential foundation, beyond reading and attending a lecture, on IFS is required. Step One would be sufficient IFS BACKGROUND for Step Two and Three.
In order to participate in Step Three Discovery & Beyond, Step Two, IFS-Informed EMDR must be COMPLETED.
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NO. In order to get the most knowledge and experiential practice to deliver quality and safe IFS-Informed EMDR, it is still required to take both Levels Two and Three through the Syzygy Institute.
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YES. ALL OUR SYZYGY INSTITUTE courseS ARE approved by EMDRIA for EMDRIA CE for those who have completed basic EMDR training (EC ProVIDER Number: #22005). Please see Continuing Education (link) for more details on other credits available.
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Describe concerns about using the EMDR Standard Protocol without additional knowledge and skills.
Describe the unique advantages of IFS as an Ego State model for use in combination with EMDR.
Explain the makeup of parts and how IFS gathers information about parts as targets for processing.
Describe the three categories of parts in IFS.
Describe at least 8 unique qualities of the Self in IFS.
Explain what blending with a part is, and describe the IFS process of unblending.
Explain what the IFS therapist does when a part won’t unblend.
Describe Witnessing and list the 6 F’s of Witnessing in IFS.
Explain the IFS concept of burdens.
Describe the two components of a Protector’s Positive Intention.
Recite the 3 ingredients of “Special Sauce” IFS witnessing ‘cadence comments’ and explain their importance in witnessing.
Explain the role of the Self in IFS healing.
Describe the final two IFS healing processes that follow witnessing.
Moving on to Step 2, IFS-Informed EMDR:
Those EMDR therapists who have started or completed an IFS Level One or Syzygy Institute’s Intro to IFS qualify for Step 2; the IFS-Informed EMDR 2-day workshop.