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Internal Family Systems (IFS) Tips and Practice Skills: An Unofficial Guidebook for IFS Therapists and Practitioners
Are you an empathic Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist or practitioner who is looking for opportunities to become more skilled and effective in IFS practice?
Do you find some of your clients challenging or exhausting to work with? If so, does this make you doubt your skills or ability to help such clients? Is it the intricacy of your clients' systems or the level of your IFS skills that makes working with them feel challenging or exhausting?
If you resonate with these questions and wish to become more skilled and effective in IFS practice, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Tips and Practice Skills: An Unofficial Guidebook for Therapists and Practitioners by Aion Farvahar reveals insights into what makes some IFS professionals more skilled and effective than others.
As an IFS practitioner, your ability to heal your clients is limited to what you have already healed in yourself. Likewise, your capacity to raise your clients' awareness and Self Energy remains limited to the level of your own awareness and Self Energy. That is why becoming a highly skilled and effective IFS practitioner demands personal inner work, a deeper understanding of parts, and fine-tuned practice skills.
IFS trainings and workshops are excellent at teaching IFS concepts and protocols, but they are often broad in scope and may not cover the more subtle but vital tips and practice skills necessary for effective IFS practice. This book is designed as a complementary companion to IFS core principles and includes insights to help you to improve your IFS practice skills.
The content will help you to understand the inner psychology and transference needs of your clients' parts, develop and safeguard a trusting therapeutic relationship with your clients, and cultivate a natural connection to Self through accessible daily practices. The content will also help you to understand the dos and don'ts of IFS practice and to learn skills for working with challenging and intricate parts. Collectively, these practical insights enhance the effectiveness of your IFS sessions.
In addition to the book’s vital tips and practice skills, the appendix contains a refresher of IFS basic terminology and protocols, examples for working with Explicit and Implicit Direct Access to parts, an example for working with polarization, and an example for handling Unattached Burdens (UBs) based on the UB protocol introduced in this book.
This book reflects a holistic and non-clinical approach to IFS practice that embraces psychological, spiritual, and teleological aspects of practitioners' and clients' lives and honors them equally. In this holistic approach, IFS is not merely a psychological modality for liberating clients from the curse of pathology but is a courageous, wounded-healer journey of practitioners and clients toward Self Leadership, individuation, and the highest manifestation of authenticity, meaning, and purpose in life.
Do you find some of your clients challenging or exhausting to work with? If so, does this make you doubt your skills or ability to help such clients? Is it the intricacy of your clients' systems or the level of your IFS skills that makes working with them feel challenging or exhausting?
If you resonate with these questions and wish to become more skilled and effective in IFS practice, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Tips and Practice Skills: An Unofficial Guidebook for Therapists and Practitioners by Aion Farvahar reveals insights into what makes some IFS professionals more skilled and effective than others.
As an IFS practitioner, your ability to heal your clients is limited to what you have already healed in yourself. Likewise, your capacity to raise your clients' awareness and Self Energy remains limited to the level of your own awareness and Self Energy. That is why becoming a highly skilled and effective IFS practitioner demands personal inner work, a deeper understanding of parts, and fine-tuned practice skills.
IFS trainings and workshops are excellent at teaching IFS concepts and protocols, but they are often broad in scope and may not cover the more subtle but vital tips and practice skills necessary for effective IFS practice. This book is designed as a complementary companion to IFS core principles and includes insights to help you to improve your IFS practice skills.
The content will help you to understand the inner psychology and transference needs of your clients' parts, develop and safeguard a trusting therapeutic relationship with your clients, and cultivate a natural connection to Self through accessible daily practices. The content will also help you to understand the dos and don'ts of IFS practice and to learn skills for working with challenging and intricate parts. Collectively, these practical insights enhance the effectiveness of your IFS sessions.
In addition to the book’s vital tips and practice skills, the appendix contains a refresher of IFS basic terminology and protocols, examples for working with Explicit and Implicit Direct Access to parts, an example for working with polarization, and an example for handling Unattached Burdens (UBs) based on the UB protocol introduced in this book.
This book reflects a holistic and non-clinical approach to IFS practice that embraces psychological, spiritual, and teleological aspects of practitioners' and clients' lives and honors them equally. In this holistic approach, IFS is not merely a psychological modality for liberating clients from the curse of pathology but is a courageous, wounded-healer journey of practitioners and clients toward Self Leadership, individuation, and the highest manifestation of authenticity, meaning, and purpose in life.
360 pages, Hardcover
Published August 26, 2025
1 person want to read
About the author
Aion Farvahar
1 bookAion Farvahar is a Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Practitioner. He holds a PhD in an analytical field, and prior to his current path, worked in large corporations. He left his successful career in 2019 to focus on promoting holistic inner work. Aion is also a Psychoshamanic Practitioner and an advocate of shamanistic healing practices to promote holistic healing and self-awareness. He is an active member of the Crows Nest Center for Shamanic Studies in Southwest Michigan and contributes to community gatherings, workshops, and retreats. In addition to IFS, he uses Active and Contemplative Imagination techniques to help his clients to discover the beauty and psychospiritual depth of their being.
Aion views psychological healing and self-awareness as essential but merely the foundation of much deeper levels of self-awareness: namely, spiritual self-awareness and the awareness of the divine and teleological purpose of life. He offers IFS consultations and workshops through his IFS website (www.aionfarvahar.com). He also produces original YouTube contents dedicated to holistic self-awareness, life purpose, and spirituality. For additional information related to his contents and offerings, see his profile page, www.celestialtwin.com/linkinbio/.
Aion views psychological healing and self-awareness as essential but merely the foundation of much deeper levels of self-awareness: namely, spiritual self-awareness and the awareness of the divine and teleological purpose of life. He offers IFS consultations and workshops through his IFS website (www.aionfarvahar.com). He also produces original YouTube contents dedicated to holistic self-awareness, life purpose, and spirituality. For additional information related to his contents and offerings, see his profile page, www.celestialtwin.com/linkinbio/.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 31, 2025
A Captivating and Insightful Contribution to the IFS Field
I found this book immensely captivating and elegantly written—it flows with clarity and purpose from start to finish. True to the introduction, it is clearly intended for IFS therapists and practitioners, and it absolutely delivers on that promise.
The author does a remarkable job of grounding each concept in practical strategies and real-world examples, making even the most nuanced ideas accessible and applicable.
I believe many seasoned IFS trainers, consultants, therapists and practitioners will find this work both illuminating and enriching. It deepens and expands the existing IFS framework in thoughtful and inspiring ways.
Having completed all official IFS-I trainings multiple times with various trainers, I can confidently say this book offers something more—a sort of "Level 4" of IFS (if such a thing existed). It's packed with nuanced insights and fresh perspectives that go above and beyond standard teachings.
For those who are intrigued or even puzzled by the more esoteric aspects of IFS, this book may offer many “Eureka!” moments. It’s a profound and valuable addition to any serious IFS practitioner’s library.
I found this book immensely captivating and elegantly written—it flows with clarity and purpose from start to finish. True to the introduction, it is clearly intended for IFS therapists and practitioners, and it absolutely delivers on that promise.
The author does a remarkable job of grounding each concept in practical strategies and real-world examples, making even the most nuanced ideas accessible and applicable.
I believe many seasoned IFS trainers, consultants, therapists and practitioners will find this work both illuminating and enriching. It deepens and expands the existing IFS framework in thoughtful and inspiring ways.
Having completed all official IFS-I trainings multiple times with various trainers, I can confidently say this book offers something more—a sort of "Level 4" of IFS (if such a thing existed). It's packed with nuanced insights and fresh perspectives that go above and beyond standard teachings.
For those who are intrigued or even puzzled by the more esoteric aspects of IFS, this book may offer many “Eureka!” moments. It’s a profound and valuable addition to any serious IFS practitioner’s library.
September 13, 2025
I am deeply appreciative of Dr. Farvahar’s style, tone, and depth in this rich guidebook. As a therapist with some very basic understanding of “parts” and “Self” I found myself understanding more and more layers of how parts originate, their inner psychology, how we can move toward healing, and the components/practices that are needed to make that come to fruition. Personally, I have a great curiosity surrounding the spiritual aspect of our lives. My heart feels intrigued and inspired by the weaving in/connections to some wisdom traditions’ understandings and practices as well as Jungian understandings of us as humans and how we can live our purpose in life. As I have read this book I created a companion journal. It has sketches and diagrams, notes and reflections which I am using to help me paint my developing picture of IFS. I know, because of my experience with this book, I will definitely be pursuing formal IFS training in the future. I feel so fortunate that I have come across this book. It feels like such a wonderful foundation from which to jump in my ongoing learning.
August 31, 2025
I am grateful to have this book as a resource in my journey as an IFS practitioner.
The author provides important foundational understanding for the structure and content of the book, rooting in the author’s training, experiences, and knowledge-base of Internal Family Systems as well as other spiritual, psychological, and psychospiritual models.
The book is organized into four parts, the author’s “Four Pillars of Self-Led IFS Practice.” It is easy to read, yet full of depth and an abundance of helpful concepts and tools. I believe that almost any IFS practitioner could find much that is useful, interesting, and/or helpful to them in this book. I find that when I open the book to almost any page, there is something helpful - a reminder, a new concept, a tool. The appendix is also rich with a mix of helpful material. There is so much here, in these pages, of value, I find it difficult to adequately or concisely convey the value I have found in this book.
This is not the typical professional guide, by any means, and I am certain it will be an important resource to myself and many others who acquire it, for many years to come.
The author provides important foundational understanding for the structure and content of the book, rooting in the author’s training, experiences, and knowledge-base of Internal Family Systems as well as other spiritual, psychological, and psychospiritual models.
The book is organized into four parts, the author’s “Four Pillars of Self-Led IFS Practice.” It is easy to read, yet full of depth and an abundance of helpful concepts and tools. I believe that almost any IFS practitioner could find much that is useful, interesting, and/or helpful to them in this book. I find that when I open the book to almost any page, there is something helpful - a reminder, a new concept, a tool. The appendix is also rich with a mix of helpful material. There is so much here, in these pages, of value, I find it difficult to adequately or concisely convey the value I have found in this book.
This is not the typical professional guide, by any means, and I am certain it will be an important resource to myself and many others who acquire it, for many years to come.
September 1, 2025
This excellent resource deepens understanding of IFS beyond Level 1 training, offering nuanced approaches that add real depth to parts work. The author skillfully shares insights from working with experienced IFS trainers and studying psychological pioneers, leading to numerous "aha moments" that increased my effectiveness as a therapist and provided new ways to support clients. The book's straightforward structure and accessible language make complex concepts clear without oversimplification, and the author's passion and dedication shine through in his writing. I'm grateful he took the time to share these valuable insights.
September 2, 2025
As an IFS therapist this guidebook is the most accessible, instructive, and comprehensive I have found.
It is rich in detail, example, and practical skills - from beginner through advanced.
Reading it gives me new insights into the model as a framework. And also the: nuances, challenging areas, and archetypal/spiritual aspects of IFS that can be elusive.
My copy is filled with underlines, notes, and personal reflections.
This book is an essential resource for building my IFS skills.
It is rich in detail, example, and practical skills - from beginner through advanced.
Reading it gives me new insights into the model as a framework. And also the: nuances, challenging areas, and archetypal/spiritual aspects of IFS that can be elusive.
My copy is filled with underlines, notes, and personal reflections.
This book is an essential resource for building my IFS skills.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews