Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems

by Frank G. Anderson

Hope and light are on the horizon to help clients overcome the challenges of healing and releasing the pain of relational trauma. The highly acclaimed Transcending Trauma explores a unique, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to resolving complex and dissociative trauma. In this transformative book Frank Anderson, MD, masterfully details an IFS path to therapy that allows clients to access their inherent capacity for healing - called Self-energy - while also helping them welcome, as opposed to manage, the extreme emotions frequently associated with trauma. Included are clinical case examples, summary charts, current neuroscience research, and personal stories that will enable your clients to reclaim self-connection, experience self-love, and regain the ability to connect with and love others. Designed with clinicians in mind, this book offers a comprehensive map to complex trauma treatment that will enable readers to: - Learn how to stay calm and steady in the presence of extreme symptoms - Discover a different approach to resolving attachment trauma - Gain confidence when addressing shame, neglect, and dissociation - Understand the neurobiology of PTSD and dissociation - Integrate neuroscience-informed therapeutic interventions - Effectively address medications and common comorbidities - Incorporate IFS with other models of treatment

Genres: Psychology, Mental Health, Counselling, Nonfiction, Self Help, Health, Audiobook

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 19, 2021

Reviews

[Jasmine St. John]

We are therapists, not truth seekers. It’s not our job to determine whether a trauma did or didn’t occur. Our job as IFS therapists is to help clients help their parts unload whatever they’re carrying around a particular event in their lives."

[jebrahn]

IFS has been a holy grail for me, although I prefer the term “parts work” to the term “Internal Family Systems”. A therapist first introduced me to IFS in 2019, and I’ve had some time recently to sit with this work, to unenmesh and tease-out my parts, which is always cathartic/cleansing/purgative/illuminative, and always time well-spent. IFS models should be taught in public schools, for health, including the health of critical thinking and skill with conflict resolution (what humans most need amongst themselves).

I navigate my life as someone with CPTSD, which is more complicated than it sounds. Ha. Ha. Ha. (cptsd joke). Devoting time to be intimate (vulnerable) and painstakingly honest with my interiority and the parts of my psyche that play/enact/enliven my lived dynamics is essential to clear seeing, healing intelligently, retrieval of disembodied parts (exiles), (co)navigating relationships with the kaleidoscope of others’ parts, and showing up for growth, change, or maybe just a little more kindness and understanding of the unavoidable mechanics of being a human being. This is a technology.

[Morgan Blackledge]

Transcending Trauma

Psychiatrist Frank G. Anderson’s take on treating PTSD with Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.

This is a comprehensive, skillful and sensitive treatment of the subject. It’s a very good resource.

And…

I found it to be tedious at times.

It lacks the fleet footed, grounded and unpretentious quality of IFS founder Richard C. Schwartz’s work.

I’m glad I read this.

But I wanted Richard C. Schwartz.

And this book does not satisfy in that way.

Based on the books intrinsic merits.

I’d give it 5/5 stars.

But my gut says 4/5.

So I’ll go with that.

This is the 4th or 5th IFS book in a row that I have reviewed.

So I will stay out of the details about IFS.

Read my other reviews if you want to know more about the model it’s self.


Read my review of Internal Family Systems by Richard C Schwartz here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Read my review of No Bad Parts by Richard C Schwartz here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Read my review of The Sum is Greater Than the Parts by Richard C Schwartz here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lucy]

Took me a long time to read but so much to process. Sacred text.

[Lisa W]

Audiobook, 12 hours

Target Audience: This book was written to help therapists experience more productive interactions with clients’ Parts in sessions.

Dr. Anderson has given us a powerful, clear and beautiful rendering of his work with Internal Family Systems (IFS).

I’m deeply grateful for this exemplary treatment of the IFS process. It has enhanced my understanding TENFOLD.

Dr. Anderson illustrates the most effective language and useful questions to use when interacting with the Parts.

He shifts seamlessly from his clinical practice to the research and science, and then to his personal experience of IFS in resolving his trauma.

In doing so, he allows himself to be vulnerable but avoids going into the granular level of his trauma recovery process - we hear the headlines - which works very well.

Transcending Trauma is now in my top three favorite books on IFS…it’s a must read if you’re a practitioner of IFS.

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

Ch 1 - The Glossary of IFS Terms

The 5 Ps =The qualities of a skilled IFS therapist: Presence, Patience, Persistence, Perspective and Playfulness.

The 6 Fs = the steps used when working with PROTECTIVE PARTS: Find the Part, Focus on it, Flesh it out, Feel toward it, Befriend It, Find out its Fear.

The 8 Cs = The qualities of Self Energy: Compassion, Curiosity, Calm, Clarity, Connectedness, Confidence, Courage and Creativity.

Blended = When a Part takes over, making it indistinguishable from another part or from the Self.

Burdened = When a Part holds negative beliefs, e.g. I am unlovable, worthless. Intense trauma related feelings, e.g. terror, panic, shame, rage. Physical Sensations: e.g. body memories, visual flashbacks.

Direct Access = when Insight is blocked, therapist speaks directly to Part.

Do-Over = one of the steps of the Unburdening process, after the Self witnesses what the Exiled Part needed to share, the Self joins the part, going back to the past, and offers the Part a fully corrective experience.

Exile = Wounded part, carries painful thoughts, feelings and sensations from overwhelming experiences. Often feels shame, worthlessness, isolation, unlovable feelings.

Fire Fighter = reactive extreme part, will surface when Exile is in pain, e.g. binging, suicide, cutting, raging, shaming, dissociation. [Protectors/Troublemakers per Amy YandelGrabowski are either Distracting, Numbing or Rebelling.]

Integration = one of the steps of the Unburdening process. After the Exiled Part is healed, we bring Protective Parts back and suggest the release of their protective role. (They often want a new job)

Insight = Internal Communication. The primary approach therapists use to communicate with Parts with the Self. When Parts block Insight, we use Direct Access.

Invitation to Exiled Parts = one of the steps of the Unburdening Process. After the Exile Parts unloads the burden, it can internalize new qualities to replace old cognitive distortions.

Invitation to Protective Parts = An offer to Protective Part when asking permission to access a Wounded Part. During the Invitation, promise Parts will not overwhelm, and there will be healing.

Manager = Preventive Part, keeps Exiled Parts hidden, tries to avoid activating the Wound. Manager types include conflict avoidant, intellectual, obsessing, worrying, hardworking/workaholic parts.

Overwhelm = A primary fear in trauma work. Therapists ask Intense Part not to overwhelm the system, which will allow more access to a wound that needs to be healed.

Parts = Sub-personalities. Exiles, Managers/Preventive Parts, Fire Fighters/Reactive, Extreme Parts.

Polarization = two Protective Parts safeguard the same wound in conflicting, opposing manner. Self will validate both sides to resolve the dilemma.

Retrieval = one of the steps of the Unburdening Process. First, Exiles are identified. Second, given a corrective experience. Then Exiles become free to leave the past and exist safely in the present.

Self = innate presence in each of us that promotes balance, harmony and non-judgmental qualities (the 8Cs). The Self energy cannot be created nor destroyed.

Unblending = Separating. The mental state of differentiation where Parts can be present but not dominate or overwhelm the Self.

Unburdening = The process of healing wounded Parts or Exiles. The steps includes Witnessing, Do Over, Retrieval, Unload, Invitation, Integration.

Unloading = "One of the steps of the Unburdening process. Once the Wounded Part is safely in the Present, it is allowed to release the thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations it carried with regard to the trauma."

Updating = The process of introducing a Part who is in connection with Self of Past to Present Day Self.

Witnessing = one of the steps of the Unburdening Process. The Exiled Part shares all the pain and feelings with the Self to feel heard, validated.

Ch 9 - @2:46 - Get Protective parts to feel heard, seen and appreciated. Useful questions in the Invitations. 1. Deal with the Overwhelm: What if we were able to guarantee that the Exile would not overwhelm the system? Would you be interested in that? 2. What if you no longer had to be anxious, depressed, or eat in excess? Would you be interested in that? What would you rather do instead? 3. Offer to Heal the Wound. What if we were able to heal little Billy, and you would no longer need to protect him? Would you be interested in that? What would you rather do instead?

"An invitation offers hope to a hopeless system." - Richard Schwartz

@4:16 - Ch 14 - We need to empower clients to trust their gut, access their inner wisdom again. (As Amy Grabowski says, they lost their voice, their choice, their power.) They lost leadership power. "Relational trauma is a violation of healthy loving connection, true intimacy, and the acceptance of our true, vulnerable selves."

@4:50:57 Ch 17 - Shame cycles associated with Trauma - I'm bad, wrong, worthless. "Shame develops when vulnerability is relationally violated. In other words, Shame is the Anti-Self, or the opposite of love and connection...[ a client said] "when shame dominates, trauma wins, it gets in the way of me being me."

@8:25:32 - Ch 26 All forms of trauma can be healed. "Trauma blocks love, connection and creativity, and in turn, Love has the power to transcend trauma, heal us, and reconnect us to our Self, our Soul, our Source and each other."











Ch 11 - first use empathic resonance, then try Direct Access.

Ch 21 - “Parts can press the biological button.”
- Richard Schwartz
Re - emo parts can cause illness, Anderson explains his asthma issue when leaving a foundation position. His need to please was conflicted with his desire to move on, triggering asthma via his Parts’ anxiety and his Protectors run amok.

@7:10 - Ch 23 - see 6 Steps in the Unburdening Process (diagram in supplementary pdf)

Ch 25
Goal for therapists: Less distress, more success in tx of trauma.

8:07
There are Unattached Burdens, aka Negative Entities, that could be present in the patient. They block access to the Self. We can ask them if they are part of patient or from other and they will answer truthfully. Solution: spiritual help.

Ch 26
@8:25 - “Trauma blocks love, connection and creativity…Love has the power to transcend trauma.”

[Christy]

Intended audience: therapists
Self-healers: read with a partner or book club

I’ve read several books on the topic of c-ptsd. I am not a therapist but have done many years of therapy. Some group work as well in 12-step meetings and a codependency book club for 1 1/2 years.

I found this book informative and helpful in better understanding and exploring IFS which I first learned about in Bessel van der Kolk’s famous, “The Body Keeps The Score.”

However, I do wish Frank G. Anderson did more information regarding the term “Self-energy” earlier in the book. I knew it was important when he first mentioned it. I just couldn’t quite grasp the meaning even with the frequency of its appearance and trying to use context…yet feeling I didn’t quite get it. In the end chapters he does come right out and talk about it as self-compassion and as an “all-knowing and loving presence within us,” something we have at birth and strive to return to all our lives.

[Meg]

I think this is a beautiful book and a beautiful idea.

[Sarah]

The van der kolk obsession is a bit concerning….

[Josh]

I found this book a relatively easy to comprehend read due to Anderson’s writing style which I appreciated. Although this book is very IFS-informed (as it is the purpose of the book), I appreciated how Frank integrated a lot of relevant literature and history related to trauma treatment including Gabor Maté’s work, attachment theory, and psychopharmacology to name a few. I’m personally finding IFS to be useful more metaphorically than metaphysically which seems to be more how Frank approaches it. Through my learning I’m also finding that the unburdening process would be better substituted through something like EMDR or AEDP. I found this a good book overall for learning more about compelled trauma rather than the actual implication of technique in my therapeutic practice. Also, it’s surprising to me how Frank talks about spirituality in a way that lines up closely with Christian theology and yet, from the surface, doesn’t make that connection himself. Makes me curious of what his own spiritual journey has looked like. Definitely want to read his memoir.

[Monica Cooper]

I realize I’m not the target audience for this book, but my therapist recommended it to me, so I read it. So much of IFS seemed to ring true with my own experiences, and I liked how accessible and insightful the first portion of the book was. The more technical bits were difficult, and I feel like the conversations with patients used to illustrate certain points or methods were distracting/took away from the points being made because they felt contrived, but overall, pleased with the understanding of IFS that I’m walking away with.

[Katie Romine]

The model of Internal Family Systems therapy is fascinating to me. This book was no exception and mainly focuses on using this model for healing relational trauma and Complex PTSD. I listened to an interview on a podcast with Frank Anderson and from there, decided to pick up his book. I learned a lot about the concept of “Self-energy” and appreciated the practical nature of the content, given that I am not a therapist. If you are interested in learning more about IFS, I would recommend starting with Richard Schwartz’s book “No Bad Parts” first to get acquainted.

[Mariah]

Great, readable introduction to IFS. If you are looking for something more in-depth and thorough, especially as a clinician looking to integrate IFS into your work, I’d recommend Richard Schwartz’s book Internal Family Systems Therapy over this book. I didn’t find there was quite enough to grasp onto in this book, though felt it gave a good intro and taste for folks who perhaps haven’t heard of IFS.

[Sam Butterfass]

Very helpful for professionals interested in deepening their understanding of IFS. While this is a brief read, I found the integration of neuroscience and the IFS model particularly helpful. I find myself more interested in parts-work (in a broader sense), so there were aspects of the conversation that I do not agree with or ascribe to. However, that has nothing to do with the quality of the text and its intended purpose. Must read for anyone doing IFS or anything parts-work adjacent.

[Anouk64]

Great, to the point and condense description of IFS. This is both the strength and the drawback of the book, because sometimes it can read way too much like a summary. Also his way of integrating "biological depression" into the mix was both annoying and confusing. Especially given he had sections where he argued for the use of pharmaceuticals in conjunction with IFS and how they can be supportive.I don't understand why he couldn't just keep that language throughout.

[Priscilla Arinze]

This was a great supplementary book to learn more about IFS. I enjoyed reading about the different case studies and the various ways that Dr. Anderson utilizes IFS for treating clients with C-PTSD. I also appreciated that he included case studies that involve skepticism and hesitation towards IFS and different ways to deal with this.

[Rosa]

Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems felt like an unexpected treasure. I was unaware this book is intended for mental health professionals rather than individuals seeking self-help. While some of the content wasn’t directly applicable to me, the portions that were I found incredibly valuable.

[Amy]

Thank you Frank Anderson for such an amazing resource! If you have experienced complex trauma or work with people who have, this book provides practical guidance on how to conceptualize and address trauma through the IFS framework. So powerful!

[Natalia K.]

I picked up this book for its neuroscience and neurobiology aspects, which were actually very well explained and insightful. However, anything related to IFS went completely over my head. Still, the brain science part made it a worthwhile read.

[Megan Anderson]

Just imagine having the practice and research experience to write a book like this and work with clients in this way. How incredible. I don’t align with all of the author’s personal beliefs but am grateful for the deep dive on using IFS to support trauma healing.

[Evil Secret Ninja]

This was a great introduction to internal family systems therapy and the ideas behind the treatment modality. I am very interested in more training and more literature on the subject.

[Elizabeth Drake]

Excellent book applying IFS to trauma & different manifestations of trauma, handling tricky clients traumas & own our as practitioners, very very helpful and should own it for reference.

[Eddie Sierra]

Note to self: Definitely a book I will benefit from revisiting during grad school

[Sonal Apte]

A useful intro to IFS with fascinating insights into how and why our parts do what they do.

[judy-b. judy-b.]

Frank Anderson wrote this for therapists, and I wish a few of mine had been familiar with IFS. I am grateful for a reasoned explanation of why their techniques were not helpful to me.

[Brooke]

Truly life changing!

[Nathan Harris]

Well written, compassionate, and informative. I enjoyed this reading although I do think previous IFS experience would have been beneficial prior to reading this book.

[Nancy]

Don't know that I fully understand IFS.

[Malte Johnsson]

Great stuff. Lots of nuances around trauma specifically as well as IFS in general. Complements Schwartz's and Earley's books (these are the others I have read) nicely.

[Juliana]

Great resource. I love his authenticity and how eloquently he goes through the IFS concepts.

[Carroll R Thomas]

Amazing!!!

A must read for psychotherapists that work with trauma. A thorough review and application of the IFS model. Highly recommend!