Befriend Difficult Protectors in IFS Therapy
Get access to the recordings of this online IFS workshop series (no time limits).
We distinguish 3 Levels of knowledge and experience in IFS therapy:
- Beginner:
You don’t know what IFS therapy is or you are on the beginning of your IFS journey and want to know the basics of the model. - Intermediate:
You already know the basics - you’ve done an introductory workshop or course and you want to learn more. - Advanced:
You’ve completed a number of IFS workshops and/or an IFS Institute Online Circle and/or a Level 1 training and are ready do dive deeper into the model.
IFS CEs are available to be applied for IFS certification for those who have completed IFS Level 1 training.
experiential activities:

See what Michael has to say about the series:

The key skill set of the IFS
The key skill set of the IFS therapist is the ability to enlist the protective system as allies in their therapeutic project.
This is complicated by the fact that protective parts by definition have been forced into extreme roles, and so are very likely to have a radically distorted understanding of your client's best interests.
This workshop is designed to help IFS therapists and practitioners at a variety of skill levels discover and address the fears and concerns of mistrustful protectors, and help them become resources in healing.

Befriend Difficult Protectors in IFS Therapy
During this workshop series, you will learn how to:
- Negotiate a valid therapeutic contact with your client’s myriad parts,
- Detect and successfully address the concerns of your clients protective parts,
- Maintain Self Energy in the face of fearful protectors, and recruit them as allies in your therapeutic project.
The trainer will also provide detailed guidelines for practice that you can use with colleagues and clients.
Befriend Difficult Protectors in IFS Therapy
A series of 4 IFS online workshops with Mike Elkin

Learn how to discover and address the fears of difficult and mistrustful protectors
By signing up for "Befriending Difficult Protectors"
workshop series you get:
- All-time access to the recordings of 4 workshops - no time limits,
- Training materials ready for printing,
- Certificate of Completion,
- 12 IFS CEs available to be applied for IFS certification for those who have completed Level 1 training.




Workshop 1: The role
of shame
We will discuss:
- The development of Shame, and its role in our system,
- Anxiety and depression as responses to Shame,
- Protectors’ relationship to Shame.

Workshop 2: The nightmare world of managers
You will learn to understand and befriend:
- Critics
- Shamers
- Blockers
- Worriers
- Distracters

Workshop 3: The exciting world of firefighters
You will learn to understand and befriend:
- Addicts
- Dissociaters
- Self Harmers
- Suiciders
- Ragers
- Violators

Workshop 4: Stump the chump
You will experience how these learnings are applied in practice:
- Role played demos with your most difficult and fearful protectors,
- Self led strategy,
- Keeping your contract vital.
See what others say about Mike

Mike Elkin is a wonderful teacher. He is earnest and genuine, while also being brilliant and insightful. He is a master at distilling complex psychological realities into clear and concise ideas that capture the essence of what matters. He is also fun! I am confident your students will enjoy learning from and with him.
Anne Hallward MD, a psychiatrist who hosts the radio show "Safe Space Radio".
She had done plenary presentations at the IFS Conference, MA Association of Social Workers,
the New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation (NESTTD) and TED.

Mike Elkin is a passionate and brilliant teacher who brings so much distilled skill. In particular he brings a warm humor that makes the experience all the richer as the nuggets keep coming. People who sit in his presence will likely find themselves (as I have) coming back to unique “clicks” that will continue long after the time together has ended. I have worked with Mike for many years and have lots of direct experience with this.
Rina Dubin, Ph.D., an IFS lead Trainer She has assisted me three times, and co lead
three Level One trainings with me

Completion of IFS Level 1 Training is not required
At the same time, you need to know the fundamentals of IFS as no basic didactics about the model will be offered.
Make sure that you:
- Have completed a thorough introductory course/workshop about IFS or the IFSI Online Circle,
- Have a desire to embody the IFS Model – deepen the knowledge of your own system, and learn tools that will aid you in this process.

How it works
The workshop was held live in February and March 2022.
The whole process has been structured so you can go through it at any time, at your own pace. Explore almost 9 hours of video material - it's important that you find the right space to immerse yourself in this process.
The recording contains didactics, meditations, demo sessions, and practice instructions so you will be able to do personal work in your own time. Please note that the practice group sessions and the group sharings were not recorded.
Remember that you get unlimited access to the course recordings, which means you will be able to view them in a year or even in a few years

Up to 48 hours after purchase, if you are not completely satisfied just let us know about it. We will give you a full refund. You are not required to give any reason. You have nothing to lose!

Getting certified?
With this series there are 12 IFS CEs available to be applied for
IFS certification for those who have completed IFS Level 1 training.
A detailed description of experiential activities:
Please note that the teacher will respond to the needs of the group and because of that, the chosen activities may change
-
Guided meditations
Guided meditation is an internal practice that you do with closed eyes, following the teacher's voice. The teacher will invite you to sit back, relax, and focus on your inner world. You will meet your parts, talk to them, and often learn things you weren't aware of before. Guided meditation can allow you to do a significant piece of inner work.
-
Q&A sessions
Each of the workshops will have space for questions from the audience. If you buy a recording of the workshop, you will have access to the recording of the Q&A session that took place live during the workshop.
-
Personal practice (ex. journalling)
Personal practice means working on your own, usually with a piece of paper, after hearing the instructions explained by the teacher. These exercises may be various - sometimes you will be invited to communicate with your parts by journalling, sometimes you will do a drawing exercise (like mapping your parts). Other times you will get a more complex set of instructions and 10 or 15 minutes to do a piece of the process on your own.
-
Short, live demos
These are session demonstrations in which the teacher does a live session with a volunteer. It may be a short, role-played session or a whole, longer session. Sometimes teachers show videos of sessions they recorded in the past.
Opinions about this workshop series
I will be taking as many workshops with him as possible moving forward. The workshop was a perfect blend of content, demo experiences, experiential exercises, time with other participants, and the gifts of Mike Elkin's vast experience told in the form of compelling stories.
Befriend Difficult Protectors in IFS Therapy
A series of 4 IFS online workshops with Mike Elkin

Learn how to discover and address the fears of difficult and mistrustful protectors
By signing up for "Befriending Difficult Protectors"
workshop series you get:
- All-time access to the recordings of 4 workshops - no time limits,
- Training materials ready for printing,
- Certificate of Completion,
- 12 IFS CEs available to be applied for IFS certification for those who have completed Level 1 training.