Building confidence as
an IFS Program Assistant
Become a more skillful Program Assistant - join an experiential workshop guided in practice by senior PA’s
- Advanced:
Completion of IFS Level 1 Training is required to participate in this workshop.
IFS CEs are available to be applied for IFS certification for those who have completed IFS Level 1 training.
-
Rina Dubin
-
2-day workshop
-
14 hours in total
-
Live + recording
experiential activities:
-
Practice groups with senior PA’s guidance
-
Sharing in small groups
-
Guided meditations
-
Mini-demo sessions
Being a Program Assistant
This workshop is designed to provide the needed skills and structure for the challenges of being a Program Assistant (PA). As a participant, you will be guided in practice by senior PA’s, so you can work your edges, and you will return to the job of PA with more self-energy on board.
The Level 1 experience exposes us to concepts that are easy to learn but require practice and experience to become skillful.
The PA experience requires handling challenges that come up in the learning process. These skills come from working with our parts, modeling speaking for our parts and giving self-led feedback.
Most needed skills
Lead Trainers teach the model through didactic and experiential exercises, but the true front engine of the skill development for the participant happens in the practice and home groups run by Program Assistants.
Participant’s parts don’t like being interrupted. It is hard for someone who has mastery to return to a beginner's mind and to practice working differently. Tension from being interrupted in practice and conflict in home groups is not uncommon.
Speaking for parts and doing a “U-turn” are the skills most needed and PA’s need to have confidence in creating the structure for these skills to be learned and practiced.
Time to practice
Staff meetings at lunch and end of the day are places for PA’s to work with their parts and also get suggestions for challenging situations – and there is not adequate time to prepare PA’s so they can lead with enough self-energy.
This workshop will focus on distinct discussion and practice so that you can work with yourself and your parts to a clearer understanding of the role and more awareness of your own system.
Date & time
This is a 2-day live online workshop
on September 2 and 3, 2022.
The workshop will take place on Friday and Saturday:
- 05:00 - 12:00 PDT (Los Angeles)
- 08:00 - 15:00 EDT (New York)
- 13:00 - 20:00 BST (London)
- 14:00 - 21:00 CEST (Warsaw)
The workshop will last for 7 hours each day, but there will be
a 45-minute meal break in the middle of the live event.
If you can't join us live, don't worry
- we'll record this workshop for you.
Building confidence as
an IFS Program Assistant
During this workshop, you will:
- Focus on speaking for parts,
- Practice Self-led feedback,
- Create greater safety in practice and home groups,
- Increase skill in interrupting and redirecting,
- Strengthen skill in handling conflict,
- Learn how to make the most of the time spent with the Lead Trainer during Staff Meetings.
A team of senior PA’s will be available to run the small groups so that each participant has support and help.
Meet the trainer
Rina Dubin
Rina Dubin, Ed.D, LPC, is a certified IFS therapist and IFS Lead Trainer in private practice in Newton, MA.
Her involvement with the IFS community began in 2004, and loves being part of the healing process which has allowed IFS to become a centerpiece in her work.
She has been affiliated with Internal Family Systems of New England (IFSNE) since its beginning in 2009 (until 2018), and as a member of the steering committee, she has been thrilled with the accelerating growth of IFS in the greater New England area.
Rina has a broad background in trauma, and offers supervision and consultation.
See what others say about Rina
I have known Rina Dubin as an IFS supervisor and as an IFS Lead Trainer when I was a Program Assistant. As an IFS supervisor, Rina has helped to broaden my knowledge of how to implement IFS in ways that advance the understanding of clients’ parts as well as my own parts. As a Lead Trainer in IFS, Rina’s IFS wisdom seems limitless and her enthusiasm for the IFS approach to therapy is contagious. She is especially skilled in teaching the application of IFS to Program Assistants and does so with compassion for the challenges that are innate to IFS training. Rina is adept at working with the interplay of parts of trainers, program assistants, and IFS training participants. As such, she is the ideal person to prepare individuals to become successful Program Assistants. I recommend any training opportunity provided by Rina Dubin without hesitation.
Dr. Diana Paulk
I have immensely appreciated my time working with Rina! I’ve seen Rina be a gifted thought-leader in IFS and advocate, and I’ve seen her put so much heart into her teaching. She’s been such a big part of my own learning and growth with her honest and warm-hearted feedback and wisdom. She genuinely cares and wants both students and PAs to feel supported. Rina also continues to include the impact of systems of racism and oppression in her lessons, which is vital for wholesome learning. I highly recommend Rina’s craft and workshops!
Natalie Y. Gutiérrez, LMFT
Rina Dubin is a gift to lovers of IFS. She is one of the clearest and most precise teachers of the model.
Mike Elkin, Senior IFS Trainer
Completion of IFS Level 1 Training is required
This workshop is focused toward those who have PA’d and would like to deepen their skills and those who are interested in being a PA in the future.
Because of that, completion of IFS Level 1 Training is required to participate. We will ask you about the details of your training in the questionnaire before the workshop.
How it works
Each of the workshops will be held live, on the Zoom platform.
You will receive the link to the Zoom meeting along with the password one day before each workshop session. There will be technical support available.
In 72 hours after each live session, you will receive access to the recording. The recording will be available in your Life Architect Account, so you can go through it at your own pace.
Remember that you get unlimited access to the workshop recordings, which means you will be able to view them in a year or even in a few years.
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
-
Practice groups with senior PA's guidance
During practice groups, we will recreate a setting similar to an IFS Level 1 training practice group, thanks to which you will be able to practice your PA skills under the eye of a Senior PA. You will be able to coach a participant in the role of therapist - just like during IFS Level 1 Training. Each practice group will have its own Senior PA available at all times.
-
Sharing and discussions in small groups (usually triads)
We usually do it after guided meditation and/or after personal practice. We go to breakout rooms and meet in small groups (3 or 4 participants) to share our experiences in a safe space. It is a great opportunity to meet new people and deepen the feeling of connection. This activity is optional - you can stay in the main room.
-
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.
-
Mini-demo sessions
Mini-demos are short, role played demonstrations during which you will watch an IFS session in action. The sessions will include topics discussed during the workshop. All mini-demos will be led by Lead Trainer Rina Dubin, and role played (as clients) by the Senior PAs.
IFS Institute disclaimer
- This workshop is not an official training organized by the IFS Institute. In organizing this workshop, the trainer and the IFS International Partner have acted as non-affiliated parties of the IFS. Therefore, IFSI assumes no responsibility for the completeness or suitability of this workshop to train participants interested in becoming PAs in IFS training programs.
- IFSI is currently designing its own training/development pathway for PAs - although there is not yet an estimated timeframe for having this training available - participation in which will likely be free of charge.
- Participation in this workshop will not entitle any attendant to participate in any official IFS training program as a PA, nor will grant any specific advantage or preference over other potential PAs interested in participating in such programs.
- Completion of this workshop will not entitle any attendant to:
- Participate in any official IFS training organized by the IFSI, either level 2 or 3.
- Obtain continuing education credits (with the exception of IFS CE credits for IFS certification, that are available for this program); and/or
- Obtain (or meet the specific requirements to obtain) any type of IFS certification or accreditation.