IFS & Psychedelics
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.
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Robert Falconer
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3-week series
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11 hours of video
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Recording
experiential activities:
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Pre-recorded demo session
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Personal practice
(a parts map) -
Guided meditation
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Q&A sessions
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A collective meditation on fear by R. Schwartz
See what Robert has to say about the series:
IFS & Psychedelics
The demand for both IFS therapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy has exploded in recent years. It doesn't come as a surprise - both modalities are powerful on their own. When combined, the potential for relieving human suffering is immense.
We believe that IFS therapy is a great fit with psychedelics and there are many reasons for that.
For starters, psychedelic-assisted therapy is still a new and growing field. All the information that can be found in books and courses is presented in the spirit of general guidelines and not as settled answers. Therapists and practitioners are in a need of a solid framework that will help them do this work.
IFS, with its concrete and step-by-step approach, can offer a map, that is very much needed during the twists and turns of the psychedelic experience.
Secondly, IFS therapy has already been recognized as a modality that is very much aligned with how the psychedelic experience reveals itself.
For example, IFS, along with the holotropic breathwork, are the main modalities that inform MAPS’ approach to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. Under the guidance of our guest speaker Michael Mithoefer, a psychiatry professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, MAPS therapists used the IFS model to support the patients in their journeys during the PTSD trials.
Finally, in IFS we follow the client's Self, which is the healing agent. In psychedelic therapy we follow the medicine and offer supportive therapy for this process. This basic attitude is at the core of both modalities and this is the reason they work together so well.
The contents of this series
During this online workshop series, our teacher Robert Falconer, along with our guest speakers dr Richard Schwartz, Michael Mithoefer and dr Robert Grant will talk about the applications of IFS therapy in the psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
You will learn about:
- An IFS view of the psychedelic-assisted therapy process, along with an outline of an IFS assisted psychedelic session.
- The application of IFS therapy during three stages of work with psychedelics - preparation, experience and integration.
We will go through a review of major research about psychedelic therapy.
The prerequisite is the basic knowledge of the IFS model.
Workshop 1: Preparation, experience, integration
This workshop lasts 3 hours 40 minutes.
You will learn about:
- Introduction to combining IFS and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy,
- The importance of working with parts,
- The outline of an IFS assisted psychedelic session and course of therapy in three phases: preparation, session itself, and integration.
Workshop 2: IFS, psychedelics and neuroscience
This workshop lasts 3 hours 42 minutes.
You will learn about:
- Review of major research on psychedelics,
- Default Mode Network and rumination, Robin Carhart-Harris’ REBUS theory, Roland Griffith's mystical experience theory, Francoise Bourzat and the Indigenous Mazatec Model,
- Generative vs. counteractive change.
Guest speaker presentation:
- Dr Robert Grant, founder of Healing Realms, a centre for ketamine assisted IFS therapy.
Workshop 3: Meeting Dr Richard Schwartz and Michael Mithoefer
This workshop lasts 3 hours 42 minutes.
Guest speakers presentations:
- Dr Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS therapy,
- Michael Mithoefer, head researcher for MAPS, and the worlds leading expert on MDMA in the treatment of PTSD,
- A collective unburdening meditation led by Richard Schwartz - letting go of the fear related to working with psychedelics.
Questions & Answers with the guest speakers.
Meet the teacher
Robert Falconer
For the past decade or more Robert Falconer has devoted himself full-time to IFS work (Internal Family Systems Therapy). In that time he has attended all levels of IFS training offered, and has been a program assistant more than 18 times.
Bob has been at many workshops and events with Richard Schwartz both as assistant and participant. In addition to studying with many of the other senior IFS trainers, he also co-authored a book with Richard Schwartz entitled, Many Minds, One Self. For all of his therapeutic work, both professional and personal, Bob now uses IFS almost exclusively.
Before this Bob used and explored many forms of therapy, starting with Ericksonian hypnotherapy which he studied with Carol Erickson. He received his master’s degree and hypnotherapist certificate under her tutelage. Then he met and began studying with Jack and Helen Watkins, the creators of Ego State Therapy.
Before beginning his graduate work, starting in 1971, Bob was involved with the Esalen Institute where he has attended more than 120 events and workshops.
See what others say about Robert
Bob Falconer is a scholar as well as a gifted and engaging teacher. His expertise in the field of unattached burdens is unmatched as he brings a vast theoretical and anthropological framework to the practical business of addressing these phenomenon in the therapeutic encounter.
Derek P Scott, Founder and CEO, IFSCA
I have had the good fortune of Bob Falconer serving as a program assistant in IFS trainings for many years. Bob’s deep understanding of the Model, along with his clear and wise teaching, have made him an invaluable presence. When it comes to unattached burdens, Bob is one of the very best clinicians and perhaps the foremost researcher we have.
Paul Ginter, Ed.D, Co-founder of the Center for Psychotherapy and Wellness
Meet the guest speakers
Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D.guest speaker
The Founder of Internal Family Systems.
Dr. Richard Schwartz began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves.
He focused on the relationships among these parts and noticed that there were systemic patterns to the way they were organized across clients. He also found that when the clients’ parts felt safe and were allowed to relax, the clients would experience spontaneously the qualities of confidence, openness, and compassion that Dr Schwartz came to call the Self.
A featured speaker for national professional organizations, Dr Schwartz has published many books and over fifty articles about IFS.
Robert M. Grant, MD, MPHguest speaker
Dr. Robert M. Grant is a physician specializing in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and HIV medicine. He has more than 30 years of experience with research and clinical practice in sexual health and pulmonary medicine.
After a deep personal loss in 2014, he pivoted to face the challenges of human connection more directly through psychotherapy. He completed a certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2016, and trained in ketamine assisted psychotherapy at the KRIYA Institute in 2017. He is a a board member of the American Society of Ketamine Physicians.
He has trained in psychotherapy modalities including Internal Family Systems (as a fully certified IFS Therapist) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. He has provided ketamine assisted psychotherapy in San Francisco since late 2017.
Michael Mithoefer, MDguest speaker
Michael Mithoefer, MD, is Senior Medical Director for Medical Affairs, Training and Supervision at MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS).
As co-therapists, he and his wife, Annie, have conducted two Phase 2 MAPS-sponsored clinical trials testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, as well as other MAPS studies. He now focuses on training and supervision for research therapists. He has completed all 3 levels of and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) Training, and has a particular interest in the intersection of IFS and MDMA-assisted therapy.
He is trained in EMDR and is a Grof-certified Holotropic Breathwork Facilitator. He has been board certified in Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Affiliate Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at MUSC. He and his wife, Annie live in Asheville, NC.
Any place, any time
By signing up for this workshop series, you get access to the Life Architect platform, which will provide you with access to video recordings of the workshops and other training materials, also on mobile devices.
How it works
All stages of the cycle were held live in October and November 2021. Each of them lasted almost 4 hours.
The whole process has been structured so that you can go through it at any time, at your own pace. In total, more than 11 hours of video material - it's important that you find the right space for yourself to immerse yourself in this process.
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!
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
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Guided meditation
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.
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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.
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Personal practice (a parts map)
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.
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Pre-recorded demo session
Michael Mithoefer shows a video session that he has recorded in the past. The session is related to the topic of the workshops.
Opinions about this workshop series
IFS and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
A series of three IFS online workshops with Robert Falconer and 3 guest speakers:Richard Schwartz, Michael Mithoefer and Dr Robert Grant.
Immerse yourself in the journey with IFS and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
By signing up for the "IFS & Psychedelics" workshop series you get:
- Access to the online workshop recordings,
- Training materials ready for printing,
- Certificate of Completion,
- All-time access to the workshop recordings – no time limits.