Learn how to work with Unattached burdens and Guides in IFS therapy
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A series of 4 IFS live online workshops, which took place 17th of April 2021.
The participants could:
- Learn how to work with negative energies that Richard Schwartz calls Unattached burdens,
- Discover ways of connecting to your Guides, tapping into their wisdom and guidance,
- Learn how to use IFS with your clients to help them deal with these energies.
See what Robert has to say about the series:
Someone once said that a real scientist follows the data no matter where it leads...
IFS has given us a model of mind made up of parts (managers, firefighters and exiles) and Self. This concept of the multiplicity of mind is rapidly replacing the old myth of the mono mind.
IFS’s model has proven itself to be very valuable in psychotherapy. As we go deeper into people’s systems we begin to encounter things that are not parts or Self. Usually the first of these we encounter are legacy burdens and cultural burdens. As we go even deeper we encounter what I call the other within, unattached burdens and guides. These will be the focus of this course.
The backbone of this course will be a detailed pragmatic outline of how we can deal with these energies when we encounter them in clients or in our selves. Our emphasis will be practical but we will also explore historical precedents and cross-cultural contexts for this work.
These subjects, especially Unattached burdens, are so uncomfortable for most people that it’s almost taboo to talk about them.
They do not fit in the modern materialist paradigm, and attempts to deal with them are often met with mockery and derision. But they are real, they do occur and they cause human suffering and human joy. We will start with radical pragmatism.
How do we best deal with these phenomena when they occur in clients or in ourselves? What works? What helps? These will be our most basic concerns.
Someone once said that a real scientist follows the data no matter where it leads. We will do our best to live up to this simple standard. We will also place these phenomena in historical and cross-cultural perspectives, and if there is more time we will hint at some possible theoretical understandings.
For close to eight years I have been working in this area. I did not want to believe that these phenomena were real; it has made me realize that my worldview was way too small. I only came to take this really seriously when I had a client in whom this phenomenon was undeniable. I became curious and have pursued the subject ever since.
This whole area is sort of disreputable and very few therapists will deal with it. So once word of my curiosity about this area got out into the IFS world I have received many referrals and I am currently working on a book about this, tentatively entitled, “The Others Within”.
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
The structure of this series
This series is a 4-week process based on an innovative formula. This course consists of 4 live online workshops (each 3,5-hour long) which will be recorded. Because of the delicate nature of the topic, you will have access to the recording of each workshop up to 7 days after it's published - not longer.
Each workshop is designed to use a combination of didactic, experiential, demonstration and interactive process, as the teaching modalities. All workshops will begin with meditation and opportunity for personal inquiry.
Doing your own inner work between the sessions will allow you to dive deep into the process of internal exploration.
Each workshop is led by Robert Falconer, an IFS Teacher.
Workshop 1. IFS and the transpersonal
Saturday / 17th of April / 17:00 - 20:30 CEST
Find your time zone here.
You will learn about:
- Wider implications of the IFS model,
- How Robert came to focus on this area,
- Radical pragmatism in the tradition of William James,
- IFS as a constraint release model,
- Introduction of the basic outline of work with Unattached Burdens,
- The role of fear in this work,
- We will also watch a video of a session with an Unattached Burden.
Workshop 2. How to work with Unattached Burdens
Saturday / 24th of April / 17:00 - 20:30 CEST
Find your time zone here.
You will learn about:
- Exploring our fears - working with the therapist parts,
- How to work with Unattached Burdens - the basics in detail,
- We will show you some case studies,
- And a video of work with a Native American.
Workshop 3. Cross cultural contexts
Saturday / 1st of May / 17:00 - 20:30 CEST
Find your time zone here.
On this workshop we will talk about the cross cultural contexts:
- Complete the basic outline with plenty of time for Q&A,
- Non western mental health treatment,
- Psychosis in other cultures,
- The work of Tanya Luhrmann and more,
- The anthropology: Erika Bourguignon, I.M. Lewis, Mircea Eliade,
- Some examples of other views, including: Brazilian spiritism, Emanuel Swedenborg, Wilson van Dusen, Korean shamanism, a history of possession in the west.
Workshop 4. Tapping into the wisdom of Guides
Saturday / 8th of May / 17:00 - 20:30 CEST
Find your time zone here.
You will learn about:
- Guides and guidance,
- Constraint release,
- Self and Guides,
- 12 step concept of higher power and Guides,
- Ralph Allison, MD and the „Internal Self Helper”,
- Discernment an age old issue,
- Robert's 3 suggestions on working with Guides,
- The “Golden Age of the Demonic” quietism and discernment,
- We will also experience a Guides guided meditation.
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.
How it works
Each of the workshops will be held live, on 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.
The only prerequisite is having basic knowledge of IFS (basics won't be presented during this series).
On Wednesday after each live session you will receive access to the recording. The recording will be active 7 days after it's published in your Life Architect Account, so you can go through it at your own pace.
In total, you will get about 14 hours of video material with handouts, case studies and IFS session videos.
Read what others have to say about Robert
Robert Falconer is a highly experienced IFS practitioner and teacher who has spent years focusing his deep spiritual practice and profound intellect on work with Unattached Burdens and Guides. He brings scholarly knowledge from extensive study, including readings and personal discussions with practitioners of diverse religious and spiritual traditions, that spans multiple cultures and time periods. His course provides an opportunity for therapists and practitioners interested in this realm of experience to benefit from the insights and in-session experience he has gained to learn to effectively work with these phenomena should they encounter them in their personal or professional work.
Alexia Rothman, Ph.D., Certified IFS Therapist and IFS Speaker/Educator
For a long time Bob has been the first person i think of when it comes to seeing clients with. Unattached burden issues. I have watched him work and he knows this field. Recently, I took a class from him on this topic. He has done his research. He is very well informed and packed a great deal of information and guidance into a relatively short time. Highly recommended.”
Mary Duparri, MA, LPC IFS Assistant Trainer
As a pastoral councilor and minister i have been working at the boundary of psychology and religion for more than 30 years. Bob is an excellent guide in this terrain to use religious language, he is comfortable working with both demons and angels. His class on unattached burdens and guides was packed with information and deep understanding.
Rachel Rivers, Minister, teacher and counselor
If you are not completely satisfied with the series after the first workshop, just let us know within 5 days after the first event. We will give you a full refund. You are not required to give any reason. You have nothing to lose!
