Internal family systems model

[funk]

This model was developed by Richard C. Schwartz.
At the moment i am reading his book with the English titel "Internal Family Systems Therapy".

For the first moments his thoughts were pretty strange, somehow:
There shouldn't be a "self" as one thing? Not really an "i"?
But then i thought about it a little.
Concerning to Schwartz there are many differnt parts in everybody:
Parts which have more or less power over the things we do. Some of them work together, some against each other. Some are pretty obvious and strong, while others are hidden and banned.
His therapy works by working with the different parts.

At the second thought, i guess, i have to agree with him.
There was some kind of a proove while i ate sweets: One part "yummy" another "teeth"/"weight".

What do you think about his method?

[Jenny]

I've never heard of this type of therapy before so must look out for some more information about it. The book sounds interesting.

It sounds a little like the unconscious and conscious mind.. both working within us all the time. And i have a sense of yin and yang.. like, good and bad.. with regards to things such as sweets. I don't know about you but whenever I eat sweets, for example, it feels good for a little while but then the bad feelings/guilt kicks in.

Hmm yes i will have to read up on this. Thanks for sharing :)

[funk]

It sounds a little like the unconscious and conscious mind.. both working within us all the time.

I think it is more than that. Not just two parts, but many. Schwarzt talks about a lots of inner parts.
Perhaps i try to explain more of it later, but atm i am not able to describe the system better in English.

[mel]

I very much agree with the notion of having different parts. I believe that there is not just one self but many parts that, depending on the trauma a baby/child has suffered while growing up, are further apart, split compare to someone for example who had a relatively stable and safe upbringing.

Jung also has a lot to say about our different parts of the psyche.

Jung believed that a human being is inwardly whole, but that most of us have lost touch with important parts of our selves. Through listening to the messages of our dreams and waking imagination, we can contact and reintegrate our different parts. The goal of life is individuation, the process of coming to know, giving expression to, and harmonizing the various components of the psyche. If we realize our uniqueness, we can undertake a process of individuation and tap into our true self. Each human being has a specific nature and calling which is uniquely his or her own, and unless these are fulfilled through a union of conscious and unconscious, the person can become sick.

Sounds like a very interesting book funk. I am looking forward to hearing more about it when/if you want to share.

mel

[Cherrypie]

I think Roberto Assagioli who pioneered psychosynthesis believed and introduced the idea of sub-personalities and this reminds me of that theory.

The idea is that within in each of us there may be several seperate personalities and sometimes they are struggling against one another. This is not the same as having a split personality as in a multiple personality disorder.

Your 'rebel' might win through one day and your 'peacemaker' may come more to the forefront on another. We may of course want to reject and supress the sub-personalities that we see as bad. Ideally I think the idea is to recognise all your sub-personalities, perhaps introduce your personalities to one another, use their best qualities to your advantage and live in harmony!

Easy Peasy I am sure!

I certainly feel it is a fascinating concept...

xCherrypie