Parts Work as a Path to Healing: An Experiential Approach Inspired by Internal Family Systems (IFS) Principles

We all know the feeling: part of me knows I really should not watch any more TV, but another part of me is desperate to not go to sleep yet, no matter the cost. Whichever part of us “wins” this internal struggle may vary, but the underlying experience is the same: we feel divided inside, without agency over our own lives. How can we address this? Is there a solution?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a method of healing that understands the human mind as containing many inner parts, each with their own intelligence and role. Rather than fighting against the “bad” or disruptive parts, we befriend each of our parts with curiosity and compassion, understanding who they are and why they do what they do. In the process, we learn to welcome the many parts of us, and live with the courage, compassion and connection that are our essential nature, our true Self.

In this 6-week experiential course, you will learn the fundamentals of Internal Family Systems and how to use it in your own life to create deeper harmony, ease and wholeness. We will explore the role IFS can play in healing early attachment wounding and challenging addictions, as well as how to incorporate parts work into spiritual practice to create a more embodied spirituality. We will close with an exploration of ancestral healing and cultural wounds and how our paths of personal inner healing both mirror and support collective healing. 

This course is culturally mindful and inclusive. It requires no previous experience or knowledge and welcomes people of all cultural and spiritual backgrounds and identities. Our approach is experiential and non-pathologizing and emphasizes learning within community. Rather than relying solely on a therapist or external authority, this course will empower you to regain trust in your own Self, with its inherent wisdom, love and creativity. You will leave this course with a deeper understanding of your inner emotional landscape and a safe, effective method for working with both inner and outer challenges.  

Session 1: Building a Container

Session 2: Essentials of the IFS Model

Session 3: Our True Self: IFS, Spiritual Practice & Reparenting Our Inner Children

Session 4: Finding Harmony: Working with Internal Polarizations & Addictions

Session 5: Integrating IFS Into Our Daily Lives

Session 6: Creating the World We Want to Live In: Ancestral Healing, Legacy Burdens & Cultural Change

Sliding Scale Payment Rates: (See below for things to consider)

Supported: $60

Base: $90

Sustaining: $120-150

We would like to make this course as accesible as possible so we are offering a sliding scale registration fee. Please choose the rate that works for you.

Session Dates & Times

All sessions will be held over Zoom on Tuesdays at 1pm PT for 90 minutes. This is not a drop-in class – please plan to attend all 6 sessions if you sign up for the course. Once you register, you will receive the Zoom link and other information.

December 6, 13, 20 (2022)

January 3, 10, 17 (2023)

Note: We will not have a session on Tuesday December 27th.

Elah Zakarin (they/he)

Elah Zakarin is animated by a passion and commitment to remember our connection with the living Earth, heal the wounds in our bodies and souls, and create a more just and beautiful world. Elah is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner, ancestral lineage healing practitioner, and writing coach and editor. They also lead online courses and circles for Jews to reconnect with a renewed spirit of Jewish tradition and practice. Elah’s grounded, dynamic and heart-centered approach rests on a fundamental trust in our innate wholeness and draws from somatic healing, earth-based Jewish spirituality, Buddhist training, and energy healing. Their beloved ancestors are Ashkenazi Jews most recently from Poland, Russia and France. You can learn more about Elah and their work at: https://www.elahzakarin.com/

Orlando O’Shea (He/Him) 

Orlando O’Shea has been working with the Internal Family Systems model since 2013. He is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner and a depth coach integrating Jungian and behavioral approaches. He holds a BA in Psychology from Sonoma State University and is currently an MSW student. He has a background in crisis counseling, homeless services, autism advocacy, and mental health advocacy. He specializes in working with autistic individuals and their families and the LGBTQI+ community. You can learn more about Orlando O’Shea at www.orlandooshea.com 

This workshop is not associated with the IFS Institute. 

Considerations for the sliding scale:

Consider paying less on the scale if you:

are supporting children or have other dependents

have significant debt

have medical expenses not covered by insurance

receive public assistance

have immigration-related expenses

are an elder with limited financial support

are an unpaid community organizer

are a returning citizen who has been denied work due to incarceration history

Consider paying more on the scale if you:

own the home you live in and comfortably afford repairs, mortgage, and upkeep

have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money

travel extensively recreationally

have access to family money and resources in times of need

work part time by choice

have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.)

The scale is intended to be a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of our financial resources and look deeper at our levels of privilege. While we ask you to take these factors into consideration, please don’t stress about it. Pay what feels right.