Two Counselors Envision IFS (Internal Family Systems) Therapy for Addictions Treatment in Indian Country

ABSTRACT

The IFS (Internal Family Systems) model may be an effective framework for addictions treatment in Indian Country. When recovery from addiction and Indigenous wellbeing are understood from an Indigenous worldview perspective, the need for a treatment framework that aligns with a client’s worldview becomes obvious. Through the storytelling dialogue of this article, the IFS model is located as a framework that has potential to align with the many unique cultures that are streams in an Indigenous worldview. The Western-developed IFS model’s use in non-Western populations around the world points toward exploring its assumptions, language, and protocol for use in Indian Country.

KEYWORDS:

• IFS (Internal Family Systems)
• Indian Country
• addictions treatment
• Indigenous worldview
• Indigenous wellbeing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Common parlance in Cherokee communities is to speak of “ways” of knowing, being, and doing (Garrett & Pichette, 2000).

2. To achieve harmony and balance within the internal system is a stated goal of IFS therapy. The Internal Family Systems Model Outline. https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/internal-family-systems-model-outline.

3. “Parts: The term used in Internal Family Systems for a person’s subpersonalities. Parts are best considered internal people of different ages, talents, and temperaments.” IFS Glossary of Terms https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

4. Unburdening in IFS is unloading extreme ideas or feelings that govern a part’s existence. Schwartz (1995). Internal Family Systems Therapy, pp. 108–10.

5. “Burdens: Extreme ideas or feelings that are carried by parts and govern their lives. Parts accrue burdens from exposure to an external person or event.” IFS Glossary of Terms https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

6. Legacy burdens are “…the intergenerational transmission of constraining, negative feelings and beliefs.” Sinko, p. 164.

7. “Multiplicity Paradigm: The recognition that the human mind is not unitary, but instead is subdivided into a multitude of subpersonalities.” IFS Glossary of Terms. https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

8. “Polarization: A state in which two members (or two groups) in a system relate in opposition to or in competition with each other, to the point where each party’s access to the Self is constrained by fear that the other party will win or take over.” IFS Glossary of Terms, https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

9. “Self-Leadership: Leadership characterized by compassion, calmness, clarity, curiosity, confidence, courage, creativity, and connectedness.” IFS Glossary of Terms, https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

10. “Exiles: Parts that have been sequestered within a system for their own protection or for the protection of the system from them.” IFS Glossary of Terms, https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

11. Schwartz refers to Manager Parts (proactive parts) and Firefighter Parts (reactive parts) as Protector Parts. J. M. Smith (2017) in Innovations and Elaborations in Internal Family Systems Therapy edited by M. Sweezy and E. L. Ziskind.

12. C’s of Self are a mnemonic in the IFS vocabulary to describe qualities of the Self: Calm, connection, compassion, creativity, clarity, curiosity, confidence, and courage. Later the P’s of Self were added as qualities of the Self: Presence, patience, perspective, persistence, and playfulness.

13. “Blending: When the feelings and beliefs of one part merge with another part or with the Self.” IFS Glossary of Terms, https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

14. “Balance: A state in which members of a human system have equitable access to the responsibilities, resources, and influence they need.” IFS Glossary of Terms https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms.

15. “Feed within: Information communicated among members of a system.” IFS Glossary of Terms https://ifs-institute.com/resources/research/ifs-glossary-terms