Everything IFS Blog

Internal Family Systems

Adult woman with a backpack stands at a forked landscape path under bright daylight. One side of the scene is tangled with dark, thorny brush and rocky ground, while the other side opens into a sunlit trail lined with colorful wildflowers leading toward distant rolling hills. The contrast creates a visual metaphor of moving from distress and stuckness toward processing, clarity, and healing. Bright natural light, realistic textures, and a hopeful, expansive atmosphere.

Module 1 — What is EMDR? | EMDR Course

A free IFS Academy course on what EMDR is and who it helps in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): how the therapy reprocesses distressing memories so they lose their grip, the idea that some experiences get stored in a stuck, unprocessed state, the eight-phase protocol, the three-pronged past, present, and future approach, bilateral stimulation as the engine, the conditions it treats, and where it stands among recognized trauma therapies. Every lesson ends w

EMDR Course (Correct)

7 min read

Welcome to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

A free IFS Academy course introducing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): what EMDR is and where it came from, the Adaptive Information Processing model behind it, the eight-phase protocol and three-pronged approach, bilateral stimulation, how target memories are found and set up, the resourcing toolkit, desensitization and the cognitive interweave, completing the work, modern developments like the Flash Technique and EMDR 2.0, and using EMDR in everyday lif

🍂 Therapeutic Modalities

3 min read

A thoughtful woman stands inside a crowded subway car, gripping a metal pole while looking toward a sign that reads “Exposure + Response Prevention.” The scene conveys determination and resilience as she remains present in an uncomfortable situation. Other passengers sit in the background, and the realistic urban setting illustrates the practice of facing fears without relying on avoidance or safety behaviors

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Course

A free IFS Academy course on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD and a powerful approach to many fears: a clear, skills-first walkthrough that opens up what ERP actually teaches, from how the OCD cycle works and why facing fear heals it, through the SUDS scale, the exposure hierarchy, and the in vivo, imaginal, and interoceptive forms of exposure, to response prevention and the willingness to live with uncertainty. Every lesson ends wit

🍂 Therapeutic Modalities

2 min read

A woman stands at the center of a forked stone pathway overlooking a vibrant river valley and distant city skyline under brilliant daylight. Viewed from behind, she faces a landscape filled with symbolic elements representing the core ideas of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. To one side stands a large tree shaped like a human brain, while a signpost points toward concepts such as thoughts, emotions, behaviors, beliefs, choices, and growth. At her feet, colorful puzzle pieces connect together along the path, symbolizing awareness, challenge, change, and personal development. The scene is bright, expansive, and hopeful, using visual metaphors to represent how CBT helps people understand the connections between thinking, feeling, and behavior in order to create meaningful change. Rich colors, detailed textures, and sweeping scenery create a bold, inspiring introduction to the overall CBT approach.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Course

Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Therapeutic Modalities Series Welcome to the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Course for Everyday People (professionals & non-professionals) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, grew out of the cognitive therapy that psychiatrist Aaron Beck founded in the 1960s, joined with the behavioral tradition that completes its name. It is the most thoroughly researched form of modern psychotherapy and is widely regarded as the field's gold sta

🍂 Therapeutic Modalities

2 min read

Woman sitting by a window at sunset, holding a mug and looking thoughtfully toward the horizon, surrounded by warm natural light and a peaceful home setting.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Course

A free IFS Academy course on the skills and tools of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): an orientation to what ACT is, who founder Steven Hayes is, and the Hexaflex model of psychological flexibility, followed by the six core processes and their tools, acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action, and a closing lesson on weaving them together in everyday life. Every lesson ends with an Acceptance and Comm

🍂 Therapeutic Modalities

3 min read

A solitary woman walks along a winding dirt path through a barren landscape beneath a dramatic sky filled with dark clouds and filtered sunlight. Along the path stand a series of weathered wooden signposts labeled Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance, marking different stages of the emotional journey. The path gradually climbs a hill toward a distant cemetery, where numerous headstones and a prominent monument are clearly visible on the horizon. A leafless tree stands near the graveyard, adding to the contemplative atmosphere. The woman is seen from behind, continuing forward despite the uncertainty ahead. The image serves as a visual metaphor for the Five Stages of Dying, portraying death not as a single moment but as a journey through a range of emotional experiences.

🦋The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on the five stages of dying from the Death and Dying Series: the framework Elisabeth Kübler-Ross drew from her interviews with dying patients, each stage taught in its own full lesson, a bonus lesson on anxiety, the stage she never named, and a closing lesson on the stages in motion. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS

A very thin, physically frail man sits on the edge of an unmade bed in a dark bedroom during the early hours of the morning. His elbows rest on his knees while both hands grip the sides of his head, fingers buried in his hair. His eyes are wide open and fixed on the floor, conveying exhaustion, fear, and relentless racing thoughts. Prominent cheekbones, a gaunt face, and visible weight loss suggest serious illness. Beside him on a nightstand, a glowing digital alarm clock clearly reads 3:00 AM, emphasizing another sleepless night. Medication bottles and a glass of water sit nearby, while soft moonlight and a bedside lamp cast gentle shadows across the room. The image captures the restless, consuming anxiety that can accompany a life-limiting illness, when worries about death make it impossible to sleep or find peace.

🦋 Bonus Module — Anxiety, the Missing Stage | The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on anxiety, the missing stage of dying, from the Death and Dying Series: why anxiety never made the list of five, the distinct fears that only look like one, fear of dying versus fear of death, the waves and the 3 a.m. shift, the proximity finding, and what genuinely settles each fear. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS

A woman wearing a headscarf sits comfortably in a cushioned armchair beside a bright window, wrapped in a soft blanket and holding a warm mug in both hands. Gentle daylight illuminates her face as she gazes quietly out the window with a calm, reflective expression. Family photographs, a candle, and cozy home furnishings surround her, creating a peaceful and familiar atmosphere. There is no visible distress, struggle, or urgency in her posture. Instead, the image conveys a sense of stillness, acceptance, and emotional peace. The scene represents the acceptance stage of the Five Stages of Dying, where a person acknowledges the reality of death and rests in the present moment with a sense of quiet understanding.

🦋 Module 7 — Acceptance | The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on acceptance, the final stage of dying, from the Death and Dying Series: her actual description of the stage as nearly void of feeling, the line between acceptance and resignation, the lengthening sleep and shrinking circle, decathexis and the held hand, why families arrive later than the dying, and fighting to the end as a valid way to die. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS