Intimate and family relationships often bring us face to face with challenging parts of ourselves and with parts of the other person that trigger some of the old pain we have been carrying around for years. If you are in a difficult relationship or struggle with a family member, you already know about the strain of having arguments and feeling the same way again and again. No matter how hard you try, it seems that you just can't break this pattern. You might have started to worry that you have made a terrible mistake by choosing the partner you did or that there is something very wrong with you. Neither is true. What is true is that you are stuck in a pattern that needs to change; and there is something within both of you that is greater than any negative perception you could ever have of yourselves or each other.

It is very stressful and confusing when our parts become triggered. In one moment, we may feel very loving towards someone and in the next, dislike them. It is helpful to know that our personalities are not one solid thing but rather a composite of parts. Some of our parts work well together and when this happens, we feel calm and on course. At other times, our parts may oppose one another, and this is the definition of inner turmoil.

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of therapy enables people to become aware of the parts of themselves that are being triggered when they experience having their "buttons pushed". IFS helps us to work with our parts with compassion and acceptance while at the same time, enabling us to tap into the calmer, more centered space within ourselves.

As we practice having an awareness of our parts and a connection to our inner truth, we can more easily maintain a sense of peace and harmony within ourselves. This enables us to be more centered and less reactive in our relationships and everyday situations, creating a greater sense of calm and trust within ourselves and

towards our lives.

So what is the secret ingredient of this model? YOU ARE, because literally, everything you need is already within you. It is just a matter of mindfully becoming aware of yourself. And that is the good news!

If you would like to discuss what you want to heal in your life, feel free to contact me today.

Phone: 412-860-5745 or email: [email protected]