Can’t identify parts

[NightSky]

Does anyone have anything helpful to read/other resources about Internal Family Systems besides the book (Internal Family Systems Therapy)? I found the book very interesting and it’s a helpful way for me to process inner polarization. But as distinct as my parts feel, i can’t seem to identify them. Everything gets cloudy and foggy when i try. I think I remember the book talking about how a part can interfere with even identifying the other parts, but I’m not able to find that to verify. My T asked me to draw a diagram to just start to outline what some of my parts might be and I draw a blank, get extremely tired and nauseous. I don’t know what that’s about. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Freida]

I like The Body Keeps the Score because he does a great job of linking parts to examples. It's not the main focus of the book, but it made that whole IFS thing easier to understand.

And don't worry if it takes a while to figure them out -- it took me several months to get a grasp of what they were asking and to get around to naming them

 

[NightSky]

I like The Body Keeps the Score because he does a great job of linking parts to examples. It's not the m...

I just reread that part of the book this weekend, actually. I do like the way he explains it. Did you have a particular method for figuring them out?

 

[Freida]

hmm...lemme remember. I think we started with the one that was noisiest. In my case that was my critic. We separated him out (yea - he was a him!) by listening to the times that I chastised or pushed myself even if I knew it was not beneficial. In my case he was the "get up lazy ass and get moving" part. Once I started paying attention he became pretty easy to see. After a while a name just kind of came to me. Once I saw him clearly it was easier to separate out the others. Took a while to guess all their purposes and names but eventually I did.

 

[EveHarrington]

I’m using the “Self Therapy” series by Jay Earley. It has lots of exercises. There are three books in the series so far, and a workbook.

This series breaks it down step by step.

I’d be stuck too if I was told to make an overall diagram. I mean WTF? That’s like jumping to the finish line! I have a partial diagram so far. The rest will come piece by piece over time.

Is your therapist an IFS therapist?