Exploring the Spiritual and Developmental Nature of Self–Part Connection in Internal Family Systems
with Dr. David J Stern (IFSI Approved Consultant)
Three 3-Hour Live Workshop Sessions
9 CE credits for Social Workers, Counselors, and Marriage and Family Therapists are available through NASW authorization # RI-9721 (please check with your local licensing boards to see if this authorization is accepted). There will be a fee of $20 (an email will explain how to pay and secure your CE certificate of completion)
This is for therapists, coaches, and practitioners with IFSI’s Level 1, or equivalent programs such as IFSCA’s Stepping Stones Course, David Stern’s Thinking Heart Intensive, or the IFS Healers Foundations Course
(If you are an experienced therapist and have over 50–100 hours of your own personal IFS therapy with an IFS therapist or practitioner, but have not been able to get into one of the trainings mentioned above, you can also join this course.)
When Self meets a part, something remarkable happens.
A relational circuit closes and love flows.
In that moment our psycho-biology shifts, healing commences, and—if we are rightly attuned—a deeper layer of reality reveals itself.
This workshop explores the dance that leads to that moment of connection and deeper nature of that moment.
Dates:
Session 1: Tuesday, May 26th, 5pm ET
Session 2: Tuesday, June 9th, 5pm ET
Session 3: Tuesday, June 23rd, 5pm ET
- * Recordings available for participants and for those who cannot attend all the sessions -
In Internal Family Systems (IFS), healing unfolds within the Self–part connection. But what really happens in that dance between Self and part, and what happens in that moment of contact? What deeper structure of human experience and reality does the Self–part dance and connection reveal?
Across contemplative traditions, developmental psychology, and modern psychotherapy, we find a remarkably similar pattern. In Kashmir Shaivism it appears as the dance of Śiva and Śakti. In Sufi poetry it appears as the longing of the lover for the Beloved. In attachment science it appears as rupture and repair. In IFS it appears as the meeting of part and Self.
This workshop explores the ways that these are not merely metaphors but different languages describing different dimensions of the same underlying structure of reality.
The underlying pattern looks something like this:
unity → differentiation → longing → recognition → reunion → continued differentiation within connection
We will explore how parts arise as differentiated wisdom expressions of life within the body and psyche, and how their sometimes extreme actions are a call for presence and love. When Self answers that call and turns toward a part, a relational circuit—what I call the Bridge of Love—is realized. The nervous system settles, psychobiological healing becomes possible, and a deeper dimension of reality is laid bare.
Through teaching/study, guided meditation, demonstrations, dyad or triad practice, and discussion, we will explore the lived experience of the unfolding Self–part connection and the different dimensions of being that emerge when that connection is established.
The workshop will also explore how this connection can inform everyday life through a simple practice in which attention remains rooted in the Self–part relationship while engaging the world. In this way, parts become living consultants/teachers that contribute wisdom to how we move through the world.
What Participants Will Experience
Participants will explore the lived experience of the Self–part connection through meditation, teaching, demonstration, and small-group practice. Together we will study spiritual and psychological texts that illuminate this moment of connection and explore how these teachings may deepen our own experience of the Self–part relational field.
Through experiential exercises and dialogue, we will investigate how the meeting of Self and part unfolds across biological, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of experience.
"David Stern is born to teach. He knows and experiences IFS in mind, body and heart, and conveys the concepts and the techniques from that deep well. He is kind, clear, and connected. I have seen him be part of a group and almost immediately be recognized as a leader, even if he wasn't in that role. People look to him for clarity and ever more expansive views of our inner system and the Self that permeates it."
–Mona Barbera, Ph.D.
author of “Bring Yourself to Love”
Workshop Structure
Three Live Sessions (3 hours each)
Each session includes an introductory meditation, teaching, practice or demonstration, dyad/triad work, and group discussion.
All Sessions are recorded and recordings will be available for participants to review for 3 months after the event
Session 1
Introducing Primordial Structure and Exemplars
In this class we will, together, study several texts that illuminate an underlying structure of reality that we encounter on the journey to a Self–part connection. We will take a brief dip into the waters of Kashmir Tantra and their descriptions of the relationship between Siva and Sakti. We will also spend time with Rumi’s “Love Dogs.” Sufi mystical poetry also illuminates this foundational structure of reality.
We will do some experiential exercises to see whether or not this study deepens our own experience of the Self–part relational field.
Session 2
Deep Dive into the Different Dimensions of the Self–Part Connection
This class will briefly review the Siva–Sakti relational dance and the Rumi “cry of the dog” dynamic, and then include a demonstration where these movements are revealed in the Self–part connection.
In this class there will be a demo in which we explore the different dimensions of reality that reveal themselves in the evolving Self–part connection.
We will see how the spiritual exemplars and structures we studied serve as a kind of scaffolding or map to assist us in exploring and deepening our own Self–part connections.
Participants will then break into dyads to practice and return for group discussion.
Session 3
Our Parts as Consultants (The 70/30 Practice)
This session will include a demonstration of the Self–part connection and an introduction to the 70/30 practice. The 70/30 practice involves turning toward a challenging situation while keeping most of one’s attention resting in the Self–part connection.
We will explore what that connection contributes to presence, how it colors our mindfield with a particular flavor of Self energy informed by that connection, and how this might serve in life. We will also explore what this means for our relationship with all our parts and our being-in-the-world.
"Dr. David Stern brings profound wisdom and humanistic talents to his teaching. He combines years of solid experience using the IFS method with a deep communion with spiritual depths. His personal style is intensely supportive and connective and he brings a passion for the unfolding of the soul. Learning with David is a rich and transformative experience."
–Bonnie Weiss, LCSW
author of Self-Therapy Workbook
Who This Course Is Designed For
This program is designed for clinicians, coaches, and practitioners interested in exploring the many dimensions of the Self–part connection.
Recording:
This session will be recorded.
Recordings are typically available for participants to review for 3 months after the event, and we do our best to make them available within three days. Videos of the sessions will be also available to individuals unable to attend one or more sessions.
Eligibility Requirements
- IFSI’s Level 1, or equivalent programs such as IFSCA’s Stepping Stones Course, David Stern’s Thinking Heart Intensive, or the IFS Healers Foundations Course
(If you are an experienced therapist and have over 50–100 hours of your own personal IFS therapy with an IFS therapist or practitioner, but have not been able to get into one of the trainings mentioned above, you can also join this course.)
- Proficiency in the English language
- A stable internet connection
- Access to a computer or tablet
- A private environment for full participation in the sessions
Pricing
Join all 3 live sessions and enjoy access to the recordings for 3 months afterward, so you can revisit the material at your own pace.
Standard Rate
$325 USD
(plus TicketLeap fee)
This reflects the true cost of the class. If this price feels doable without financial strain, we encourage participants to choose this tier.
Pay-it-forward Rate
$450 USD
(plus TicketLeap fee)
This rate helps make lower-cost access possible. For those in a financially comfortable position who would like to support broader access to this work, thank you. This choice directly contributes to more equitable participation.
Community Rate
$165 USD
(plus TicketLeap fee)
This reduced rate is offered for those currently experiencing financial constraint. We ask that participants self-select this tier only if a higher rate would prevent them from participating. If this option makes it possible to join, you are invited to take it with our full support.
Registration & Access
When you register, your place in this training is reserved and materials are prepared with care. For this reason, registrations are non-refundable.
If you’re unable to attend a live session, you will receive access to the recordings for all sessions, available for 3 months. This allows you to engage with the full training at your own pace.
Thank you for your understanding and for supporting the integrity of this learning space.
Dr. David J. Stern is a licensed psychologist, IFSI-certified consultant, and teacher with over 30 years of clinical experience. His work integrates Internal Family Systems with contemplative and non-dual traditions, supporting people in reconnecting with their innate vitality and wisdom.
