I found this post on a forum on the web, and then I responded to it. I have included both.

The forum post: So, I’ve been reading Self-Therapy by Jay Earley, PHd over the last week or so. I finally finished it last night. I have been both intrigued and skeptical with the work. Anyway, after I laid down for bed (I never go right to sleep) I decided to do my first session. I thought about a phone call I have been wanting to make for a couple weeks, but have been putting off, so I went to work on a procrastinating part. It turned out that part was protecting a Panicked part. When I asked the Panicked part to show me a memory that it was carrying, I was amazed at how at superfast speed I was given the memory of my Father having a heart attack nearly 15 years ago. He recovered well and it wasn’t something I’ve thought much about since. But, I then remembered details about that occassion that surpass my usual recall for events. I then went on to unburden the Panicked part and the procrastinating protector. Yes, it does seem like it was all happening very fast in one sessions time. So, a little bit ago I’m recalling the session I did and this memory that I was givn and how incredible that seemed, but thinking to myself it didn’t really work overall. I still slept late this morning. I decide to post this about the memory and as I start to type it hits me- I MADE THAT STUPID CALL about an hour ago! That seems significant! I’ll definitely have to work at this IFS stuff some more anyway.

 My response: I’m very impressed with your ability to read my book and then immediately do a session on yourself, and follow it all the way through to unburdening. That is fabulous! And it’s great that you got a noticeable change in the procrastination issue you started with. Congrats!

In order to reconnect with the part you worked with, you probably need to remember how you accessed it–through an image, body sensation, emotion, etc. Then you use that to bring it back. You obviously have a pretty good memory of the session. If that doesn’t work, it may mean that another protector is getting in your way.
Jay

The two latest books I am reading have a similar focus. The Empathic Civilization, by Jeremy Rifkin, focuses on the historical development of empathy in our world and how it is desperately needed at this time on our planet. The Compassionate Mind, by Paul Gilbert, looks at psychotherapy from the perspective of compassion. They are really both talking about almost the same thing, just calling it by different terms. I highly recommend them both.

Of course, compassion is a key attribute of the Self in IFS, and therefore a central component of the way I do therapy and the way I think about psychological healing. Maybe this is just where my interests are going, but I hope these books are a sign that our culture is waking up to the importance of compassion.

In this group, you will learn how to use the powerful IFS model in your work on yourself, both in the group, on your own, and in peer counseling with other group members at home. The text for this work is Jay’s book Self-Therapy. We will use a variety of modalities:
1. One person does individual work and everyone else supports them and learns from it.
2. Group exercises, where everyone works on a similar issue at the same time.
3. One person works on their parts by having other group members role play them.
4. Sharing your life issues and struggles and getting support from the group.
5. Practicing speaking for your parts as the arise in the group process.
6. Working through interpersonal issues that come up with other people in the group.
7. Learning about how IFS can be applied to specific psychological issues and how to develop the healthy capacities needed to resolve the issue.

Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 pm, 3 times a month
$45/session, sliding scale
Start April 8
Mill Valley, CA

Call Jay at 415-924-5256 or email jay@earley.org for more information or to join

Friday, April 2
7:00 pm
Free
Mill Valley, CA
Call 415-924-5256 or email jay@earley.org to enroll and get directions

During this evening you can…
• Learn about the IFS model
• Discover some of your parts
• Have an experience of working with your parts using IFS
• Learn about my IFS classes and groups
• Meet other people who are interested in personal growth
• Ask any questions you have

Hugo Bonham, who recently completed my IFS telecourse for therapists, writes:

I am wondering if there is a category of parts missing from IFS?
 
You mentioned the
exiles – in pain
managers – trying to prevent activation of exiles
fire fighters – trying to distract us from activated parts
 
but some parts seem to be the result of other parts:
 
for example in panic attacks I have often found that there are several parts
the panic in the belly
the fear of the panic in the chest causing palpitations
the negative thoughts in the head like “I am about to die” or “something is seriously wrong”
and in the space in front of the belly something that the panic was originally concerned about.
When that one in front is healed then the panicky part no longer panics.
So the panic seems to be the result of something else and other parts are in turn caused by it,
or at least reacting to it.
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