What happens when the IFS model meets real-world therapy?

In this episode of Going Inside, I sit down with Monica Cavalcante, LCSW, to explore the gap between learning Internal Family Systems (IFS) and actually practicing it with clients. From navigating complexity in the therapy room to recognizing the limits of technique, this conversation goes beyond the model—and into what truly makes the work effective.

We talk about the moments that don’t follow the script, the parts of the process that can’t be taught in a training, and the subtle shifts that change everything in a session.

If you’re a therapist, trainee, or someone curious about IFS, this episode will challenge how you think about “doing it right”—and invite a different way of approaching the work.

In this guided IFS meditation, John Clarke invites you to slow down and shift out of the habit of trying to fix yourself. Instead, you’ll practice simply being with what’s present—your thoughts, sensations, and parts—without judgment or urgency to change anything.

This is the same process you’re inviting your clients into.

Through gentle awareness, body-based attention, and pendulation between discomfort and ease, this meditation offers a direct experience of what it means to relate differently to your internal world—something you can begin to model and bring into your clinical work.

Whether you're a therapist or on your own healing journey, this short practice is a powerful reminder: transformation doesn’t come from fixing—it comes from being with.

In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke dives into one of the most common—and often overlooked—mistakes therapists make when practicing Internal Family Systems (IFS). From working with persistent protectors to recognizing when therapy feels stuck, John shares practical insights to help therapists deepen their work, stay relational with parts, and foster true self-leadership in their clients. If you’ve ever wondered why your IFS work isn’t creating the change you expect, this episode offers a powerful reframe.

In this short guided meditation, John Clarke invites you to slow down and gently notice the different parts of yourself that may be active right now. Some parts may want to fix, push, or change things, while others may feel frozen, hopeless, or overwhelmed.

Through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), this meditation offers a simple practice of turning toward your inner experience with curiosity and compassion. Rather than trying to change what you’re feeling, you’re invited to simply be with the parts of you that need attention and care.

What might happen if, at your core, you were made of love—and that love could be offered to the parts of you that need it most?

This brief practice can help you reconnect with yourself in difficult moments and remind you that you can always return to a place of presence, compassion, and inner connection.

In this episode, John Clarke answers therapists’ questions about applying Internal Family Systems in real clinical situations. Topics include working with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), perfectionistic protector parts, and fear-based panic responses. John also shares a simple lens that can change how therapists understand client behavior. 

What happens when a spiritual awakening feels more like a psychological breakdown?

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Peter Legård Nielsen to explore spontaneous Kundalini awakenings through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS). Peter shares his own harrowing experience of a sudden awakening at age 18 that led to insomnia, terror, and years of destabilization — and how IFS ultimately helped him transform that trauma into integration, healing, and meaning.

We explore how to discern Kundalini energy from trauma responses or unattached burdens, how therapists can safely approach this territory, and why relationship — not suppression — may be the key to working with overwhelming spiritual energy.

In this live Q&A episode of Going Inside, I answer real-time questions from therapists about high-achieving clients, ADHD and over-functioning, shutdown responses during trauma work, and the deeper question: are memories actually parts?

We explore how protector parts drive work addiction, why some clients can’t stop checking email, what’s really happening when someone gets sleepy during parts work, and how polarized masculine protectors impact relationships. This episode dives into the subtle complexities of IFS while keeping it grounded and practical for therapists in the room.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re moving too fast in trauma work — or whether a client’s ambition is actually fear in disguise — this one’s for you.

What if you could access clarity, compassion, and grounded leadership in just a few minutes?

In this short guided meditation, John invites you to pause and take inventory of what you’re carrying — from your professional roles to your personal responsibilities — and reconnect with Self energy. This practice helps you shift from doing to being, from reacting to leading from the heart. Whether you’re between sessions or starting your day, this 6-minute reset is a simple way to return to your center.