In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke dives into one of the most common (and important) questions in Internal Family Systems (IFS): how to distinguish authentic parts communication from imagined responses. He explores what real connection feels like, why “waiting and listening” matters, and how to spot when a client is genuinely accessing parts versus performing or guessing.

John also unpacks key challenges therapists face in session, including working with analytical clients, navigating multiple parts without shutting them down, and responding to dissociation with more care and curiosity. This episode is packed with practical insights to help you deepen your IFS work and avoid common pitfalls.

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.