Individually IFS as well as Art Therapy are powerful yet gentle client led healing modalities. Each can stand alone  in its own right, but together they naturally enhance each other’s contributions towards healing and Self Leadership.

 

Both understand the importance of the many parts that make each person’s manifestation in this world.

They accept that many of those parts are hidden and unconscious and that, unexplored, they can drive  a person’s self definition and decision making, and can impact relationships in the personal and professional world.

Both understand that the increased awareness of those unconscious parts will lead to a more integrated, aware and satisfying life.

IFS enters this internal world by paying attention to body sensations, feelings and thoughts. They are the gateway or “trailheads” to the path of exploration.

 

Art as the oldest universal language of self expressions allows the client to tap into the unconscious or unexplored through the emergence of imagery. Once externalized on paper or through another medium it can be “seen”, acknowledged and ultimately understood in its intentions and contributions in a person’s life.

 

Art processes allow the parts of the system to show themselves individually and in relationship, be it in support of or in conflict with each other.

 

Drawings can reveal a “mapping” of parts in their constellations. Once externalized, the client naturally can look at the image or “part” from a “distance”, from a place infused with curiosity, compassion,

courage…all expressions of “Self”. This allows the necessary “befriending", which leads to the other healing steps of IFS.

 

IFS combined with Art Therapy makes parts visible so they can be explored more easily. This naturally increases Self Leadership, deepens integration of the parts into a more coherent system and improves internal and external relationships.

 

For many years I have been offering Art Therapy Groups for women.  Many of my clients are long term “Art 4 Growth“ participants and have found the IFS / Art Therapy based inner explorations instrumental in their personal development and integration.