Integrating Capacities into IFS Work

by Jay Earley

We know that it is important to be in Self for an IFS session to succeed. However, we can be much more specific. We know about the 8 Cs of Self, (Clarity, Compassion, Creativity, Calmness, Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, Connectedness) but there are even more Self qualities, which contribute to IFS sessions being successful. I call these Self Capacities.

At any given point during a session, to truly be in Self, your client need to be manifesting these Self Capacities. There will be one or more of these capacities that are especially needed at that time. A part might need Respect, Curiosity, Caring, or Strength. Your client's IFS process might need to manifest Awareness, Agency, Focus, or Flow.

We study these Self Capacities and how they enhance the work. You develop your ability to manifest each capacity as a therapist or coach and you learn how to help your clients to manifest each one, leading to more successful IFS sessions. You learn how to understand which Self Capacity is needed when a session is stuck, for the therapist or the client, to get it moving again in a healing direction.

There are 10 Self Capacities:

• Respect. All parts need respect and appreciation from Self, so they can trust your client and you.
• Curiosity. Your client is openly interested in all their parts and able to attune to them and convey this, so the parts feel understood.
• Caring. Your client cares about their parts and has compassion for those in pain. They can love and nurture exiles who need this.
• Inner Support. Solid grounding in your client's pelvis and legs, which helps them to feel supported and whole. This helps to handle multiple protectors when they are vying for attention.
• Strength. Your client can protect an exile from harm and support its autonomy.
• Internal Personhood. Your client treats each experience as a part, which is a little person inside whom they can relate to.
• Awareness. Your client is aware of experiences and parts that arise, even if they are different from the target part.
• Agency. Your client recognizes that they are in charge of their inner work and personal growth, and they do their best to help it succeed.
• Focus. Your client can stay with the thread of their work and make decisions about what needs to happen.
• Flow. Your client is patient and trusting of the IFS process. They are intuitive and spontaneous in allowing it to flow.

For each Self Capacity, you learn:

• How it is most useful in an IFS session
• How to track when your client has it during a session and when you have it.
• How to access it in yourself or a client.
• How to work through protectors that block the capacity.
• How to cultivate the capacity.

How to Learn More

The IFS Therapist Capacities Group covers all the Self Capacities and also IFS Therapist Capacities and Part's Capacities.