Stroud and Online IFS Drop-In Community Healing Circles
Come and join us, if it feels right to you, in person, in Stroud, Gloucestershire or Online (UK/Ireland). A supportive space to explore your own Internal Family System. Connect with others, share experiences and embark on a journey of personal growth and emotional well-being.
IFS Drop Ins - open healing circles - are based on Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy but with extra community. They are gatherings where we come together to explore our inner parts and facilitate inner harmony.
Why do IFS in groups? Simply its so wonderful being in community with shared Self energy, it can be a hugely powerful tool for self-discovery, inner system harmony and connection with others who are on a similar journey. It combines the insights of IFS with the collective wisdom and support of the group. It can complement individual therapy, and many people find it helps them in ways they might not achieve through one-on-one sessions alone.
We start the year with an intention setting welcome in January. This first session will involve the process of identifying and clarifying personal goals within the context of our internal system of parts, intentionally fostering our inner alignment so we can guide and make conscious choices that reflect our authentic Self. An example could be “I am living with self-compassion and embracing my vulnerabilities”.
For the rest of the year, apart from August, the sessions will follow this format:
There is a check in, a few words of where we each are… then some ‘housekeeping’, followed by:
a) A guided meditation related to our topic of the month. 2025 we are focusing mainly on the 8 C’s of IFS, as well as the unofficial 9th C .. choice.. This focuses on accessing and embodying the core qualities of Self, which are calmness, curiosity, clarity, compassion, confidence, creativity, courage, and connectedness. During the meditation, participants are led through visualizations and reflections that invite you to foster a deeper connection with your Self and your parts.
b) Parts mapping exercise and processing/discussion Either from the guided meditation, or where-ever your curiosity is at the time.. we use paper/workbooks and pastels/pens and pencils to identify, understand, and organize the various "parts" or subpersonalities within us, paying attention to the relationship between our Self and our parts, and also how they interact with each other and with our core essence, our Self.
c) A Sculpt - an external representation of a participants system - In a ‘sculpt’, a courageous volunteer gets to know one or more parts, and others represent these parts physically for the person, in terms of body posture, facial expression and words/tone. The volunteer steers the others to represent as closely as possible what their internal system feels like on that day. The remainder of the group hold the space with warmth and ‘Self energy’. Through this process, individuals can gain insights into their own and others’ internal dynamics, fostering understanding and harmony. In my experience.. it’s so powerful!
d) Sharing/listening in small groups or remaining in the main group to process/discuss and ask questions.
Closing with a word or two
IIN PERSON IN STROUD
We meet in the big meeting room at The Exchange on Brick Row in Stroud. Close to Church street car park. https://www.theexchangestroud.org.uk/about/index.html It’s very accessible, there’s a ramp and disabled loos etc. Please park in the Church car park a few minutes walk away. Feel free to bring your own drinks - or tea bag/milk etc, there’s a kettle/mugs in the kitchen along the way. 10.30am -12.30pm for the Saturday ones and 9.30am-11.30am Wednesdays.
It is donation based, suggested £10- £25 - after room hire (£36) proceeds go to the Long Table https://www.thelongtableonline.com we raised way over £1000 for them in 2023 and over £1300 in 2024.
ONLINE
Tickets released at the beginning of the month. £10-25, to receive zoom link. If you are able to afford it please do contribute as generously as you can to enable those who can’t to have the opporutnity to come. Please don’t let price put you off, be in contact if you can’t afford these prices and we can work something out. Limited to max 16 attendees. Proceeds above £180 donated to The Long Table Stroud: paying meals forward.
Wednesday evenings 6.15pm-8.00pm Online, zoom
