Internal Family Systems (IFS): Advanced Workshop

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is one of the main modalities informing MAPS’ approach to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. But its benefits can be experienced in non-clinical contexts by anyone pursuing intentional work with psychedelics.

This workshop is open to all who attended the introductory IFS workshop BPS hosted last April, or on September 7th. It is an opportunity for those familiar with the principles of IFS to dive deeper through guided demos and practices–because you haven’t truly explored IFS until you’ve experienced it!

Bill Gallagher, an IFS therapist with experience working with altered states, along with his wife Jessica Shapley, Clinical Social Worker and IFS therapist, will facilitate dyad work and offer live demos. We are keeping the cohort small and giving this three hours so that the instructors can engage personally with all workshop participants.

We will explore:

• Working with parts that do not consent to a particular medicine experience (polarizations)
• How to welcome “shadow” parts (critical, angry, fearful ones) into the light
• Discerning between helpful entities (guides) and those with negative intentions (unattached burdens), and how to interact with these “others inside”

Over the course of the afternoon, there will be time for Q+A, as well as a chance to engage in discussions with like-minded individuals, sharing experiences, insights, and collective wisdom in a supportive and open-minded community.

Pre-requisites: Again, please only register for this advanced workshop if you have attended one of the previous IFS classes with BPS.

Arrival: Doors open at 2:50 pm, workshop begins at 3:00 pm. Please do not be late so we can honor the time of all participants. There will be no entry after 3:15 pm.

Join us and ground yourself in IFS techniques to support your psychedelic explorations and your inner healing and self-discovery!

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This event is part of BPS’ series, “Psychedelic Practices.” The series is designed to support skills and activities that have a complementary relationship with psychedelic journeys. Each class offers experiential learnings and "consciousness skills" with the aim of making psychedelic journeys safer, deeper, and more rewarding.

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Bill Gallagher is an Internal Family Systems Therapist, Physical Therapist, Tai Chi CHamp; Baguazhang teacher and Yoga Therapist. He has a 40-year-long relationship with psychedelics and has been serving people with physical and mental trauma, chronic pain syndromes, sexual concerns and at end of life for 30 years. He loves to share his passion for and understanding of IFS because he has found it to be such a key to transformation.

Jessica Shapley earned her Bachelors in Psychology from Boston University and her Master’s Degree in Social Work  from Columbia University.  She is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 2 practitioner.  She works with Groups, Families, Couples and individuals. Jessica is a program assistant for Level 1 trainees through the Internal Family Systems Institute (IFSI). She  also works with individuals and groups in the psychedelic space. She is KAP trained through the Ketamine Training Center and has trained directly with Dick Schwartz (IFS founder) 4 times.  Jessica teaches introduction to IFS and co-facilitates talks on the Psychedelic and IFS synergy.  Jessica is founder of momsupport.org and lives with her partner in Upper Manhattan.