Thank you for sharing this. I am a psychiatrist (24 years) and an IFS therapist (the majority of my work now is IFS) and IFS & psychosis is an important topic and thank you for sharing this video. I think it is a topic that needs to be carefully spoken about as there is a great danger of getting people off medications and relapse in severe schizophrenia can have serious consequences for the patient and their families that I have seen in my 24 years of practice. People often come off medication and the consequences are very serious. I am grateful to Dick for highlighting that parts press the psychosis button that he sees as being a 'condition' and Stephanie's knowledge that there is a lot of fear in psychosis. In every psychotic experience (not just days but can be for years) exiles and protective parts can get highly activated and show up in words and statements even if perceived by others as non-sensical within psychosis that highlights abuse, neglect, trauma etc. However, the activation of these exiled and protectors are facilitated by the condition itself that creates 'neurochemical' imbalance and unless parts have settled with medication (against polypharmacy), an IFS therapist would struggle to work with someone while they are acutely psychotic. Hearing voices, having delusions on their own is not a contraindication for IFS but acute psychosis is. There are a range of severity and acute psychosis is really top of the list. Please work with in an acute inpatient ward in those severities completely unmedicated. That is a real test. However, I think psychiatry is missing the important exiles and protectors that show up during a psychosis, the wealth and richness of a system that should be tapped into after.
Awesome topic that is not discussed nearly enough. Definitely suspect UBs at play in many of these cases. Love the answers and framing Dick gives. He’s mastered it
This helps me feel so understood. Thank you both.
I love that you asked the questions about these complex topics. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. I am a psychiatrist (24 years) and an IFS therapist (the majority of my work now is IFS) and IFS & psychosis is an important topic and thank you for sharing this video. I think it is a topic that needs to be carefully spoken about as there is a great danger of getting people off medications and relapse in severe schizophrenia can have serious consequences for the patient and their families that I have seen in my 24 years of practice. People often come off medication and the consequences are very serious. I am grateful to Dick for highlighting that parts press the psychosis button that he sees as being a 'condition' and Stephanie's knowledge that there is a lot of fear in psychosis. In every psychotic experience (not just days but can be for years) exiles and protective parts can get highly activated and show up in words and statements even if perceived by others as non-sensical within psychosis that highlights abuse, neglect, trauma etc. However, the activation of these exiled and protectors are facilitated by the condition itself that creates 'neurochemical' imbalance and unless parts have settled with medication (against polypharmacy), an IFS therapist would struggle to work with someone while they are acutely psychotic. Hearing voices, having delusions on their own is not a contraindication for IFS but acute psychosis is. There are a range of severity and acute psychosis is really top of the list. Please work with in an acute inpatient ward in those severities completely unmedicated. That is a real test. However, I think psychiatry is missing the important exiles and protectors that show up during a psychosis, the wealth and richness of a system that should be tapped into after.
lovely interview
Thanks for sharing this enlightening interview. Many gems!
Im glad you found it helpful
Awesome topic that is not discussed nearly enough. Definitely suspect UBs at play in many of these cases. Love the answers and framing Dick gives. He’s mastered it
What is IFS?