Internal Family Systems Therapy for Shame and Guilt

Rich in clinical examples, this book offers a fresh perspective on the roles of shame and guilt in psychological distress and presents a step-by-step framework for treatment. Martha Sweezy explains how the principles of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy are ideally suited to helping trauma survivors and other clients who struggle with debilitating shame to understand and heal psychic parts wounded in childhood. Annotated case illustrations show and explain IFS techniques in action. Other useful features include boxed therapeutic exercises, decision trees, and pointers to help therapists avoid or overcome common pitfalls.

See also Internal Family Systems Therapy, Second Edition, by Richard C. Schwartz and Martha Sweezy, the authoritative presentation of IFS.

Martha Sweezy, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, part-time, and Research, Training, and Curriculum Consultant at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance, where she consults and supervises in a study using Internal Family Systems (IFS) groups to treat posttraumatic stress disorder. She teaches on IFS, shame, and guilt nationally and internationally, and has a private psychotherapy practice in Northampton, Massachusetts. Dr. Sweezy has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and has coedited or coauthored several books and treatment manuals on IFS.
 

Foreword, Richard C. Schwartz
Introduction
I. The Vulnerable Mind
1. Shame, Guilt, and Psychic Multiplicity
2. The Goal
3. All the Ways We Say No
4. The Shame Cycle
5. Empathy
6. Shame-Based Trauma Bonding: The Child Who Shares Shamefulness
7. Guilt-Based Trauma Bonding: The Child Who Takes Responsibility
II. Treatment
The First Portion of Therapy
8. Set the Stage
9. Unblend
10. Navigate Obstacles to Unblending
The Second Portion of Therapy
11. Witness and Unburden
12. Common Problems
13. Take a Tip to Avoid Pitfalls
III. Completion
14. How Therapy Ends
References
Index