The Top 5 Must-Read Books on IFS Therapy for Non-Therapists
Are you interested in learning more about Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and how it can help you better understand your own mind and emotions? There are plenty of great books out there that can help you deepen your knowledge of IFS and its many benefits.
Here are my top picks for the best books about IFS:
Self-Therapy by Jay Earley
This book is a classic in the IFS world. It offers a step-by-step guide to IFS therapy for those who want to learn how to practice the therapy on their own.
Jay Earley provides various exercises and worksheets to help readers explore their parts and bring healing to their inner world.
The book is divided into two parts, with the first part focusing on how to work with protectors and the second focusing on how to help heal and unburden exiles.
Internal Family Systems Therapy: Second Edition by Richard Schwartz and Martha Sweezy
This book is a comprehensive guide to IFS. In this updated edition, Schwartz and co-author Martha Sweezy offer a clear and concise explanation of the IFS model, providing practical tools and techniques for therapists to implement in their practice.
This second edition has been updated with all the latest developments in IFS that have taken place since the first edition was published 25 years ago.
Even though the book is aimed at therapists, it is also helpful for clients who want to understand the underlying principles of IFS therapy. The authors draw on their extensive experience working with clients and offer numerous case examples throughout the book.
Daily Parts Meditation Practice: A Journey of Embodied Integration for Clients and Therapists
This book is a guide to IFS therapy that focuses on developing a daily meditation practice to help work with different parts of ourselves.
The book is written for both therapists and clients, and includes step-by-step instructions on how to start and maintain a daily meditation practice.
The book provides guidance on how to work with difficult emotions and how to engage with our parts in a compassionate and curious way.
The book includes several different meditations that help you connect with your parts.
No Bad Parts is the most recent best-selling IFS book by Richard Schwartz. In this book he not only introduces the model and provides exercises for the reader, but also delves deeper into the concept of Self Energy in our internal systems and in the world.
There are exercises and case examples in each chapter, making the book very helpful if you want to directly experience the model. Many of my clients have come to me after reading this book and wanting to continue the work.
