Understanding Addictive Processes with IFS: Getting in Relationship, not in Control

Most of us know what it feels like to be “addicted”—whether it’s to our screens, work, food, shopping, or substances. We’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to change a behavior that just won’t budge. Sometimes these “small-a” struggles seem manageable, yet it can feel alarming when our best efforts don’t make a difference.

When the stakes are higher—such as with high-risk substance use, chronic eating issues, or sexual preoccupations— an battle develops between the parts that keep ‘using’ and the inner managers desperate to fix them before everything falls apart. The cycle of trying harder escalates right alongside the using behaviors themselves.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) offers a paradigm shift. Instead of viewing addictive parts as self-destructive actions to fight and to fix, we recognize them as desperate protectors willing to try anything to relieve emotional pain. These parts are not the enemy—they are doing their best to help, even when their strategies cause harm.

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Create clear inner roadmaps using your own experience

• Collaborate and avoid power struggles with addictive parts

• Recognize the positive intentions behind “negative” behaviors

• Build safe internal connections to the underlying pain that drives these patterns

This program will provide IFS Continuing Education Credits towards IFS Certification or Recertification.