What is IFS Certification, and Why Should Clients Care?

My growth and movement as a clinician is both due to my own efforts and forces far beyond my control.

I am an IFS Certified therapist. I'm both proud of that and a little embarrassed by this fact (or, more accurately, I have a part that's carrying some guilt about my certification...).

The certification process was intensive and highly supervised. It was also incredibly lucky that I had the good fortune to even get to a position to decide if I wanted to work that hard.

IFS is Wildly Popular - Which Has Pros and Cons

In the last decade, IFS has gained popularity for its gentle, respectful, effective approach to healing. Because IFS's creator Dr. Schwartz is committed to spreading the model towards maximum positive impact, there are many ways to learn about and practice the model - including without adequate supervision or correction if you're not practicing the model correctly.

IFS's popularity is great, because it's truly helping many people heal meaningfully and enduringly. And IFS's popularity is not great because a) many people say they are practicing without any actual training or supervision, which can cause harm, and b) the people who want the training and supervision have to frequently try over and over again to get access to high-quality sanctioned trainings, as the demand is still outpacing the availability.

It's not possible for all of the people who want this rigorous, excellent training to access it. And so I, - ahem, a part of me - has some survivor's guilt that I have been so lucky.

What Does the IFS Certification Process Involve?

The IFS certification process is designed to ensure therapists have a deep understanding of the model, have at least a few hours of experience actually doing the work themselves in the position of client, and can apply the model effectively and ethically. Here are the main steps involved (in my humble, limited experience - please consult the IFS Website for current certification criteria):

1. Complete Level 1 Training

This sounds like such an easy step, doesn't it?

While the IFS Institute has increase the number of trainings they offer, it still took me 13 tries before I was able to get in to a Level 1 training. Once in, the training spans 16 ten hour days of training spread out over 4 months.

The reason this step is essential is because it guarantees a practitioner has been a client for at least a few hours. Even if it's in a "real play" activity, you'd be shocked at how many therapists haven't done their own work, and alarmed at how that impacts their work with clients. Level 1 training is an assurance that your therapist has looked at

their own parts at least a little bit.

2. 200 Hours of Clinical Practice

After Level 1, a clinician must practice a minimum of 200 hours of model-fidelity IFS over two years to be considered for the certification process.

3. 15 hours of Supervision and Consultation

This best-practice in clinical work is specifically aimed at supporting questions or challenges around implementing the model with fidelity.

4. Demonstration of Competence

To earn certification, therapists submit a video of a complete session. The video is reviewed and critiqued by an IFS Certified therapist trained to evaluate these videos for practitioner competence and model fidelity.

5. Ethical Standards and Continuing Education

Certified therapists commit to ethical guidelines set by the IFS Institute. They also participate in a minimum of 10 hours of IFS-specific continuing education per year to stay updated on new developments in IFS therapy and maintain their certification status.

Certification is both A Privilege and Privileged

My Certification process was a privilege because I was, truly, lucky enough to access a Level 1, then Level 2 training amidst lengthy wait lists. Many clinicians have given up on constantly putting their name in for the next training only to be disappointed as they aren't offered admission. I understand this frustration, and understand why many of my colleagues do give up at this stage.

My certification process was PRIVILEGED because several unearned privileges went into me "earning" a spot in those trainings. They mostly come down to money.

This is my second career. Which means I have a base of financial stability that is very different than it was in my early 20's. There is no WAY I would have been able to afford the financial hit of time away from clients on top of the real cost of this training.

How much does certification cost? Mine cost me approximately $13,400.

Here's a rough breakdown (this does not include hours spent working on the administrative load of applying for trainings, recording and editing, and submitting materials for review):

• Level 1 training - $4000

• lost revenue from not seeing clients during Level 1 training - $7000

• 15 hours of supervision - $2400

Why Clients Might Choose a NOT Certified IFS Therapist

The fact that I'm certified in IFS means I worked really hard and spent a lot of time - and money - to get certified. But I don't think that's the only way to get great at IFS.

If you're considering working with a therapist who is "IFS Informed," but not certified, there are a few things you can ask to determine if you'll be supported to model fidelity:

• What trainings have you attended? (then look up those instructors and trust your vibes)

• What does your own IFS therapy look like (this is the NUMBER ONE best predictor of your therapists ability to cause you minimal harm)? How far into your own unburdening processes have you gotten?

• How does your own personal IFS work inform your clinical work?

• What kind of oversight do you seek for your practice?

I am thankful to know many wonderful, committed, skilled "IFS-Informed" therapists who are still waiting for their crack at official Level 1 training. And I hope they stick with it! And it's more likely you'll be able to trust working with them if they're doing their own work.

Why Clients MIGHT Choose a Certified IFS Therapist

Recently I reached out to a business consultant to explore a few ideas I'm kicking around. We met for an hour, and throughout our time together, he invited me into a strange bastardization of parts work (aparently he hadn't clicked too far into my website before we met). As our hour closed, quite proud of himself, he announced that "what we just did is called Internal Family Systems." He asked me if I heard of it.

Unfortunately, whatever that thing he did was definitely NOT IFS, and not very helpful. I wouldn't wish anyone that wasted time. Selecting an IFS Certified therapist is a protection against that experience.

**Want to learn more about IFS? Start with Dr. Schwartz' book "No Bad Parts"!