|
Hello! I hope this email finds you well. I am Dr. HeaKyung Kwon, a psychoanalyst who is an IFS Korea training organizer and IFS co-lead trainer. We are so excited to introduce IFS Level 1 training for mental health professionals in Asia!
IFS is based on the multiplicity of the human mind, understanding our symptoms, defenses, and resistance not as pathological problems to be removed, but as phenomena that protect us from danger and pain. Through the process of understanding our parts that create certain symptoms for good reasons, we encounter the underlying wounds, traumas, and memories. By healing the root causes, IFS therapy helps individuals unleash their unique innate potential and possibilities, allowing them to improve their relationships with others and become more self-led. In IFS, we can do this meaningful and healing work with the least resistance or pain, because we work with our defenses intensively and respectfully.
IFS therapy is an evidence-based therapeutic approach, listed by the NREPP (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices), a U.S. government agency responsible for registering evidence-based treatments and programs. IFS therapy is known for its relatively simple concepts and ease of application, which makes it effective for mental health professionals to use in practice. Additionally, it allows clients to experience change often in just one session, making it a highly revolutionary therapeutic approach.
In 2024, many mental health professionals based in Asia participated in the Level 1 training, marking the successful start of IFS Training in Asia. The good seeds planted this year are spreading, providing a foundation for the growth of IFS in the region.
Those who have taken IFS workshops or read books about IFS will understand how intuitively resonant the concepts are, and how easy it is to apply them in practice. However, those who have tried it know that, as they delve deeper into IFS, it becomes more challenging and complex. IFS is not a psychotherapeutic model that can be understood and applied solely through conceptual knowledge; it places importance on experiential learning, and it is not easy to apply effectively without experiencing it oneself. Many participants of IFS training discover the difference between surface-level IFS (reading books and attending a couple of workshops) and the official IFS training – they have often been understanding and practicing IFS incorrectly.
The Level 1 training, which consists of 90 hours, will guide participants safely into the depths of IFS through meditation, lectures, experiential exercises, demonstrations, opportunities to be both clients and therapists, and sharing in small groups. I hope that many mental health professionals in Asia and their clients will benefit from this world-class IFS training, and that it will be a catalyst for bettering the quality of psychotherapy in Asia. I believe that IFS can be a powerful tool for healing Asian people who have experienced collective and personal traumas but haven’t received the proper care.
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to those who have shown an interest in IFS. Their passion, support, and requests have made it possible to establish IFS training in Asia. Inspired by their mission, the IFS Institute and Psychology Korea will do our best to ensure that IFS takes root and flourishes in Asia.
Sincerely,
Dr. HeaKyung Kwon, DA, LP, NCPsyA
Licensed Psychoanalyst, Certified IFS Therapist/Consultant/Trainer
|
