Life has been increasingly bleak of late. As global and domestic crises rage on and climate disasters unfold before our eyes, a huge segment of Americans remain systematically manipulated into believing that authoritarianism and policies of hate/ division are the answer. It’s all so heartbreaking and mind-boggling.
Perhaps the way past our pain is through it, not around it. Together, we’ll use this group space to weave our individual internal experiences into a larger collective tapestry.
Group objectives: Enhance access to Self-energy, emotions, and various internal parts; find emotional solace by witnessing others who share similar internal experiences about the external world; and develop greater skill in speaking on behalf of parts.
Who: Therapists or non-therapists who have at least a basic familiarity with “parts” and the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. There will be a five-minute intro on IFS and tips for speaking on behalf of parts. Here is a useful place to start: https://youtu.be/tNA5qTTxFFA?si=_K-Zh5lSMgneYy3E
This group is for folks who have a moderate to high ability to be with their emotions while staying self-regulated in a group of eight to twelve people. This is because the group is experiential in nature, and will put you in direct contact with your emotions while only providing minimal individual support. You can watch this video for a more detailed explanation: https://youtu.be/Z1VdVIgMWfM
What: The group will harness the beauty and precision of the Internal Family Systems model to lead attendees toward collective catharsis and improved emotional regulation. Attendees will monitor their internal parts while listening to others, and take turns sharing parts and emotions out loud.
The event aims to provide a kind, compassionate, and supportive group space. Thus, attendees will be guided to speak only on behalf of their internal experiences; intentionally othering or criticizing other attendees’ parts or emotions won’t be allowed.
Cost: $0. However, a $25 deposit is required to hold your spot and will be refunded if you attend (since the group can only host a max of twelve people). If you cancel more than 48 hours before, $10 will be refunded.
Group format: Brief check-ins, ten-minute intro and meditation, ninety-minute group process
Group facilitator’s role: a) Ensure everyone gets a fair chance to speak. b) Protect the overall group experience by making sure all attendees are respectful and follow the basic group guidelines. c) Offer gentle guidance to attendees looking to practice staying in a kind, gentle, and compassionate state while improving their ability to decipher and speak for their parts and emotions.
Tim Holtzman, M.S., LPCC, is a trauma and anxiety therapist for individual adults, based online from Berkeley, CA. His special training includes Internal Family Systems Therapy, Hakomi Mindful Somatic Therapy, and EMDR Trauma Therapy. Tim has worked as a therapist in the Bay Area since 2011, and has practiced and trained with a variety of mindfulness and meditation methods since 2004. Tim has led groups for several Bay Area organizations, including a Berkeley-based meditation group (Saturday Night Sangha) that he co-facilitated from 2011 – 2016.