Avoiding Protector Bypass in IFS Therapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this episode, John Clarke answers a live question from a former Pathways to Self member, Jenny Lee, a Washington-based counselor and art therapist: what do you do when clients just want coping skills and IFS feels less natural than the demos make it look? John and Jenny look at how to introduce IFS without forcing it, why holding a parts lens still counts as “doing IFS,” and how playfulness, humility and attention to the therapy relationship can matter more than the next technique. They also take on bigger questions, like transference, how therapists judge their own work, and what it’s like to sit with clients whose views are very different from their own.🌿 Key takeaways:Teaching coping skills right away can quietly silence the very part that’s trying to get your attention.You may already be “doing IFS” before your client ever goes inside.A tearful session doesn’t automatically mean a good session.Guest Info:Jenny Lee is a licensed mental health counselor and art therapist in the Seattle area of Washington State. She has completed IFS Level 1 training and is headed into Level 2, and she brings sand tray and SoulCollage into her work at a group practice, where she sees clients ages 7 to 87. Learn more about Jenny’s work at https://hearthealingpllc.comResources & Offerings:📚 Watch my free IFS training for clinicians - https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast 🧠 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador 🌱 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE 🧠 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/ https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.In this episode, I’m joined by Bobby Lennox, a former C-suite executive turned psychedelic medicine facilitator, to explore the line between the “performed self” and who we really are underneath. We talk about the high achievers whose success is fueled by deep wounds, why so many fear that healing will cost them their edge, and how protectors shape the identities we show the world. We also explore the ego of the practitioner, the “Monday dilemma” of integration, and why “ego death” might really be about building a relationship with the ego.🌿 Key takeaways:The edge your high-achieving clients are afraid to lose may be the very thing keeping them stuck.Peak experiences fade fast without integration. The real work starts on Monday morning.Whether you’re a therapist or a facilitator, your own ego in the room shapes your client’s journey more than you think.Guest Info:Bobby Lennox is a serial entrepreneur, former C-suite executive and Harvard Business School MBA. He facilitates psychedelic medicine ceremonies in Los Angeles through Jaguar House Ministries, the church he founded. Trained in the Shipibo and Mayan lineages, he leads the Enlightened Executive Program for founders and leaders, and he writes The Ego Death Dispatch on Substack about the leadership frontier of ego death work.Website: https://jaguarhouse.orgSubstack: https://egodeathdispatch.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_bobbylennox/Email: [email protected] & Offerings:📚 Watch my free IFS training for clinicians - https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast 🧠 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador 🌱 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE 🧠 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me: https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this episode of Going Inside, John Clarke answers live questions about the nuances of practicing trauma therapy, from distinguishing parts with shifting emotions to working with clients who experience limited interoception or sudden activation. He explores why trauma therapy requires slowing down, following the client’s system, building a clear working agreement, and protecting client agency rather than rushing into techniques or trauma processing.🌿 Key takeaways:Why a part can hold many different emotions and why you don’t need to force parts into fixed categories.What to do when clients experience their parts differently, including limited access to bodily sensations.Why slowing down, following the client’s lead, and creating safety may matter more than rushing into techniques.Resources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts🧠 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador🌱 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE🧠 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this episode, John Clarke is joined by Mark Wolynn, leading expert in inherited family trauma and author of It Didn’t Start With You, to explore how trauma can be passed through generations and show up as anxiety, depression, compulsive behaviors, and unexplained fears. We dive into Mark’s approach to identifying trauma language, distinguishing attachment wounds from generational trauma, and using body awareness, healing sentences, and ritual to uncover and work with what may not have started with us.🌿 Key takeaways:How inherited trauma can show up through symptoms, sensations, and behaviors.How “trauma language” can reveal hidden attachment and generational wounds.Why therapists may need to look beyond childhood when a symptom doesn’t seem to fit.Guest Info:Mark Wolynn (accent on “lynn”) is a leading expert in the field of inherited family trauma. He’s the director of The Family Constellation Institute in the US and is renowned for his work that bridges epigenetics, neuroscience, and somatic healing, and shows how the traumas of our parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, can live in our bodies as unexplained depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and chronic health conditions. His book It Didn't Start with You is an international bestseller, which has sold more than three million copies worldwide. It won the Silver Nautilus Book Award forPsychology and has been translated into 42 languages. Mark has just released the 2025 revised edition of It Didn't Start with You and The Official It Didn’t Start with You Workbook.Connect with Mark: www.markwolynn.com@markwolynn on InstagramResources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts🧠 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador🌱 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE🧠 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this Q&A episode, trauma therapist John Clarke answers some of the most common questions therapists have about practicing Internal Family Systems (IFS), from working with grief and couples to avoiding over-intellectualization in sessions. Whether you're new to IFS or learning how to integrate it into your existing therapeutic approach, this episode offers practical guidance on staying grounded in self, trusting the process, and helping clients move beyond insight into genuine healing.🌿 Key takeaways:1. Why IFS sessions should feel natural, not exhausting, and what fatigue may be telling you.2. How to help clients shift from analyzing their parts to truly being with them.3. Practical ways to integrate IFS into CBT, somatic therapy, and other therapeutic approaches without losing the heart of the model.Resources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts🧠 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador🌱 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE🧠 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this episode, John Clarke answers therapists' questions about applying Internal Family Systems (IFS) in real clinical practice. Learn how to begin an IFS session, recognize when your own therapist parts are activated, work skillfully with client triggers, and approach even highly protective parts with curiosity, compassion, and confidence. 🌿 Key takeaways:1. How to naturally introduce IFS in a client's very first session.2. Learn to tell the difference between therapist parts and Self-energy during sessions.3. Why every protector, from scrolling to eating disorders, deserves the same compassionate approach.Resources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts📚 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador📚 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE📚 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsThis episode of Going Inside examines the narcissistic abuse cycle, trauma bonding, and why leaving isn't as simple as it looks - through both a clinical and IFS lens.Key takeaways🌿 The 4-stage cycle that keeps people trapped in narcissistic relationships🌿 Why trauma bonding can feel like an addiction🌿 What IFS reveals about the parts behind narcissistic behavior🌿 How to meet clients where they are, even mid-cycle🌿 What it really takes to rebuild identity after abuseAbout Our GuestEmily is the founder of Emily Jane Guidance. Emily works with people who are rebuilding their lives after trauma, difficult relationships, and major life challenges, combining her counselling training, psychology studies, and personal experience to offer practical and compassionate support. Her mission is simple: to help people feel seen, regain their confidence, and create a future that feels truly their own. Connect with Emily here:  https://www.emilyjaneguidance.com/Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @emilyjaneguidanceResources & Offerings➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts 📚  1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador 📚  10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE 📚  10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me: https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/ https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this episode of Going Inside Live, John Clarke answers therapist questions about some of the most common challenges in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, including working with protectors, accessing exiles, recognizing self-like parts, and navigating storytelling in sessions. John explores why rushing toward exiles can undermine safety, how therapists can deepen client work without forcing the process, and what it truly means to practice from self-energy. 🌿 Key takeaways:1. Why "getting to the exile" is often the wrong goal and how protector bypass can create risks in IFS therapy2. How to recognize when clients are talking about parts versus genuinely being with their parts.3. Practical guidance for interrupting stories, deepening internal focus, and helping clients move toward meaningful healing work.Resources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts🧠 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador🌱 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE🧠 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this live Q&A episode of Going Inside, John Clarke answers some of the most common questions therapists have about Internal Family Systems, including how to recognize true Self-energy, work with protectors, and navigate diagnoses like ADHD from an IFS perspective. Along the way, he shares why slowing down, honoring hesitation, and building trust with the system are often the keys to deeper healing. Inside this Conversation:How can you tell the difference between a protector that needs more time and one that's simply blocking the work? What does true Self-energy actually look and feel like? How does IFS make sense of diagnoses like ADHD? Resources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handoutsIn this vulnerable IFS demo, Deliane explores the emotional weight she carries in relationships and the protective parts behind her defensiveness and exhaustion. Together, John and Deliane uncover how sensitivity, longing for connection, and emotional protection become deeply intertwined - and how healing begins when protective parts finally feel seen. 3 Key TakeawaysWhy emotional exhaustion can actually be a form of protectionThe hidden reason some relationships leave us constantly on guardWhat changes when you can help your clients access a deeper sense of safety and connectionGuest, Deliane CouturierDeliane lives and has a private practice in Redondo Beach. She has been in practice for 35 years helping adults navigate relationships, trauma, anxiety, and life transitions. She recently completed Level One training with Ralph Cohen, finished a one-year course in Compassionate Inquiry, and is certified as an IMAGO therapist, applying mindfulness meditation and practices and using a variety of trauma-informed approaches, ranging from expressive arts to cognitive therapy.  Resources & Offerings:➡️ Free parts work handouts for your clients → https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/handouts➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHNConnect with me:https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapyhttps://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy