Draw Into Connection IFS Group for Therapists

Name: Intuitive IFS Therapy
Address: 4 Yad Harutsim Street, Jerusalem, 93306, IL
Telephone: +972586060832

As a therapist, you are always reflective, you want to develop on a personal as well as professional level. You want to have more to offer your clients, not just in terms of knowledge but who you are, your authenticity, presence, warmth and acceptance.

Internal Family Systems therapy offers you a comprehensive framework for understanding yourself and your clients and for personal development. It helps you grow in compassion and become a more integrated and trustworthy person. IFS helps you heal your own trauma and be more present for others. In the group you will learn how IFS therapy works and experience it first-hand.

One of the greatest benefits of IFS for therapists is that is gives you a heightened awareness of the parts of yourself which are at play as you are sitting with your client and responding to them. You will have greater choice over your responses as you grow in awareness of and familiarity with the different parts of you.

You will discover greater curiosity and interest, open-mindedness and self-confidence as you learn to put this modality into practice in our group sessions.

Group Format

The group will consist of 6 to 8 participants. Each session will last 90 minutes.

This is the basic format:

GUIDED MEDITATION & CHECK IN

In the first section of our session, I will lead you through a guided meditation where you will connect with the different parts of yourself. We will then have a few minutes each to check in with the full group and share about our experience.

LEARN INTERNAL FAMILY THERAPY CONCEPTS AND PRACTICE

Each session will be devoted to learning a different concept in IFS therapy. We will learn about and discuss the material and follow an experiential exercise to put it into practice. These exercises will usually involve a guided intuitive drawing. No art experience is necessary for this. You do not have to be 'good at art' or even show anyone your drawing. It is solely to provide you with tools to access your intuition, to represent your parts in a visual and memorable and, I hope, enjoyable way.

You will receive information sheets after every session of the IFS theory we covered.

PAIR/SMALL GROUP WORK OR CLASS DISCUSSION

You will work in pairs or small groups after the group exercise to share the process of your drawings and help each other reflect on or extend the work on your parts in a more individual setting. Esther will be joining the breakout rooms in turn and spend time guiding you through the process.

What will you gain from this course?

By the end of the 12 weeks, you will have:

a good grounding in IFS concepts
some experience in following the IFS framework with others in the group
tools to work with your parts independently
a greater familiarity with your own system
a sketchbook containing your intuitive drawings of your own parts. Your sketchbook will be a record of your parts work. You can refer back to your writings and drawings and continue your personal work in your sketchbook after the end of the group. You will also learn a lot from listening to other participants sharing about their own parts and get an experience of working with other people's systems.

From the therapy point of view, you will have a clear understanding of how IFS therapists work and how they apply the IFS principles to the therapeutic relationship and to the therapy process. You will be better able to spot your own parts in the therapeutic relationship and start to address the parts as they arise before, during or after sessions with clients. However, please note that this group does NOT replace the IFS Institute official trainings. It does not equip you with the technical skills to be an IFS therapist or to 'use IFS' in a clinical setting.

Nikky, Nevada

group participant

The intuitive drawing exercises were enlightening, opening, and liberating.

The sessions were 100% effective, very well designed, and infused with empathy, honesty, and kindness. Before the group experience, I felt increasingly stuck, lonely, and exhausted.

Through the group, I experienced: ● Deeper insight into what is personally meaningful and life-giving.

● Increased belonging and re-connection with Self through creativity, intuition, play, and community.

● Giving myself more time for reflection, opening, blossoming, and re-working plans to best align with what is meaningful and adding to life.

Isaac, NY

group participant

I gained tremendously. It broadened my knowledge of Ifs and gave me the chance to delve into my inner world with a guide and with support. I saw greater effects due to sharing and speaking it out and being that someone was leading it helped me face myself and not escape. I felt that Esther was able to see what needs to be said (during breakout rooms) and was clear about the content she shared

Sarah, Jerusalem

group participant

I took a risk to try something new and different, and I enjoyed it very much, I loved the drawing parts of it. I also got a lot out of seeing others’ drawings and listening to them. Esther was very supportive, positive and encouraging.

Catherine, London

therapy client

Esther was incredibly kind and caring, creating a safe and welcoming space where I felt truly heard. She had an exceptional ability to listen deeply and guide me with wisdom and sensitivity. She balanced professionalism with genuine warmth, demonstrating flexibility and understanding as we navigated the complexities of my journey. Esther’s compassionate nature and expertise made me feel supported and empowered to explore and heal in ways I hadn’t thought possible.

I have a deep appreciation for IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy. Not only did it resonate with me during my sessions, but I’ve also learned to use its principles on my own, which has been incredibly empowering. The addition of intuitive drawing brought a creative and reflective dimension to the process that I didn’t expect to value as much as I did. It allowed me to connect with my inner experiences in a new and meaningful way. Overall, this service has been transformative, equipping me with tools for self-awareness, healing, and personal growth that continue to enrich my life.

Meet Esther Abergel, course facilitator

Hi, great to meet you and thanks for your interest in this group.

I am very excited to be offering a therapist group where we can learn, draw, connect with like-minded people and grow in Self-energy together. I have offered a similar group on a smaller scale for 'regular folk' and have run the program 3 times already, with one group staying on for another 9 weeks of IFS and drawing. Some therapists have asked me if I could do a therapists group and finally it is time to launch it.

Offering my groups has been the result of a long journey of personal healing and developing my capacity to be present for others in a healing way. As I have changed, I have expanded my capacity for taking risks, trusting that I am being supported and guided. Listening to my intuition, I have been able to make wonderful decisions like training as a psychotherapist instead of continuing my teaching career and moving to Israel which had been a longing of mine for many years.

My intuition also helped me recognize the healing power of Internal Family Systems therapy when I started hearing about it and saw it's huge potential for healing. Amazingly, I found a training group in Jerusalem near my home. My IFS journey continued as I completed all the trainings and discovered Intuitive Painting and how drawing can deepen the experience and impact of Internal Family Systems work.

As I see IFS and the intuitive drawing method change the lives of my clients and participants, I am more and more motivated to spread this method and offer healing groups. The growth that happens from connecting with and supporting others in their journey is very powerful and I feel there are not enough groups available for people to experience this and benefit from it.

I know that joining this type of group could be a risk for you and risks are not always easy to take. What I love about IFS and intuitive drawing is that they are gentle and respectful of limits. Safety and confidentiality are always my priorities in the groups I lead. As the groups are small you will have time and attention to express yourself, ask questions and make sure you are comfortable with the process.

I truly hope you will join me on this journey of self- discovery and appreciation of the beautiful system inside you which only ﬂourishes with more care and attention.

Please be in touch with me to arrange a short meeting if you would like to discuss joining the group.

Many blessings,

Esther