Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

In 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 therapy

2. 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:

📚 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/

https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy

https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

In 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 IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/

https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy

https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

In 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 Takeaways

1. Why emotional exhaustion can actually be a form of protection
2. The hidden reason some relationships leave us constantly on guard
3. What changes when you can help your clients access a deeper sense of safety and connection

Guest, Deliane Couturier

Deliane 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 IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke answers listener questions about IFS therapy, shame, addiction, protectors, and self-energy. He explores why therapists often burn themselves out by working harder than their clients, why slowing down is essential for healing, and what it really means to trust the client’s system in the therapeutic process.

Key Takeaways

1. Why “don’t work harder than your clients” may completely change the way you approach therapy, relationships, and helping others.
2. How protectors learn to trust the healing process — and what actually creates safety for vulnerable exiles to emerge.
3. The surprising reason good therapy often feels slower, more tedious, and less linear than we expect.

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

In this episode, I’m joined by Teddy Knebel, an IFS therapist and long-time Program Assistant for IFS trainings, to explore what it really looks like to grow into your voice as a therapist. We talk about the anxiety that shows up when learning IFS, how to relate to parts that want to “get it right,” and why trusting your own unique style is essential to effective therapy. If you’re new to IFS or looking to deepen your practice, this conversation will help you feel more grounded, confident, and connected in your work.

🌿 Key takeaways:

1. Most therapists think they need to “get IFS right”… but what if that pressure is the very thing getting in the way?
2. You’ve been taught to follow the model—but what happens when your own style starts to emerge?
3. Anxiety in the therapy room isn’t a mistake… it might be pointing you toward something essential.

Guest Info:

Teddy Knebel is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist working with individuals and couples in the DMV area. He has served as a Program Assistant (PA) for over 20 IFS Level 1 and Level 2 trainings through the IFS Institute, supporting therapists as they learn and embody the model. Teddy is passionate about helping both clinicians and clients navigate personal, cultural, and systemic trauma, and brings a grounded, human, and often humorous approach to the work.

Connect with Teddy: https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners/all/112124

More about the Virtual Blue Star: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xQa7dxpWYA

Resources & 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke dives into one of the most common (and important) questions in Internal Family Systems (IFS): how to distinguish authentic parts communication from imagined responses. He explores what real connection feels like, why “waiting and listening” matters, and how to spot when a client is genuinely accessing parts versus performing or guessing.

We also unpack key challenges therapists face in session, including working with analytical clients, navigating multiple parts without shutting them down, and responding to dissociation with more care and curiosity.

Key Takeaways

1. The Difference Between Real vs. “Made Up” Parts. Most people think they’re connecting with parts… but they’re actually guessing. Here’s how to tell the difference.
2. Why You Shouldn’t Rush Parts to Step Aside.What if asking a part to “step back” is actually damaging your work? There’s a better way most therapists miss.
3. What Dissociation Is Really Telling You. Dissociation isn’t the problem—it’s a signal. The question is: what is it trying to protect your client from?

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

In this episode of Going Inside, I sit down with Monica Cavalcante, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, to explore what Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy really looks like beyond the structure of formal training.

Monica shares her journey from self-study to completing Level 2 IFS training, and how her understanding of the model has evolved through real-world client work. Together, we unpack the gap between theory and practice, the importance of therapist self-awareness, and why IFS is far more complex—and powerful—than it first appears.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Why trying to “get IFS right” might actually get in the way of the work
2. The moment therapists realize the model isn’t as simple as it seemed
3. What most people miss when they try to “figure out” their inner world

Our Guest

Monica Cavalcante is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Virginia who specializes in trauma and OCD. She integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to support clients in understanding themselves more deeply, reducing anxiety, and creating meaningful, lasting change.

Monica is passionate about helping people build a more compassionate relationship with themselves by exploring the different “parts” that show up in their inner world. Her work focuses on supporting clients in moving through trauma, navigating obsessive-compulsive patterns, and feeling more grounded, connected, and empowered in their lives.

She is the founder of Healing & Integration Therapy, where she offers both in-person and virtual sessions, bringing a thoughtful, down-to-earth, and integrative approach to her work.

Connect with Monica: https://healingintegrationtherapy.com/

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

Have a question or takeaway? Send us a message, we read every one.

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this guided IFS meditation, John Clarke invites you to slow down and shift out of the habit of trying to fix yourself. Instead, you’ll practice simply being with what’s present—your thoughts, sensations, and parts—without judgment or urgency to change anything.

This is the same process you’re inviting your clients into.

Through gentle awareness, body-based attention, and pendulation between discomfort and ease, this meditation offers a direct experience of what it means to relate differently to your internal world—something you can begin to model and bring into your clinical work.

Whether you're a therapist or on your own healing journey, this short practice is a powerful reminder: transformation doesn’t come from fixing—it comes from being with.

3 Key Takeaways

• What happens when you stop trying to change anything at all? This meditation invites you into a different kind of awareness—where nothing needs to be fixed.
• You can learn to be with discomfort without getting overwhelmed by it. By gently noticing sensations and “pendulating” between ease and tension, something shifts.
• Not all parts of you will like slowing down—and that’s part of the work. You may notice judgment, resistance, or urgency… and you can be with those parts too.

Resources & Offerings:

➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: 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/JOHN

Connect with me:

https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast