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Introduction #

Update Aug 2025: Connect this to self-like parts.
Update Oct 2024: I had the opportunity to receive consultation from Dick on this topic. I added the transcript with my reactions.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy emphasizes the client’s Self as the core element for achieving healing. The therapist guides and supports the client. They help connect the client’s parts with their Self. This connection is crucial for progress. Without it, healing can be significantly slowed down or even blocked. This is especially true for exiled parts that experience disconnection and carry emotional pain.

Reference on left, drawing on right.

A set of four watercolor paintings of cats. Each painting is done in a loose, expressive style, with delicate washes of color.

The noose around the apple’s stem suggests how humans are strangling the environment with pollution and climate change. The wilted apple represents the dying Earth, and the crow is a warning of the inevitable consequences of our actions.

The overall impression of the image is one of stillness and tension. The stillness becomes not one of contemplation, but of suffocating silence, the absence of birdsong and the rustle of leaves a chilling testament to our environmental devastation.

A black and white line art drawing of a dragon. The dragon is in mid-flight, its wings outstretched and its tail curled behind it. Its head is turned towards the viewer, and its mouth is open in a roar. The dragon’s eyes are narrowed, and its claws are extended.

The style of the drawing is reminiscent of traditional Chinese dragon paintings. The lines are fluid and graceful, and the dragon is depicted in a powerful and majestic way.

A pencil drawing of a castle on a yellow background. The castle has three tall towers and one short one. The castle is surrounded by a wall, and there is a gate in the wall. There are also a few trees and bushes around the castle.

Photo taken Jun 2019.

A watercolor painting of a path through a birch forest. The trees have slender, white trunks and delicate branches that reach towards the sky. The leaves are a blaze of red, orange, and yellow. The path winds through the trees, dappled with sunlight and shadow. In the distance, you can see the tops of taller trees, their leaves blending into a hazy green.

The painting is reminiscent of autumn in New England, when the leaves change color and the air is crisp and cool. It is a peaceful and serene scene, and it is easy to imagine yourself walking down the path and enjoying the beauty of the forest.

A pencil sketch of jellyfish and a fish. The jellyfish are in the foreground, and are much larger than the fish. The jellyfish have a bell-shaped body with long, trailing tentacles. The fish is swimming near the jellyfish’s tentacles, but it is not clear what species of fish it is.

The sketch is very detailed, and the artist has captured the delicate nature of the jellyfish’s body and tentacles. The fish is also well-drawn, and it looks like it is swimming gracefully through the water.

What does it look like when you fire a projectile into a clay replica of the human upper body?

A pencil sketch of a person holding a seashell. The person is cradling the seashell in their hands. The seashell is large and spiral-shaped, and it looks like it has been worn smooth by the sea. The sketch is very detailed, and the artist has used a variety of shading techniques to create a sense of depth and dimension.

Photo taken Jun 2018.