Today's episode is a little different, in a really wonderful way.

I sit down with Dick Schwartz and Jeanne Catanzaro, President and Vice President of the IFS Institute, and partners in both leadership and life. This isn't a traditional interview; it's more like listening in on friends and colleagues talking about the things they care about, the serious, the personal, and the very human.

I've been feeling curious about what's happening inside IFS leadership right now. The model keeps growing, reaching more people, and carrying more responsibility with it. I wanted to hear directly from Dick and Jeanne about what that growth and momentum have been like for them, not just in terms of roles and plans, but personally and as partners.

In this candid conversation, we explore questions many of you have been holding. What happens as the Institute grows? Is Dick going to retire? What does transition even look like? We talk about all of that, but in a funny, sometimes ridiculous, and very real way.

What I hope you hear is the care, thoughtfulness, and humanity behind the scenes of both the IFS Institute and the IFS model.

We talk about:

• Jeanne stepping into leadership and visibility over time

• What it means to steward a model that's bigger than any one person

• Succession, responsibility, and caring for the future of IFS

• Collaboration and "sharing the stage"

• Knowing when to take a break from "parts talk"

• Bringing IFS beyond the therapy room and into the wider world

• Holding research, spirituality, and accessibility at the same time

• Finding balance between work, partnership, family, and rest

• Favorite shows, hobbies, and Firefighter behaviors

There's a lot of warmth here, some laughter, a little potty talk, and plenty of insight.

Links:

IFS Institute

Jeanne Catanzaro

Dick Schwartz

Word of the Year on Substack

Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Unblend.me web app. You know those moments between sessions when something comes up and you need a gentle nudge to pause, slow down and go inside? The Unblend app helps you do just that. It's IFS informed, HIPAA compliant, and guides you through checking in with your parts to calm your nervous system. Learn more and try it for free at Unblend.me

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.

We all feel numb sometimes. Our numbing parts protect us from stress, pain, and overwhelm. But what happens when numbness lingers?

As we kick off The One Inside's seventh season, Jeff and I share what we've learned about working with numbing parts. We led a workshop at the recent 2025 IFS Annual Conference called Why Check In When You Can Check Out: A Self-Led Approach to Numbing Parts.

In this episode we walk you through the highlights of our workshop and share a few of the insights we brought home from the conference.

We discuss:

• What I discovered about numbness, embodiment, and grief this past year

• Numb parts are "invisible protectors" and why simply naming the numb matters

• The compounding opportunity costs of numbing and what we miss when we spend too much time checked out

• The grief of emerging from numbness

• How numbness shows up across generations and cultures

• The NUMB framework we created for reconnecting with Self

I keep returning to this slide from our deck: Our protectors think they're saving our lives, but sometimes they're quietly stealing our vitality.

I share a lot about my numb season, and how naming the "nothing" became a game-changer. I hope as you listen you'll notice your own ways of checking in and checking out and name the places where numbness shows up for you.

This week's episode is sponsored by:

Pisgah Coaching Institute: Founded by IFS-trained master coach Brian Jaudon, a pioneer in the integration of IFS and coaching for more than two decades. Brian and his faculty teach a blended methodology for clarifying and living into a vision of any kind. pisgahcoaching.com

Pause With Laura: Restore Your Self Retreat for IFS Therapists & Practitioners at Kripalu, October 19-22, 2025. Download FREE IFS Resources from Laura (PDF & guided meditations). Join our Pause with Laura community for monthly Parts Reflections and deals on upcoming offerings.

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, live events, meditations, and extended interviews.

• Find merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch select clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS coach who helps practitioners create with confidence and clarity.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.

In this episode I chat with Joe Bielling, a Level 3 IFS practitioner, licensed therapist, and co-author of From Broken to Badass. We talk about what happens when coping, adapting, and belonging slowly pull us away from ourselves, and how to find your way back.

Joe shares parts of his personal story, including a period he describes as a mental breakdown and spiritual awakening, and how IFS helped him slow down, notice his parts, and reconnect with his body, heart, and Self Energy.

We discuss:

• Self-forgetting, people-pleasing, and the "chameleon" strategies of belonging

• How Enneagram dynamics show up in relationships and identity

• Unblending as both a psychological process and a spiritual experience

• Why "the resistance is actually part of the path"

• How IFS and non-duality can point to more than either-or thinking

• Why staying "broken" can feel safer to some parts of us

• Gratitude for coping strategies before trying to change them

• The question underneath it all: Who is the one behind my eyes?

Extended Substack Conversation

In the extended interview over on Substack, Joe and I talk about hope, embodiment, trauma, and the Enneagram centers. Joe shares what helps him stay embodied now and where he's finding hope.

About Joe Bielling

Joe Bielling is a licensed therapist and Level 3 IFS practitioner. He is the co-author with Kate West of From Broken to Badass, a practical IFS based book that helps people break free from high level coping strategies, and old outdated survival patterns, into empowered living. Their work brings together Internal Family Systems, nervous system science, and to help people find real freedom through embodied presence. Joe is also the founder of Unify Yourself — a national collaboration platform exploring the intersection of spirituality, psychology, and community.

This episode is sponsored by the Unblend.me web app. You know those moments between sessions when something comes up and you need a gentle nudge to pause, slow down and go inside? The Unblend app helps you do just that. It's IFS informed, HIPAA compliant, and guides you through checking in with your parts to calm your nervous system. Learn more and try it for free at Unblend.me

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.

In this episode I talk with Anna Christine "AC" Seiple about slowing down, embodiment, and what it means to listen to our bodies and our parts.

AC is a licensed counselor and the author of The Sacred Art of Slowing Down. She lives in St. Andrews, Scotland, where she's working on her PhD exploring the intersection of ancient contemplative practices and modern mindfulness.

She shares why she felt called to write her book, how slowing down was not something she chose at first but something life required of her, and how chronic pain, illness, and unexpected disruptions shaped her relationship with her body. She talks honestly about what it's like to move from living primarily in the head, to slowly rebuilding trust with the body.

Takeaways from this episode:

• why slowing down often happens through life events rather than choice
• how disconnection from the body can begin as a survival strategy
• the role of self compassion and curiosity when parts resist slowing down
• how faith, culture, and early messages can shape our relationship with our bodies
• the importance of establishing safety before forcing embodiment
• how slowing down and embodiment support parts that have been neglected
• what it means to build new "muscle memory" with our nervous systems and parts
• how seasons, light, and cycles mirror internal emotional rhythms

I loved how she normalized how hard this work can be, and how she reminded us that slowing down does not mean changing who we are or stopping our lives. This conversation felt especially timely as the year winds down, a time when slowing down can feel counterintuitive.

We continue part of this conversation in an extended interview for our paid community over on Substack, where we talk more about hope, seasons, and what it looks like to live with greater acceptance of where we are.

About Anna Christine Seiple

Anna Christine ("AC") is a licensed counselor, retreat leader, and researcher. She loves cultivating healing spaces that honor the entirety of our embodied beings. She holds two master's degrees, one in clinical mental health counseling and a second in ancient languages and is currently working on a PhD at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, exploring conversations between ancient contemplative practices and mindfulness interventions. Her writing, along with free integrative resources, can be found on her website.

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.

This week I talk with IFS therapist and teacher, Kendhal Hart, about the real-world practice of IFS, how she integrates it with EMDR, and her view of IFS as a neurodivergent clinician.

Kendhal is the author of Treating Trauma with EMDR and IFS, a new book that offers clinicians a practical and compassionate guide to integrating the two models.

She shares openly about her recent autism diagnosis and how her neurodifferences shapes the way she understands, lives, and teaches Internal Family Systems. We explore what it looks like to practice IFS in real time, outside of demos, outside of formal training, and inside the small everyday moments where our parts and Self show up.

We discuss:

• Practical IFS steps tailored for neurodivergent minds

• What's missing in many IFS trainings

• How EMDR complements the IFS healing steps

• Befriending parts before moving to Phase 4 of EMDR

• How to track our internal systems throughout the day

• How to reflect parts and Self back to clients in simple terms

• IFS as a lifestyle

I didn't want this conversation to end. If you love IFS and want a fresh take on living and embodying it every day, in the real world, this episode is for you.

Kendhal's book:
Treating Trauma with EMDR and IFS: A Clinician's Guide to Integrating Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy with Internal Family Systems

About Kendhal
Dr. Kendhal Hart is a trainer, consultant, and trauma educator who helps therapists integrate IFS and EMDR. She is known for her nuanced, experiential approach to teaching and for supporting clinicians in developing confidence, clinical intuition, and sustainable practice.

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.

In this episode I talk with Ronda Bonfanti, an IFS client, memoirist, and self-described "IFS cheerleader," who reached out to me earlier this year to share her beautiful memoir, Talk to the Trees: From CPTSD to Loving Me.

Ronda has been on a healing journey for more than 25 years. She's done "all the therapies," read over 250 self-help books, and spent years trying to understand why she felt so broken inside, even though her life looked beautiful on the outside. When she found IFS, something finally clicked.

We explore:

• Her early years in therapy and why CBT helped a little but never stuck

• How discovering IFS gave her a whole new relationship with her inner world

• Writing her memoir with the support of Frank Anderson and Lissa Rankin

• The healing power of humor and why she sees it as medicine

• Journaling as a doorway into parts work

• What it means to write a letter to shame

• Loneliness on the healing path, and her longing to build IFS-aligned community

• Her dream to combine IFS and pickleball

She also reads one of my favorite chapters from her memoir — a hilarious, moving piece about her early days in therapy, banana splits, and her first meeting with Dr. Frank Anderson.

Ronda is one of those guests who reminds me why we do this work. Her story is tender, courageous, and full of hope. It's a perfect episode for a holiday week.

Learn more about Ronda here.

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.

In this episode, I talk with Max Littman, an IFS therapist, consultant, and writer. Max's new book, Internal Family Systems Therapy for Gay and Queer Men: A Companion for After Coming Out, launched the morning we recorded this conversation.

His work centers on attachment, attunement, cultural burdens, and the relational impact of trauma — especially for gay and queer men who are still healing the parts shaped by growing up without safety, guidance, or representation.

We talk about why this book matters, the parts that continue to carry burden even after coming out, and the places where Queer identity, family dynamics, and IFS meet.

"Unburdening offers an opportunity to reclaim a personal embodied sense of spirituality, one that honors our inherent worth and belonging."

Max shares his own story of growing up without language for his identity, the isolation he felt as a teen, and how those experiences shaped his clinical work. He describes a part he calls "teen without guidance," and the insight that came from recognizing how much that part still needed care.

Together, we explore:

• What coming out doesn't automatically heal

• The "teen without guidance" part and why it matters

• How cultural, religious, and family burdens live in the system

• The longing for belonging and its impact on relationships

• How IFS helps gay and queer men reclaim sexuality, connection, and choice

• The role of community, experimentation, and attunement in healing

• The challenge of navigating adulthood with fewer developmental and relational experiences than many same-aged peers received

Be sure to check out Max's blog that I keep hearing so much about.

And don't miss my extended interview with Max over on Substack for paid subscribers.

About Max Littman

Max Littman is an IFS therapist, consultant, and writer based in Oakland. He works at the crossroads of Queer healing, trauma recovery, and attachment. His debut book, Internal Family Systems Therapy for Gay and Queer Men, is available now. Learn more or connect with him at maxlittman.com.

This episode is sponsored by the Unblend.me web app. You know those moments between sessions when something comes up and you need a gentle nudge to pause, slow down and go inside? The Unblend app helps you do just that. It's IFS informed, HIPAA compliant, and guides you through checking in with your parts to calm your nervous system. Learn more and try it for free at Unblend.me

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy.