We are all familiar with saying, “A part of me wants to….” Using themes from the movie “Inside Out,” this workshop will introduce Internal Family Systems theory, a type of parts therapy developed by Richard Schwartz (Schwartz, 1995; 2020), and its application to play therapy (Siegel, 2017). All emotions, or parts, play an important protecting our core Self - Riley the main character. (Fisher, 2017). IFS uses a person’s internal resources to heal by teaching clients to relate to parts – even negative ones like Sadness, Anger & Disgust – with empathy and self-compassion. Bridging parts therapy with play therapy and neuropsychology, we will discuss how to teach IFS to play therapy clients using “Inside Out” themes. Using an IFS theoretical framework, play therapists will leave this session with “Inside Out” expressive arts and play interventions that can be used immediately to help heal common childhood diagnoses, trauma, grief and maladaptive behaviors seen in the playroom.

• Learning Objectives:
  1) Participants will be introduced to the history of parts therapy approaches and Internal Family Systems theory, developed by Richard Schwartz, and how this can be applied in play therapy.
  2) Participants will identify the relationship of parts therapy to neuropsychology and self-compassion
  through ideas from the movie "Inside Out" in the play room.
  3) Participants will articulate how themes & metaphors from the movie "Inside Out" can be paired with IFS to help children heal from trauma,
  depression, anxiety and grief in play therapy. 
  4) Participants will demonstrate how play therapists can use parts - or "Inside Out" emotions (Joy, Disgust, Anger, Sadness, Fear) - to introduce IFS
  concepts like defusion & fusion, manager parts, developing self-leadership, etc. 
  5) Participants will name 10 expressive arts and play interventions based on the movie "Inside Out" to explore IFS with
  clients in the playroom.