Similar to the 8 C’s of Self, IFS posits the 5 P’s of the Self-led person. These are qualities that a person may embody when moving throughout the world or, as a therapist, when facilitating the therapeutic relationship with clients.
Let’s explore the 5 P’s.
Presence
This quality refers to tracking your own system and noticing when Parts are present. This may include asking Parts to step back when needed to give yourself more room. For therapists, Presence also invites tracking the client’s system and being attuned to opportunities that may arise in the therapeutic space.
Patience
This quality includes slowing down and being comfortable with silence. We can support long silences energetically with our Self Energy as a means for the client to work with their own system and develop solutions. Patience also may include reminding ourselves (or our clients) just how far we have come.
Perspective
This quality helps us see the bigger picture. This quality helps us better understand ourselves, our system, our responses to stimuli, and so much more. This quality also invites some aspects of reframing. For example, knowing that when an old pattern of behavior arises, our Protectors and their responses will come and go until a sense of healing has occurred within the system.
Persistence
This quality, especially for therapists, includes us embodying being the fearless Hope Merchant or hope bringer for our clients. Generally speaking, we can embody Persistence by returning to our Parts time and time again while maintaining our compassion.
Playfulness
This quality invites us to play with our Parts when it is appropriate to do so. This can help strengthen our relationships with our Parts. In turn our Parts come to know us as a friend and ally.
If you are curious to learn more about EMDR, IFS-informed EMDR, or are interested in beginning your EMDR/IFS-informed EMDR therapy journey, please reach out to me via the Contact Me page on my website. You can also learn more about EMDR as well as additional EMDR therapists in your area by visiting the EMDR International Association’s website here. You can learn more about IFS by visiting the IFS Institute’s website here.
Reminder: these blog posts are meant to be purely educational and/or entertainment tools and do NOT replace psychotherapy and/or other medically necessary treatments.