Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS) with Lauren Boasberg, LMFT

In this episode of The Moon Collective Sanctuary podcast, Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD, welcomes Lauren Boasberg, an LMFT and EMDR therapist who specializes in Internal Family Systems therapy. Lauren shares her personal journey, including how her grandfather's Holocaust stories impacted her childhood and eventually led her to become a therapist. She explains IFS therapy's core concept that we all have different "parts" within us - exiled parts that hold pain, manager parts that keep us functioning, and firefighter parts that annihilate pain. Through practical examples, Lauren demonstrates how recognizing and communicating with these parts can help us access our "self energy" - our authentic core that exists beneath protective layers. The conversation explores how trauma creates protective mechanisms and how IFS offers a compassionate framework for healing by acknowledging each part's positive intention. Lauren concludes with a message of hope: "There's always a way back to yourself, literally."Connect with Lauren Boasberg on Instagram at @emdrtherapistla or visit laurenboasberg.com.Be sure to visit mooncollectivesanctuary.com or find us on social media @mooncollectivesanctuary for helpful resources.Chapter Markers00:29 Meet Our Guest: Lauren Boberg00:48 Lauren's Early Life and Trauma02:23 Coping Mechanisms and Early Career05:55 Discovering EMDR and IFS08:30 Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS)13:21 Practical Examples of IFS17:55 The Role of Self-Energy in Healing22:26 Understanding Complex Trauma23:31 Defining the Highest Self24:33 Accessing Self-Energy25:08 Practical Steps to Connect with Self26:59 The Role of Protectors in Therapy27:48 Finding Joy and Resourcing30:53 Humanistic Approach in IFS and EMDR35:10 Unblending and Reintegrating Parts40:06 Practical Steps for Self-Connection42:26 Final Thoughts and HopeSupport the showConnect with Dr. Lydia Luna, PhD:Website: www.mooncollectivesanctuary.comYoutube: www.youtube.com/@mooncollectivesanctuaryIG: @lydialunaphd & @mooncollectivesanctuaryFacebook: www.facebook.com/mooncollectivesanctuary