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2022

The Foundation presents Sustaining Hope & Self-Empowerment in Our Schools: Greater Clarity Through the IFS Lens
A series of three panel discussions, three Saturdays in January & February 2022
January 8, January 22 & February 5 | 10 am - 12 pm - Eastern US dates

“And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too.”
__Dr. Seuss

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION

PANELISTS

About The Program

In these times when "normal" seems so far away and when the specter of loss is our constant companion, is it possible to imagine that one place where hope can bloom is in the classroom?

Can we be so bold as to see this moment as a chance to create the kind of educational experience in our schools in which we'd all love to engage whether we are students or educators, parents or administrators?

For many who are bringing Self-leadership to campuses all around the world, the answer is a resounding YES! If you'd like to see how educators and counselors in classrooms from preschool to the university level are producing promising results that are not only practical and measurable, but seemingly empowering, sustainable, and even healing, please join us for three Saturdays as we explore the principles of self-leadership in schools.

You'll learn how people from Germany to Jordan and from the UK to the US are using IFS skills to support our students as they rediscover their own promise, our teachers as they rediscover the well-spring of joy in their work, and our communities as they rediscover hope and sustain self-empowerment in the classroom for adults and students alike.

The Forum consists of three panel discussions in January and February 2022, which will involve presentations, conversations among panelists and with the participants, and, even more importantly, experiential activities.

The May and October 2021 OUTLOOK magazines included articles on IFS in schools, as have earlier issues.

All sessions are free, however you are invited to donate $25 USD (or whatever you can) for each session you watch (live or asynchronously). Click here to make a donation. Sessions will be recorded and made available to the public on our YouTube channel.

The Foundation is very grateful to the panelists for engaging in this important Forum. Please note that their views are their own and do not represent an endorsement by the Foundation; nor are the Panelists, by participating, necessarily endorsing IFS or the mission of the Foundation.

SCHEDULE

Each panel will include at least four panelists. All three discussions are moderated by Joanna Curry-Sartori, LMDT, director of the Self-Leadership Collaborative, an IFS-trained therapist, and PI on the last Foundation-funded school project.

Panelists include IFS therapists and practitioners, school educators and leaders, and restorative-justice coaches. See list under Panelists.

Please note that you need to register for the Zoom meeting separately from making a charitable donation. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Saturday, January 8, 2022
10 am - 12 pm Eastern US
(UTC-5)
(2 hours)

Nurturing the Educator to Expand Whole-School Wellbeing

Panelists: Steven Fitzgerald, MM; Kathryn Serino, EdD; Amy Schaefer, MA; Jayne Smith, PhD, LPC; and Melissa Zych, EdD | Moderator & Presenter: Joanna Curry-Sartori, LMFT

Serving on the panel are an IFS-trained program director, a school-program evaluator, two schoolteachers, and a former school superintendent.

In this panel, you will consider the impact of an IFS-inspired approach to whole-school well-being that starts with the educator. You will hear from three teachers, a former superintendent, the program evaluator and the IFS-trained program director. As you appreciate their unique experiences and breakthroughs, you will also be invited to sample numerous exercises from this approach including the P.A.U.S.E model, a simple process to respond effectively and collaboratively to school stressors.

Saturday, January 22, 2022
10 am - 12 pm Eastern US
(UTC-5)
(2 hours)

Integrating Multiple Modalities to Cultivate Self-Leadership

Panelists: Eugenia (Kena) Acuña, MPHE, ACC; Tim Amaral; Neil Hawkes, DPhil (Oxford), MEd, FRSA; and Jon Rice, LCSW-R - Moderator: Joanna Curry-Sartori, LMFT

Serving on the panel are a restorative justice expert, an award-winning adult school teacher, a global thought leader and author, and a mental health professional.

Culture--whether it is in the classroom, the campus, the community or the home--starts and ends with the individual. There are many different ways to embed and apply IFS principles; there is an opportunity to do so wherever we are. The goal is to be the "I" in the storm. This allows for different starting points, contexts and outcomes. WIthin this context, this panel will introduce you to four different pathways/examples for "Bringing Self to the System" in an educational setting... and invite you to engage in interactive explorations.

Saturday, February 5, 2022
10 am - 12 pm Eastern US
(UTC-5)
(2 hours)

Adopting Clinically Informed Approaches to Enhance Educational Outcomes

Panelists: Julie Abrams Faude, MA, PhD; Ann-Katrin Bockman, PhD, Dipl. Psych.; Rodger Goddard, PhD; Chady Rahmé, PhD, LCP - Moderator: Joanna Curry-Sartori, LMFT

Serving on the panel are four psychologists who have designed and conducted programs in schools and early childhood settings.

This panel discussion will explore various ways in which principles of IFS have been introduced to, and used by, schools to help improve teachers, students and parents’ wellbeing and, ultimately, student success. As a participant, you will be able to experience IFS for yourself, ask questions, and find out more about the importance and benefits of expanding the IFS model in schools and other educational environments.

PANELISTS

All panel discussions will be moderated by Joanna Curry-Sartori, LMDT, director of the Self-Leadership Collaborative, an IFS-trained therapist, and PI on the last Foundation-funded school project.

Julie Abrams Faude, MA, PhD has brought her innovative and creative energy to schools, parenting groups, workshops, and her private practice for over 30 years. She joined the Self-Leadership Collaborative at its inception because she is passionate about the potential for transformation that IFS can bring to educational settings.

Eugenia (Kena) Acuña, MPHE, ACC trains educators on Social Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices with Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility in NYC schools and was a Teaching Assistant/Coach in the Self-Leadership Collaborative Institute in 2020. She is trained in Internal Family Systems and integrates this process and methodology into her race equity and healing work.

Timothy Amaral is an award-winning adult educator, trainer, and peer counselor from Salinas, California, US. He specializes in the teaching and application of social-emotional principles for adults in the classroom, in the workplace, and in the home.

Ann-Katrin Bockmann, PhD, Dipl. Psych., PT works at the Department of Educational Psychology and Diagnostics at Hildesheim University, Germany, connecting with teachers and pre-school teachers in the context of the outpatient clinic for youth and adolescents and her language promotion project KEA. She offers the ideas of IFS to kindergartens and schools in workshops, trainings, and conferences.

Joanna Curry-Sartori, LMFT is the founding director of the Self-Leadership Collaborative, an organization dedicated to partnering with school communities to realize holistic, sustainable social and emotional well-being that is inspired by Internal Family Systems. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of mindfulness and mental health with a dedicated focus on young people, their families and schools.

Steven Fitzgerald, MM is the Coordinator of Student Affairs at Strong Middle School in Durham, Connecticut, US, and a Restorative Practices Trainer in the district. He is engaged in continued learning and growth using IFS, the PAUSE Model, and Restorative Practices to help build a broader community of self-leadership in public education.

Rodger Goddard, PhD has served for the past 32 years as Chief Psychologist, Director of Internship Training and Director of Wellness Management Services at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, US. He provides consultation and training to schools, agencies, government organizations, community groups, and corporations.

Neil Hawkes, DPhil (Oxford) is of international renown as British educator, author, inspiring speaker, broadcaster and popular TEDx presenter. He pioneered a transformational educational philosophy known as Values-based Education, which is a pedagogical reflective system that gives children a transformational vocabulary based on a set of core values. His successful philosophy has spread to schools worldwide and into all aspects of society as Values-based Living. He has refined his own understanding of Self-Leadership through his understanding of IFS and his work on the Inner Curriculum, which he has undertaken with Jane Hawkes, a fully trained IFS Practitioner.

Chady Rahmé, PhD, LCP serves as a university associate professor of psychology and Director of Ithraa center for Relational Enrichment, Lebanon Branch. He helped design peace-building curricula used for conflict resolution in the Middle East and for a new IFS-based youth camps in Lebanon.

Jon Rice, LCSW-R has provided psychotherapy, program leadership, and advocacy over his 35-year Social Work career across multiple areas of concern: trauma; school mental health; homelessness; poverty; and chronic conditions. Through his work at the New York State Office of Mental Health, he provides restorative practice training and consultation through an Internal Family Systems lens.

Kathryn Serino, EdD is a former public school teacher, principal, and superintendent. She used the IFS/PAUSE approach for whole-district implementation as a method of supporting well-being.

Amy Schaefer, MA is an art teacher at Frank Ward Strong Middle Schools, Connecticut, US. Amy has studied and practiced IFS as both a client and a participant in a pilot program seeking to integrate IFS in schools and applies elements of it in her art classes.

Jayne Smith, PhD, LPC specializes in program evaluation of mental health and wellness-based programs in schools and other youth development settings. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor with basic introductory training in IFS and has experienced the profound benefits of IFS in her personal healing journey.

Melissa Zych, EdD is a vocal music specialist at Charter Oak International Academy in Connecticut. She is passionate about the impact of the Self Leadership model both personally and with her students.

2021

The Foundation presents Resolving the War Within: IFS & the Military,
A series of three panel discussions, three Fridays in November & December 2021,
November 19, December 3 & December 17 | 2 - 3:30 pm - Eastern US dates

“You never know how strong you are
until being strong is the only choice you have.”
__Bob Marley

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION

PANELISTS

RECORDINGS

About The Program

The rate and number of suicides among US military veterans and servicemembers remain alarmingly high (with one suicide, stating the obvious, being one too many!). For those within the military or among civilians who face the traumas and tragedies of combat or violent conflict in any setting, their deep and lingering pain shatter their peace of mind, affect their lives and families in significant ways. This is a national—and possibly global—crisis that requires urgent attention.

To help those experiencing post-traumatic stress, select clinical psychotherapies have been formally adopted at veteran centers and hospitals and across military medical facilities in the US. Yet, research shows that depending on the actual therapy, there is a wide range of success, in some cases not exceeding 50%; this means there is a wide range of inefficacies.

This sets up the context for these panel discussions, designed to explore three important objectives: (1) to understand the needs and issues of military veterans and servicemembers engaged in combat and trauma of war; (2) to explore what works and what does not among widely accepted therapies and identify where the treatment gaps are; and (3) to take a closer look at IFS and what is known experientially about its paradigm, clinical protocol, and the healing process it inspires.

The May 2021 and October 2021 OUTLOOK magazines included articles on IFS and the military.

All sessions will be recorded and available to the public. You are invited to donate $25 USD (or whatever you can) to the Foundation for every conversation you watch (live or asynchronously). Click here to make a donation.

The views of the Panelists are their own and do not represent an endorsement by the Foundation; nor are the Panelists, by participating, necessarily endorsing IFS or the mission of the Foundation.

For more context, please view this short video montage.

SCHEDULE

Each panel will include at least two panelists. All three discussions are moderated by Stew Brown, PhD, Army Veteran, who previously served as director of a Vet Center and regional clinical supervisor for 42 Vet Centers across 10 states, is currently a psychologist in private practice in Boulder, CO, US, and is a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Panelists include five therapists or directors at Vet Centers, a former chief psychologist at a leading army medical center, and a lead IFS Trainer. See list under Panelists.

Please note that you need to register for sessions separately from making a donation. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

Friday, November 19
1400 - 1530 Eastern US (UTC - 5)
(90 minutes)

The Trauma of Combat: What Happens in the Military

Amy Marcotte, LCSW; Chris Poe, LPC; and Larry Snee, PhD | Moderated by Stew Brown, PhD

Friday, December 3
1400 - 1530 Eastern US (UTC - 5)
(90 minutes)

The Post-Trauma Treatment Landscape: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Not Known

Kristin Erner, LCSW, BCD, Gerry Grace, PhD and Cherissa Jackson, BSN | Moderated by Stew Brown, PhD

Friday, December 17
1400 - 1530 Eastern US (UTC - 5)
(90 minutes)

Toward Deeper Healing: What IFS Can Offer

David Baird, LICSW and Mary Kruger, MS, LMFT | Moderated by Stew Brown, PhD

RECORDINGS

The Trauma of Combat: What Happens in the Military
Amy Marcotte, LCSW; Chris Poe, LPC; and Larry Snee, PhD | Moderated by Stew Brown, PhD

A conversation about the issues faced by individuals involved in combat and war, during training, in theater, and upon return home.

Held Live on November 19, 2021

The Post-Trauma Treatment Landscape: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Not Known
Kristin Erner, LCSW, BCD, Gerry Grace, PhD and Cherissa Jackson, BSN | Moderated by Stew Brown, PhD

A conversation about what modalities are commonly used to address combat trauma (within a context of actual war traumas and their effects presented by one of the panelists), where the gaps are, and what needs to be done.

Held Live on December 3rd, 2021

Toward Deeper Healing: What IFS Can Offer
David Baird, LICSW and Mary Kruger, MS, LMFT | Moderated by Stew Brown, PhD

A conversation about what the key features of the IFS clinical modality are, what is known experientially about its efficacy in treating PTSD, and why it addresses gaps that other PTSD treatments miss.

Held Live on December 17, 2021

Panelists

All sessions will be moderated by Stew Brown, PhD. Stew is a clinical psychologist, now in private practice, who spent most of his life in the Department of Veteran Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service/Vet Center program where he provided direct services to combat veterans and their families. He served as a Vet Center Director and later provided clinical oversight to 42 Vet Centers in a ten-state region. Stew is an Army Veteran.

David M. Baird, LICSW, is the Director of the Spokane Vet Center, which provides readjustment counseling and trauma therapy for combat veterans and their families, service-members who have suffered military sexual trauma, and bereavement counseling to Gold Star families who have lost loved-ones as a result of military service. Dave is a trained IFS therapist and uses this model extensively with veterans and family members he serves. Dave was also privileged to be the voice for the audiobook versions of Dr. Richard Schwartz’s books Introduction to IFS, and You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting for, as well as Dr. Jay Earley’s book, Self-Therapy.

Kristin Erner, LCSW, BCD, is a licensed and board-certified clinical social worker, a certified EMDR therapist and EMDIRA Approved Consultant. She has been working with veterans for the past 15 years as a therapist within the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is currently at the Boulder Vet Center, which specializes in treating combat veterans, those deployed in support of combat operations, veterans who have survived military sexual trauma, and family members whose loved one died while on active duty.

Gerard Grace, PhD, is currently a psychologist in private practice. He is trained in IFS and prolonged exposure therapies among other PTSD modalities. He served for many years as the former long-term Chief Psychologist at the Intensive Outpatient Trauma Center, Behavioral Health, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX.

Charissa Jackson, BSN, often referred to as “America’s Combat Nurse,” served for 23 years in the US Air Force, 10 of which as a nurse, and engaged in three combat deployments. Following her service, she became an ambassador and advocate for persons with PTSD. Since 2019, she has been serving as AMVETS’ Chief Medical Officer, leading the organization’s HEAL Program, and hosting the first ever “Veterans Alternative Healthcare Summit” this past June. Charissa is the author of the memoir, At Peace Not in Pieces, and the recipient of numerous awards, including in 2020 the Veterans Award for Excellence in Mental Health (Vetty) and Star Nurses Nightingale Award.

Mary Kruger, MS, LMFT, is a Marriage & Family Therapist, AAMFT Supervisor, and an IFS Senior Lead Trainer. She has been engaged in the fields of addictions, eating disorders, trauma and personal growth and served individuals, couples, families and groups for over thirty years. She currently offers private therapy, consultations and workshops nationally and internationally. Mary has also been a clinician for the Connecticut Military Support Program since 2009, providing therapy to active military, veterans and their families. Mary enjoys engaging with people; and sharing her experiences in fun and creative ways.

Amy Marcotte, LCSW, is an IFS Certified Therapist who has arranged two IFS trainings for Vet Center therapists and administrators. She has been serving as Director of the Sanford Vet Center in Maine, US, since 2002. Amy is an Army Veteran.

Christoper Poe, LPC, served in the 25th Infantry Division as an Infantryman. He deployed to Kirkuk Iraq for 13 months in 2004/2005. Trained in EMDT and CPT, Chis worked for the Casper Vet Center, Wyoming, for nine years and is now serving as its Director.

Lawrence Snee, PhD, joins this panel to discuss his experience as a Bronze-star combat veteran who served in Vietnam, lost five members of his team, was involved in two helicopter crashes, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune upon his return where he was exposed to cancer-causing contaminated drinking water. Professionally, he is a certified professional geologist with over 30 years of experience as a researcher with the US Geological Survey, a professor at Oregon State University producing more than 300 publications and advising more than 50 graduate students, and an international consultant for projects across the US and in numerous countries in South America and Asia.

2018

In 2018, the Foundation hosted “Taking Self to School”, an online conversation to explore the value of IFS in various settings. Learn more about this topic.

The program addressed (a) the needs of today’s school teachers and students; (b) what it would take to bring the IFS notions of Self and parts to teachers and, through them, to students; and (c) what anticipated benefits are envisioned.

The Forum was moderated by Anna Tansi, MS, with panelists Timothy Jungwirth,, MEd; Jennifer Krizan, MA, LMFT, LICSW; and Jody Nelson, EdD, LMFT.

Below is an unabridged video of the program.

Learn more

This is the beginning of a series of conversations about the value of IFS in various settings. A write-up about the Forum appears in the November 2018 edition of OUTLOOK

Please stay tuned for the next ones.