By Julie Honeycutt, MMFT, LPC/MHSP
Mental Health Service Provider
Holistic Individual and Couples Therapy
Most of my clients come to me for therapy in hopes that it will directly impact and improve their relationship with God. Sometimes this can be done indirectly, yet I’m finding a particular question has helped the focus of therapy be more fulfilling for my clients. By unburdening parts, we indirectly open more space for their spiritual selves to surface. I find that by asking my clients, “What parts of you do you sense are blocking you from connecting with God?” we are able to identify the specific barriers (burdened parts) that block them from connecting to their spiritual Source. Often times these trail heads show up as the client begins to project their insecurities onto me, their therapist. For example, a client may say, “I have a part that wonders if you like me,” or “I feel like I’m failing at therapy.” When these parts are explored, we discover that the part fears I view them the way they perceive God views them. Once we get to the exile, we learn that this fear originates with their developmental caregivers such as parents or Sunday school teachers.
I will be presenting more on this topic of Christianity and the IFS model at the annual IFS conference in Chicago on Oct.23rd.
Level 3 IFS Therapist
This reveals how their view of their earthly “father” has greatly impacted their view of their heavenly Father. Once that exile is retrieved and unburdened, clients report that their connection with God is ever stronger and they feel His presence more easily in difficult situations. They are also able to identify their projections more quickly and set them aside and be in authentic relationship with either their therapist or other people in their lives.
—
Ahimsa
