More about IFS & My Philosophy

At A Lantern in the Woods, I mostly utilize Internal Family Systems (IFS) - a powerful, evidence-based approach that views the mind not as a single “self,” but as a system of “parts.”

Think of your internal world as a vast forest. Within that forest are its multitude of inhabitants - the parts of your personality. Some are healthy and thriving, like a tall, beautiful oak tree, firmly rooted and reaching towards the clear blue sky. Others operate in trickier ways that are harder to understand. Some act as Protectors, creating the brambles of anxiety, procrastination, or overachieving to protect your Exile, the wounded, creative, or vulnerable parts that have been pushed into the shadows because they felt "too much" or "not enough." Our Protectors will use any means necessary if they believe it will keep those Exiles hidden in the shadows. They do this to keep us safe, but their methods are usually counterproductive.

Most coaching treats these parts like weeds to be pulled. We don't try to "fix" your anxiety or "delete" your limiting beliefs, or eradicate any parts. Instead, we bring a lantern to them to understand and embrace them. When we learn how to do this, we are able to integrate them as allies, and they are liberated to take on new, more joyful, fulfilling roles supporting us in our goals and purpose instead of blocking us.

Integration, Not Eradication

Using the IFS framework, our work together focuses on:

Finding the Part: Identifying the specific internal voices or sensations that are currently keeping you stuck.

Unblending: Learning how to step back from the "fog" of a block so you can be with it, rather than operate from it.

Illuminating the Intent: Understanding why that part of you is holding you back, and reassuring it that it doesn’t have to work the same way it always has.

Healing the Root: Moving from a state of internal conflict to a state of Self-Leadership—where your calm, compassionate center (the Lantern) guides your life, rather than your fears.

The Result: A Clear Path

When we integrate our shadow and embrace our full selves, we liberate ourselves from the undergrowth that snags us as we journey on our path. You aren't fighting yourself anymore. You are moving with the truth of who you are and what you are capable of, your whole being—creatively, emotionally, spiritually, professionally, and personally.

Why IFS + A Lantern in the Woods?

Talk therapy often stays in the "story"—the details of the woods. Standard coaching stays on the "action"—the speed of the hiking. Shadow-Work Coaching with IFS stays on the system. By examining the internal factors and psychological roots of your stagnation, we create a permanent shift. Once a part of you feels seen and understood, it no longer needs to block your path.

I equate our Self with our heart–who we are at our core, without all of the shadowy parts obscuring us. Our Heart is our Lantern shining the light of love and awareness through our system so all parts of ourselves feel whole, loved, safe, and held. When they do, they allow our Self to lead, and our Self knows the way through the woods.

When we illuminate what lurks in the shadows, we clear the path forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does it mean to “look at the roots?”

A: Most coaching focuses on the “leaves” - your daily habits, your schedule, or your “to-do” list. Looking at the roots means we identify the internal beliefs and “parts” of your personality that make those habits hard to keep in the forest place. If you have a part of you that feels unsafe being “seen,” no amount of social media strategy will make you post consistently. I go to the source so the external action becomes natural.

Q: Is this therapy?

A: While I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) - a modality often used in therapy - my coaching is focused on your present and your future. Therapy often looks at the “woods” of the past to heal trauma. We look at those same woods to understand what is currently blocking your potential. We aren’t just seeking to understand the past, but to unblock your path forward today.

Q: I have a lot of anxiety. Can this help me?

A: Anxiety is often a “protector” part of us that is working overtime. In our sessions, we don’t try to “silence” your anxiety, get rid of it, or push through it. We bring a lantern to it to understand what it is trying to protect us from, and to find the way to be with it, accept it, embrace it, and reassure it, so it can relax and free up that energy for use in a more peaceful, rewarding way.

Q: What if I don’t feel “creative?”

A: “Creativity” isn’t just about painting or writing; it’s about the ability to envision a new future, meet challenges, and create solutions. When we are lost in limiting beliefs, our natural creativity is the first thing to get dimmed. I coach you to reclaim your full capacity to create the life that you choose.

Q: Why do you say you don’t “solve problems” for me?

A: Because you aren’t broken. I’m your partner in healing, not a savior or the expert. I help you access your own internal lantern (your “Self”). You have the innate clarity and wisdom to know which path to take; my job is to help you clear the brush to reveal that light for yourself.

Lost Oracle, Rockpool Publishing