What You Will Learn in this Engaging IFS Session!

In this session, Melissa, an IFS (Internal Family Systems) Life Coach, helps Kate explore struggles with managing time, energy, and tasks, in the context of ADHD and neurodiversity. 

Kate shares challenges related to being overwhelmed by paperwork, disorganization, and the pressure to "make up for lost time" when she has the focus and energy to get things done. 

Kate also discusses her tendency to overcommit to tasks, leading to exhaustion and criticism from her family. Melissa validates Kate's experiences and helps her identify and connect with different parts of herself, including the part that loves getting things done, the critical part, and the exiled part that feels hopeless and overwhelmed. 

Through the session, Kate begins to feel more validated and liberated, recognizing the importance of self-compassion and finding systems that work uniquely for her. 

By watching this video, you may begin to feel better about your challenges with managing time and tasks as well! 

Key Internal Family Systems (IFS) Learnings: 

1. Validation of Struggles: Kate's struggles with ADHD, disorganization, and feeling overwhelmed are valid. It’s important to acknowledge these challenges without self-judgment.

2. Understanding Parts: Kate has different parts, including:

• A part that loves to get things done and feels free when in flow.

• A critical part that feels distressed and overwhelmed by disorganization.

• Exiled parts that feel hopeless and alone. 

3. Neurodiversity and Systems: Traditional organizational methods may not work for people with ADHD or other forms of neurodiversity. We may need to find systems that align with our unique thought processes, such as voice memos or specific types of notebooks.

4. Self-Compassion and Worth: Investing in tools and systems that feel good to use sends a message to your system that you are worth it, countering the internal narrative of not being enough.

5. Balancing Energy: Kate’s system tends to swing between extremes—overcommitting and then feeling exhausted. Finding a balance and setting boundaries with enthusiastic parts is key.

6. Importance of Relationships with Parts: Developing a loving relationship with exiled parts can help them feel less alone and more integrated into the system, reducing the need for extreme behaviors.

7. Permission to Be Unique: Kate is encouraged to embrace her idiosyncratic ways of functioning and not compare herself to others. What works for her may look different from what works for others, and that’s okay! 

This session highlights the importance of self-compassion, understanding internal parts, and finding personalized systems to manage life’s challenges, especially for neurodivergent people. 

If you struggle with time, organization, procrastination, under-then-overdoing things, neurodivergence, ADHD, or any of the above, then this session may be validating, encouraging, and invigorating!