IFS Certification Reviewers

INTERVIEW

Ralph Cohen, PhD, LMFT is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Counseling and Family Therapy at Central Connecticut State University where he was the director of the Master's program in Marriage and Family Therapy and currently coordinates the Internal Family Systems Continuing Education Program. He is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Dr. Cohen was a founding co-editor of the Journal of Self Leadership, and IFS-oriented professional publication. As a licensed psychologist and Marriage and Family therapist, Dr. Cohen has a private practice in West Hartford, Connecticut, providing IFS-based therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

INTERVIEW

Kay Gardner, MS, LCPC, is a certified Hakomi therapist who incorporates body work into her therapy practice.  She is the creator of several workshops, including "Men and Their Mothers" and "Women, Sexuality, and Power."

Paul Neustadt, MSS, LICSW is an IFS Co-Lead Trainer and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. He has a private practice in Arlington, MA where he specializes in couples therapy, parent coaching, and IFS consultation. For 17 years he was the director of a community counseling and prevention program for children, adolescents, and their families, and before that he worked in a college counseling center and a community mental health center. He taught couples and family therapy at a family therapy institute and in two graduate programs. As a trainer Paul creates a safe and accepting atmosphere, attending thoughtfully to group process and making sure all parts are welcome. He teaches the Model with a clear, down to earth and open-hearted manner.

INTERVIEW
Ann L. Sinko, LMFT has over 30 years of clinical experience and is licensed marriage and family therapist in Connecticut. She is in private practice and has been teaching as a adjunct Professor in the Marriage and family therapy program at Central CT State University for 26 years. She has integrated IFS theory and technique in all facets of her creative work with families, couples, individuals and groups. She establishes a safe environment in which clients experience unconditional acceptance. She has a background in gestalt therapy and uses sandtray therapy and in her work. Ann is passionate about teaching and believes that theory is best integrated though experiential learning. She brings has a down to earth, concrete style along with a sense of humor to her teaching. Ann is a seasoned world traveler, loves the outdoors and is a avid gardener

Nancy Sowell is an Internal Family Systems lead trainer and consultant in private practice on Cape Cod and in Newton, Massachusetts. She is a teaching associate at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry at the Cambridge Health Alliance, where she has been a clinical supervisor for many years. Nancy has been a psychotherapist since 1992, working with individuals, couples, and groups. She has pursued training from many therapeutic schools of thought and in various therapeutic techniques, such as hypnosis, biofeedback, EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and meditation. She integrates mindful awareness of the body, emotions, thoughts, and deeply held beliefs, as they influence our mood, behavior, health, and relationships. Specializing in behavioral medicine and IFS-based treatment for pain and illness, Nancy co-created an IFS treatment program for rheumatoid arthritis patients in a pioneering research study at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. She knows both personally and professionally the power of Self compassion in healing and restoring health.

Elizabeth Taeubert LCSW, RN, MS is an Internal Family Systems Therapist and Lead Trainer for CSL. She has extensive experience as a group facilitator and educator with an approach that is sensitive, respectful, and empowering. Elizabeth is in private practice in Denver and Boulder Colorado. She works with adult individuals and couples. She also works with clients via phone and skype.

Mona Barbera, PhD, CC, is a psychologist in private practice in Rhode Island. She offers IFS couples therapy, IFS couples workshops and is the author of the award-winning IFS relationship book, Bring Yourself to Love: How Couples Can Turn Disconnection into Intimacy. She is a former board member of the New Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation, and is trained in EMDR and Imago Relationship Therapy. She is an Assistant Director and Shambhala Assistant Director for Shambhala Buddhist meditation.

Cathy Curtis, LCSW is an IFS Lead trainer and has been a psychotherapist for over 25 years. She has been trained in many different body-centered modalities. For the past 10 years, she has primarily used IFS in her work with individuals and couples. She is also a lead trainer for the Intimacy From The Inside Out basic and advanced trainings. Cathy lives and works in Santa Cruz, CA 

Kevin Davis, LCSW, LMFT, LCAS, Approved AMFT Supervisor, is an IFS therapist who specializes in addiction, trauma and the impact of early imprints. She has a passion for helping clients connect to and use the inherent treatment plan that lives in all of us as individuals, relationally and in community. Kevin is Co-Founder of Hospice at Charlotte, and founder of the Family Therapy Training Institute at United Family Services. With over 30 years of experience, Kevin uses mind/body approaches to help others enhance resilience and achieve purpose.

Rina Dubin, Ed.D, LPC, is a solo lead trainer and a licensed psychologist practicing in Newton, MA. She provides psychotherapy to individuals and couples and offers consultation for individual, dyad and small groups. She also offers workshops to larger groups on various topics which always include an experiential focus.

IFS has been foundational for Rina since her first immersion in 2004. She has found IFS to be the deepest and most profound approach for healing and expansion and highly values how this work is an approach to living and not a “model.”  More recently, a focus of Rina’s work has been to expand not only how up-close systems (family, school) impact our parts but how the larger systems through which we all navigate impact our parts and our different identities. This feels much more complete and ties to her legacy heirloom of “make the world better.”

Einat Avni Bronstein, MSW, LCSW, Co-founder of The Israeli Institute for IFS, earned a masters in clinical social work from Washington University and graduated earlier from the Tel Aviv University Law School. An experienced psychotherapist with 23 years of practice in individual, couples, family, and group therapy. Einat led multiple workshops, seminars and trainings in the US and in Israel, she has completed Levels 1, 2 and 3 training in IFS and is a certified IFS therapist, IFS supervisor and IFS lead trainer. She is also an instructor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program through Continuing Education at Tel Aviv University.

Osnat (Ossi) Arbel, PhD, LMFT is a Lead Trainer in Israel. As the Co-founder of the Israeli Institute for IFS she is training, supervising, and facilitating groups while living the IFS model both personally and professionally. In her private practice she provides IFS-based therapy for individuals, couples, and families. Dr. Arbel is an AAMFT Clinical Member and Approved Supervisor currently dividing her time between Israel, and Colorado. In Israel she is teaching MFT courses at Tel-Aviv University and Tel-Hai Academic College and supervising MFT practicum courses. In Colorado she holds an Assistant Professor appointment at Argosy University/Denver campus, teaching at the Counseling and MFT programs. Visit her on the web: www.ifs-israel.org ; On facebook: facebook.com/DrOsnatArbel ; Join her on LinkedIn: il.linkedin.com/in/oarbel

Jory Agate, LMHC, MDiv., MA, IFS Certified, is an Internal Family Systems therapist, trainer, and consultant with a private practice in Cambridge, MA.  Jory is committed to creating a collaborative clinical space that honors the cultural uniqueness of her clients. She specializes in treating trauma without pathologizing individuals for the creative ways they may have learned to cope. Jory had previous careers as a Unitarian Universalist minister and Sign Language interpreter/Deaf educator in the US and abroad.  She works in English and ASL with hearing and Deaf individuals, families, couples, clergy, staff teams, and parents of individuals with major mental illness. Jory is a trainer/presenter for the IFS Institute, PESI, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI).  In addition to her private practice, she provides training and consultation in IFS therapy, cultural agility, sexuality education, leadership development, and group dynamics.  The mother of two young adults, one hearing and one Deaf, she lives with her wife and their pandemic puppy in Cambridge, MA. 

Leslie Petruk, LCMHC-S, NCC, BCC is an IFS-Level-3 and IFS Certified therapist, a Board Certified Coach and the Director of The Stone Center For Counseling and Leadership (www.thestonecenternc.com) in Charlotte, NC. Her group private practice serves children, individuals, couples and families.  One of her specialty areas is working with parents utilizing the IFS model.  In addition, Leslie provides consultation and supervision to individuals and groups seeking licensure or IFS Certification.  She has taught introductory IFS workshops as well as the application of IFS for clinicians working with children and parents.  Leslie has presented at the IFS National Conference on Parenting, The Application of Sandtray to IFS, IFS and Play Therapy, and applying IFS to Work with Children and Parents.  She has also developed a parenting program that applies IFS principals for all parents which she offers in a workshop format.

Kirsten M. Lundeberg, LPC, LMFT, is a Northern-Virginia-based psychotherapist in private practice.  Kirsten works with individuals and couples, and is deeply committed to supporting therapists and practitioners who are interested in learning the IFS model through offering individual consultation and group consultation. She enjoys being a part of IFS trainings, and brings playfulness and creativity (music and poetry are passions of hers) to her teaching and to her work. She is grateful for the model both personally and professionally, and is especially grateful to be connected to the expanding and increasingly diverse community of IFS therapists and practitioners. For more information: www.kirstenlundeberg.com

Dan Reed, PhD, LPC, is a body-centered psychotherapist and counselor educator. He runs a private practice in Texas, offering support for leaders & entrepreneurs, consultation for IFS consultants and therapists, and psychotherapy. Dan’s particularly excited about supporting leaders and therapists in deepening their own capacity to be available to themselves and their experience. As leaders and therapists become more clear and confident, they can be more available to the people they serve with less effort. He has found IFS to be a wonderful framework to simplify the support/therapy process and offer language to effectively invite folks into their present moment experience to facilitate change. With a lifetime exploring the body and a background in science, Dan brings a pragmatic, grounded view to the IFS process.

PILAR DE LA TORRE has been a psychologist and gestalt psychotherapist for more than twenty-five years.  Certified trainer in the IFS model and co-founder of the IFS Institute. She organizes the official IFS training in Spain.  She has supervision groups and for fifteen years she has been accompanying individuals, families and couples in psychotherapy based on IFS.  She is founder and director of the Institute of Nonviolent Communication.  She is trained in gestalt body therapy.  IFS has transformed her life and the lives of many people she accompanies. She has a strong commitment to spread this vision of the human being in the world.
 

Imma Lloret is a psychologist and has been a psychotherapist for over 30 years in Barcelona, Spain. As the co-founder of the Spanish IFS Institute, she organizes IFS trainings, supervises, and facilitates groups along with her private practice where she provides IFS-based therapy for individuals and couples.  Imma also worked as an Associate Professor in the degree of Psychology at UOC (Open University of Catalonia).  She is also certified in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Somatic Experiencing, and has advanced training in AEDP.  IFS has transformed her life and her view of the world and she is honored to be able to contribute to its spread.
 

Liz Martins is a Certified IFS Therapist, supervisor and trainer based in the UK and working in private practice. Liz has worked to support healing, growth and development for over 30 years, including as a social worker, therapist, supervisor, organisational and group facilitator, mentor and trainer. She has a particular interest in integrating IFS in supervision/consultation and in supporting the practice of newly trained IFS therapists.  

Be patient towards all that is unsolved in our heart and try to love the questions themselves

by Rainer Maria Rilke, says what IFS means to me and how I work with clients.

Our parts have wisdom for our healing, whether they come as questions, experiences that leave us wondering what that was about, or experiences that leave us feeling more aware of who we are, what we are about and what we want.  My background in private practice over the last 18 years is a combination of exercise psychology and psychotherapy with humor and fun added to the mix. Currently, as an Assistant Trainer with IFS, my work has deepened as my depth of understanding about IFS as evolved.  Please see my website: www.lewisburgcounseling.com

Jenny Fiebig is a professional counselor licensed in both Montana and Colorado. Her private practice focuses on helping individuals and couples heal from trauma, and most specifically trauma related to outdoor accidents. Her first career was in outdoor education and guiding. While working with people for long periods of time in a wilderness setting, she found the profound connection people shared to self, to others and to the landscape they were traveling within. In 2010 she went back to school to pursue a graduate degree in Mental Heath Counseling at Montana State University. She was exposed to IFS while working for a group practice in Bozeman, MT and has deepened her knowledge in IFS ever since. Jenny has been through multiple Levels 1, 2 and 3 with IFS-Institute and IFIO, is a Certified IFS Therapist, and an Approved IFS Clinical Consultant for Certification. IFS has taken her all over the US, Australia and Portugal. She completed the ATP program with IFS Institute. Now she works as an Assistant Trainer for IFS-I and has experience working with a number of lead trainers. Jenny has a deep passion for IFS and is excited to be in a teaching role with IFS Institute to bring this model to more healers around the world.

Dawn Balcazar, Ph.D. is a doctoral level clinical psychologist, certified IFS therapist, and IFS approved consultant in private practice remotely and in person in Massachusetts. She received her BA from Wellesley College and her Ph.D. from University of MA/Amherst and has been a clinical supervisor at The Trauma Center and Wellesley College. Alongside working within the IFS model, Dawn specializes in psychological trauma, bereavement and enjoys working with the diverse local college student population, particularly first-generation students. Dawn is a nature lover, hiker, sailor, and a dedicated animal rescuer who runs a Caribbean based non-profit cat shelter and rescue.  

Carmen Jimenez-Pride is the founder, and Executive Director of Outspoken Counseling and Consulting. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Certified EMDR Therapist, Internal Family Systems Therapist, Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Children Yoga Teacher and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. Carmen is also a LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator.

Carmen is the developer of Diversity in Play Therapy Inc.; and creator/organizer of the Diversity in Play Therapy Summit. 

Carmen received her Bachelor of Social Work with a certificate in Child Protective Services from Benedict College. She was then accepted into the advanced standing program at the University of South Carolina earning a Master of Social Work with a focus on communities and organizations. Carmen’s passion is youth/ children, and she has dedicated herself not only to enriching the lives of children, but also providing the tools and curriculum for clinicians to ensure her goal to reach others has an even farther span in society. 

Carmen is experienced in clinical treatment of children, adolescents and adults with culturally diverse backgrounds addressing a wide range of concerns. Carmen’s career in the mental health field spans more than 15 years.

Her experience as a therapist, consultant, trainer, educator, coach and author encompass Carmen’s approach to practice, which is “Together We Will Grow”

Amy is a graduate of Saint Joseph's college in Maine and the Columbia University School of Social Work.  She was commissioned in the US Army as a social worker and deployed to Somalia and Haiti with the 10th Mountain Infantry Division.  She has served combat Veterans and survivors of military sexual trauma as a therapist and director of the Sanford Vet Center (part of the VA) from 1996 until retiring in 2022.  Her IFS journey began in 2013 and has led her on a path to PAing several trainings, becoming a certified therapist and clinical consultant and now serving as an Assistant Trainer.  She is excited to be part of the mission to bring IFS to many different communities.

Melissa Costa, LMFT, is a Certified IFS Therapist, IFS Clinical Consultant, and educator. Melissa lives and works in the flat lands of central Florida where she serves clients regionally and internationally.  Her heart lives somewhere where the leaves turn crimson and gold in the fall and the winding mountain paths beckon. With over 25 years of experience in health and wellness education, yoga and bodywork, Melissa weaves extensive mind/body/spirit knowledge and awareness into her psychotherapy practice.  She specializes in working with Fire Fighter parts, and with IFS therapists and practitioners, who seek to deepen their knowing of the IFS model.  Melissa’s Managers and Fire Fighters love to work and play in Self-land and are excited to get to know you wherever you are in your journey to the home in your heart.

Emma Diamond is a Certified Internal Family Systems therapist, case consultant and trainer with a Masters in Family Therapy from Newcastle University, Australia. Emma has 18 years of clinical practice working with complex and relational trauma. She has worked with IFS in the context of individual and family therapy including with children and young people across culture, complexity and identity. She currently works in private practice as a psychotherapist and supervisor specialising in CPTSD in NSW Australia. Emma is known for her warmth, openness and inclusivity. In her down time she enjoys forest bathing, beach walks with her dog and all adventures in the natural world.

Ellie Cunanan-Petty, LMFT, is a Certified IFS Therapist with nineteen years of clinical experience.  She is licensed in Virginia, Washington DC and New Jersey and has a private practice in Falls Church, Virginia, where she works with adults and couples.  She also provides supervision to therapists working toward licensure in Virginia, as well as clinical consultation to therapists learning IFS.  Ellie has an interest in working with people in improving their relationships, both within themselves and with others.