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In This Body: A Somatic IFS Approach for Eating Disorder Recovery

CE Hours 5

About this course

When working with clients with eating disorders you need a body-based approach that can work with parts that use the body to protect and parts that use the body to tell their stories –– that’s where Somatic IFS Therapy comes in. This 5 hour workshop delves into the profound potential of Somatic IFS, which integrates IFS and somatic therapy, in supporting clients struggling with eating disorders, body image and trauma. Through didactic teaching, experiential exercises, and case examples, you will learn how to compassionately connect with parts that turn towards or away from food or fixate or dissociate from the body with body-centered IFS. You will also learn how to access the innate wisdom and Self energy within the body - a source of profound healing and resilience. After this workshop you’ll have a deeper understanding of how trauma, including individual and collective trauma of weight stigma and disordered eating parts are held in the body, and how to guide clients towards embodied liberation for a harmonious relationship within.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe two basic assumptions of the IFS model and its non-pathological approach
  • Identify 3 types of parts in the IFS model.
  • Describe how burdens from culture, families and personal experiences disrupt embodiment.
  • Identify 1 way each of the 5 practices of Somatic IFS (somatic awareness, conscious breathing, radical resonance, mindful movement and attuned touch) can be used to work with Manager protective parts.
  • Identify 1 way each of the 5 practices of Somatic IFS (somatic awareness, conscious breathing, radical resonance, mindful movement, and attuned touch) can be used to work with Firefighter protective parts.
  • Identify 1 way each of the 5 practices of Somatic IFS (somatic awareness, conscious breathing, radical resonance, mindful movement, and attuned touch) can be used to work with Exile vulnerable parts.
  • Identify at least 2 ways embodied Self energy can support the Somatic IFS approach to healing trauma.
  • Identify 3 qualities of an embodied Self-led therapist.
  • Explain how Somatic IFS principles can be used to address the impact of collective trauma and societal burdens on individuals.

Learning Levels

  • All Levels

Target Audience

This educational activity is intended for clinicians, including psychologists, dietitians, social workers, counselors, and MFT's. Students, recent graduates, nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals are welcome as well.

Course Instructor(s)

  • Marcella Cox, LMFT, CEDS-C

    Marcella Cox, LMFT, Certified IFS Therapist and Approved IFS Clinical Consultant & CEDS-C (she/her) Founder, Kindful Body

    Marcella Cox, LMFT, is a therapist, author and speaker who has dedicated her career to treating eating disorders, disordered eating, body shame, and trauma. She is a Level 3 Certified IFS Therapist and Approved IFS Clinical Consultant and on the teaching staff of Susan McConnell, developer of Somatic IFS, an approach that blends the IFS model of therapy with somatic therapy. Marcella trains and supports clinicians in utilizing IFS and Somatic IFS in their work through workshops, trainings, professional consultation, and retreats. She is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and empowering learning environment where participants can explore the transformative potential of somatic parts work. She recently contributed the chapter on IFS and Disordered Eating in Altogether Us: Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities, and Trends (Pivotal Press, 2023). Marcella is also founder of Kindful Body, providing online therapy and nutrition counseling for eating and body issues in California. To learn more, visit www.kindfulbody.com.

Disclosure

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity ― including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests). The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity’s planners, faculty, and the reviewer: PLANNERS AND REVIEWER The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships. FACULTY The faculty of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

References

  • Brown, G. O. S. (2020). Internal Family Systems Informed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: An Integrative Technique for Treatment of Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. International Body Psychotherapy Journal, 19(2).
  • Hodgdon, H.B., Anderson, F.G., Southwell, E., Hrubec, W., & Schwartz, R.C. (2022). Internal family systems (IFS) therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among survivors of multiple childhood trauma: A pilot effectiveness study. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 31(1), 22-43.
  • Kuhfuß, M., Maldei, T., Hetmanek, A., & Baumann, N. (2021). Somatic experiencing - effectiveness and key factors of a body-oriented trauma therapy: a scoping literature review. European journal of psychotraumatology, 12(1), 1929023. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1929023
  • Mojta, C., Falconier, M.K., & Huebner, A.J. (2014). Fostering Self-awareness in novice therapists using internal family systems therapy. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 42(1), 67-78
  • Catanzaro, J. (2024). Unburdened eating: Healing your relationships with food and your body using an Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach. Bridge City Books, an imprint of PESI Publishing, Inc.
  • Cox, M. (2023). IFS and Disordered Eating: Self-led Healing for a More Harmonious Relationship with Food and Body. In Riemersma, J., and Schwartz R. (2023). Altogether Us: Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities, and Trends. Pivotal Press. (Reviewed by Catanzaro, J., McConnell, S., and Pastor, M.)
  • Grabowski, A.Y. (2018). An internal family systems guide to recovery from eating disorders: Healing part by part. New York, NY: Routledge.
  • McConnell, S. (2025). The Somatic Internal Family Systems Therapy Workbook: Embodied Healing Practices to Transform Trauma--For therapists, students, clients, and groups. North Atlantic Books.
  • McConnell, S. (2023). IFS and Somatic Practices: Reclaiming Our Birthright of Embodiment: Five Somatic Practices That Bring The Body Fully to the Healing Journey. In Riemersma, J., and Schwartz R. (2023). Altogether Us: Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities, and Trends. Pivotal Press.
  • McConnell, S. (2020). Somatic internal family systems therapy: Awareness, breath, resonance, movement and touch in practice. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
  • Piran, N., (2017). Journeys of Embodiment at the Intersection of Body and Culture: The Developmental Theory of Embodiment. Academic Press; 1st edition
  • Schwartz, R.C. (2020) No bad parts. Louisville, CO: Sounds True.

CE Process Info

Content

  • Materials
    4 parts
    • Final Kindful Body - Somatic IFS Presentation
    • IFS Case Example
    • Embodying Qualities of Self
    • In this Body: A Somatic IFS Approach for Eating Disorder Recovery
  • Joint Accreditation (JA)

    In support of improving patient care, CE Learning Systems is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

  • American Psychological Association (APA)

    Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSEDSW)

    CE Learning Systems SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0060.

  • New York Education Department for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSEDLMHC)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology (NYSEDPSY)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0016.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy (NYSEDMFT)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.

FAQs

  • Course Completion
    To complete the course, review the course objectives, then watch the video power point presentations following along with the corresponding pdf, and lastly complete an evaluation. Your certificate will be available to download immediately when you complete the evaluation. Note that you can not continue in the course until you complete the previous section.
  • ADA Accommodations - TCG
    ADA accommodations will be made in accordance with the law; please indicate your special needs upon registering by sending an email to connect@thechesnutgroup.com; support@ce-go.com or by calling us at 888 498 5578.
  • Where can I find my Attendee Dashboard link?
    Upon registering, you should receive an email from support@ce-go.com with a link to access your Attendee Dashboard. If you do not see it in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder. If you still cannot locate the email, you may retrieve your Attendee Dashboard link by clicking HERE
  • Refunds
    Refunds are not available.
  • Additional Sessions
    If you would like additional sessions, contact connect@thechesnutgroup.com.
In This Body: A Somatic IFS Approach for Eating Disorder Recovery
You Have Completed This course
$100
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    5
  • Type
    Self-Paced
  • Publication Date
    Apr 15th, 2025

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