IFS • Finger Puppets + IFS = Magic

Hello IFS friends!

As excited as I usually am about parts work, hold your hat! I’m even more excited today!

This weekend I offered an IFS skills class about using finger puppets to externalize parts. It was AMAZING because finger puppets TRANSFORM IFS. Everyone in the group noticed that connecting with their parts was faster, more natural, and more playful when they could see their parts in front of them as plushies, stickers, or finger puppets.

Puppets make unblending easier because all techniques for externalizing parts make unblending easier. The difference is: finger puppets are soft, cute, and embodied—so they help us go beneath protective managers to access deeper, smaller parts.

Finger puppets, unlike externalization techniques on paper, help pull us out of our heads and into a direct, somatic relationship with our inner world.

Also, their cuteness naturally increases compassion. It’s much easier to feel warmth toward a little fox or bunny than toward an abstract idea.

Also, because many puppets are animals, they bring surprising extra qualities—this eagle manager “flies above,” this jellyfish firefighter “floats in the sea”—which also adds new dimensions to the work.

I’ve known that finger puppets radically turbocharge IFS work because they did exactly that for me over 20 years ago!

I’m so convinced that finger puppets are one of the most powerful ways to support IFS work, I’m going to offer a monthly drop-in IFS + Finger Puppets Practice Group.

You don’t need experience with puppets (or even any puppets at home)—use plushies, stickers, or other objects (there’s a full list at ifsfingerpuppets.com).

The first group is Saturday, August 8, 11 am–1 pm CT.

HOWEVER! If this idea is as exciting to you as it is to me, please reach out and I will schedule one in July!! I’m not sure I can wait until August to start!!