The One Inside: An Internal Family Systems (IFS) podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Angele Close, a clinical psychologist, motherhood coach, and certified mindfulness meditation teacher. Her work weaves together Internal Family Systems, mindfulness, and matrescence to help mothers reconnect with themselves and embrace the process of becoming.

She opens up about her own season of disconnection in early motherhood and how discovering IFS helped her find language, clarity, and compassion for the parts within.

Her upcoming book, Unburdening Motherhood: A Guide to Breaking Cycles, Healing Trauma, and Becoming a Self-Led Mom, offers that same roadmap to others.

Together, we explore the parts that push us to be the "good mom," the ones that try to do it all, and how IFS can help us lead ourselves and our families with more Self Energy.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Matrescence is the process of becoming a mom, and why naming it matters

• The "good mom" parts that push us to do it all

• How IFS helps mothers understand the parts activated by parenting

• The tension between control, exhaustion, and letting go

• What happens when protectors soften and play, pleasure, and community return

Whether you're a parent, therapist, or simply curious about how our systems respond to change, this conversation is a gentle invitation to lead with more Self energy in every season of life.

About Dr. Angele Close

Angele Close is a clinical psychologist, motherhood coach, and certified mindfulness meditation teacher. For more than a decade, she's helped women move beyond fear, perfectionism, and people-pleasing to find confidence and ease in motherhood and beyond.

Her work is deeply guided by Internal Family Systems, which she describes as "a roadmap for understanding ourselves, addressing our pain, and finding a pathway to healing." Her new book, Unburdening Motherhood: A Guide to Breaking Cycles, Healing Trauma, and Becoming a Self-Led Mom , is available for pre-order and will be out in January 2026.

Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Unblend web application. You know those moments between sessions when something comes up and you need a gentle nudge to pause, slow down and go inside? The Unblend app helps you do just that. It's IFS informed, HIPAA compliant, and guides you through checking in with your parts to calm your nervous system. Learn more and try it for free at Unblend.me

About The One Inside

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do. 

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more.

• Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach.

Resources

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Sponsorship

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

In this episode, I chat with Caitlan Siegenthaler, a Level 2 IFS licensed therapist and podcast host who specializes in IFS and Human Design. What I love about Caitlan's work is how she treats both frameworks as paths home to Self.

She shares how Human Design entered her life and how she integrates it with IFS to help clients befriend their parts. She recently led a Human Design reading session with Dick Schwartz, founder of IFS. 

In this conversation, we explore:

• How IFS and Human Design work together to help us return to our authentic Self

• How understanding your Human Design chart can help you connect with your internal system in a whole new way

• The five Human Design energy types and what they can teach us about our systems

• How Human Design mirrors IFS as a spiral — a way of returning, again and again, to Self

• Why curiosity matters more than mastery when exploring new systems

We also recorded an extended interview with Caitlan for our paid Substack community about supervision and consultation — why it matters, how to find it, and how it helps therapists bring more of themselves into the room. 

You can connecct with Caitlan at caitlansiegenthaler.com, listen to her Return podcast, and check out her free five-episode series on navigating indecision using Human Design and IFS.

Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Pisgah Coaching Institute: Founded by IFS-trained master coach Brian Jaudon, a pioneer in the integration of IFS and coaching for more than two decades. Brian and his faculty teach a blended methodology for clarifying and living into a vision of any kind. pisgahcoaching.com

About The One Inside

I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do. 

• Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, live events, meditations, and extended interviews.

• Find merch at The One Inside store.

• Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube.

• Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

I co-create The One Inside with my colleague and friend, Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and creative collaborator.

Resources

• New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start.

• Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away.

Sponsorship

Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

What if the magic in parenting doesn't happen in the moment you get it right, but in the moment you come back and repair?

This week, I talk with educator, children's book author, and Self-led parent Anna Purpero, and I just loved this conversation so much. Anna has two little boys and a big heart, and she shares so honestly about what happens when our protectors take over in parenting and how IFS helped her find a new way forward.

We talk about:

• What happens in our bodies when our kids fight (and why we feel like we're in danger)

• Why repair — not perfection — is the real magic

• The power of separating "who I am" from "what I do" in parenting and beyond

• How Anna uses playful language like "my volcano's bubbling up" to talk to her kids about parts

• Why naming a part doesn't mean avoiding responsibility...it helps kids (and grownups) take more

• Why real apologies only come after shame has lifted

• How her creative work flowed from her own healing

Anna's book My Friends Inside is just beautiful. It's one of those books that speaks to kids and to the little ones inside us. The language is simple, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the heart behind it? So, so good.

Anna recorded a special reading of her book just for our community and Jeff added page spreads to create a whole little experience out of it. You can find that for free exclusively on Substack.

Come meet your parts and maybe a few new friends inside.

About Anna:

Anna Purpero is an educator and children's book author based in Columbus, OH, where she lives with her partner, Jordan, and their two sons (ages 4 and 6). She draws inspiration from her former high school Language Arts students and the teens she mentored through Paper City Mentoring Project, a nonprofit she co-founded and led as Executive Director. She is currently building on her education, including SEL coursework from Fresno Pacific University and training through the Self-Leadership Collaborative. She hopes to continue to use art to facilitate experiential learning and inspire children to hold tight to their dignity and spark. Her debut picture book, My Friends Inside, is available now! 

Episode Sponsor:

Inner World Collective

A supportive community can change everything when you're learning and applying the IFS model. The Collective is an online space for IFS therapists and practitioners to connect with like-minded professionals, build confidence, refine their skills, and feel truly supported as they bring IFS into their clinical work. Inside, you'll find expert consultation, supervised and peer-led practice groups, monthly guest speakers, recorded demos and demo groups, and Self-led workshops—all designed to help you flourish as an IFS practitioner.

About The One Inside:

Check out The One Inside Substack community to access all episodes, exclusive extended interviews, meditations and exercises, and more. 

Find The One Inside Self-Led merch at The One Inside store

Watch video clips from select episodes on  The One Inside on YouTube

Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger.

Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside. He's a writer and IFS Level 2 practitioner who specializes in helping therapists create with clarity and confidence.

Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. 

Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website

Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. 

To learn more about sponsorship opportunties on The One Inside Podcast, email Tammy  

On today's episode I talk with Lucille Aaron-Wayne, a longtime Certified IFS Therapist, Jungian analyst-in-training and art therapist. She helps people who feel and think deeply learn how to do IFS on themselves and claim it as their own person self healing tool.

We talk about:

- The importance of 'doing IFS' on our own

- The different skill set needed to do Solo IFS

- 6 Common Self life parts

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I loved how practical this episode is, and I loved how Lucille talks about how doing our own work builds a bridge between our 'regular life' and our Self energy.

Connect with Lucille at seekdeeply.com: Seek Deeply: Online Jungian & IFS Therapy Sessions where you can get a FREE one hour guide to Solo IFS!

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If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment, share with a friend- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books. Or on amazon here: The One Inside: 30 Days To Your Authentic Self: Sollenberger, Tammy: 9780967688756: Amazon.com: Books

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifs.tammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

Transcripts of most episodes are found on tammysollenberger.com.

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Enjoy! 

On today's episode I chat with Sarah Houy, a certified IFS therapist and the co-founder of Sentur, an IFS app!

Sarah is passionate about revolutionizing mental health care and has been a trauma therapist for over a decade.

We talk about her passion for making therapy and treatment accessible to all people, her first experiences with IFS and Sentur.

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Find out more about the Sentur app here:

Internal Family Systems App | Sentur App

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If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment, share with a friend- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books. Or on amazon here: The One Inside: 30 Days To Your Authentic Self: Sollenberger, Tammy: 9780967688756: Amazon.com: Books

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifs.tammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

Transcripts of most episodes are found on tammysollenberger.com.

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Enjoy! 

On today's episode I chat with Madeline Gibson, a Level 3 IFS practitioner and coach living in Lake Como, Italy.

Madeline owns and runs Lake Como Wellness, a wellness events and retreat business. She is soon to launch her podcast, "There's a Part of Me", for the IFS curious, and in the new year will launch a range of free resources around 'middle lane drinking' through the IFS lens.

Middle Lane drinkers are those who haven't 'hit rock bottom' but feel curious about what life would be like without alcohol. Madeline is almost five years sober after going through that lifestyle transformation herself, shorting before meeting Dick Schwartz on retreat in northern Italy.

You can reach out to Madeline on Instagram @the.ifs.coach or email hello@theifs.coach

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Madeline encourages us to be curious as we consider that our drinking parts are destined for greater, more Self led roles. She gives 4 reflective questions or journal prompts to deepen our own connection to our internal world. 

She says that as long as parts are stuck in protective roles they are not living into their full potential.

Check out her website where you can download an ebook, "Middle Lane Drinking: An IFS Approach." Welcome to the IFS Coach - The World needs all of you

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If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment, share with a friend- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books. Or on amazon here: The One Inside: 30 Days To Your Authentic Self: Sollenberger, Tammy: 9780967688756: Amazon.com: Books

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifs.tammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

Transcripts of most episodes are found on tammysollenberger.com.

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Enjoy! 

On today's episode I chat with Anna Vincentz, a Level 3 IFS therapist who resides in Denmark.

We talk about:

1. Attachment: the nervous system and inner and outer coregulation with parents, children, partners, clients and therapists

2. New Danish Parenting: Children always make sense, Relationships matter most, and conscious parenting.

Anna says- Parts don't want to settle for unconditional love and attachment from Self. When they actually get connection from Self they realize it is not settling at all.

And- We don't need to lean in to our partners from our young parts. Our parts need to lean in to Self and then our Self can lean out into our partners.

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Check out Anna's podcast and articles here:

IFS therapy — IFS & Familieterapeut Anna Vincentz MPF

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If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment, share with a friend- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books.

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifs.tammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

Transcripts of most episodes are found on tammysollenberger.com.

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Enjoy! 

On today's episode I chat with Susann Suprenant, Ph.D. Susann is a Level 1 Internal Family Systems practitioner and Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner working with coaching clients in their recovery from chronic pain and other mindbody symptoms. She holds a Ph.D. in Theatre Arts, is trained in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (Howard Shubiner, MD and Alan Gordon, LCSW) and facilitates mindbody support groups with Curable Health.

We talk about:

1. Benefits of getting curious about chronic symptoms as parts' protective strategies.

2. The Feldenkrais method

3. Polyvagal theory and 'Play as a Blended State'

I appreciated the experiential component Susann brings to the episode.

Susann introduced one of her mentors, Dr. Howard Shubiner to Dick which led them to co-author the following article entitled, "IFS and Chronic Pain: Listening to Parts who Hold the Hurt."

IFS and Chronic Pain (psychotherapynetworker.org)

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You can connect with Susann at www.creativesomatics.com or info@creativesomatics.com.

You can sign up for her mailing list to be notified of her upcoming online class beginning in January 2023, "Your Resilient Self: Creative Recovery from Chronic Mindbody Symptoms," which explores pain reprocessing through the 8 C's. 

She refers to Curable- an app that can be found here:

Curable Groups: A 12-Week Healing Bootcamp for Chronic Pain Recovery (curablehealth.com)

And, a training site which can be found here:

OvidDx

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If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment, share with a friend- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books.

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifs.tammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

Transcripts of most episodes are found on tammysollenberger.com.

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Enjoy! 

   

On today's podcast I chat with Tara Vogel, a Level One IFS trained practitioner and a certified professional astrologer and coach who is passionate about helping people stay connected to themselves and their soul's path via the cosmos.

We talk about:

1. The Natal Chart

2. The Moon

3. As above so below (what is happening in the sky today?)

4. Planets as Parts

5. Knowing your child's natal chart is the best parenting hack

6. The daily moon phases- walking through each Zodiac sign

Sprinkled throughout we talk about parts, Self, and parenting.

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Tara mentions Seth and his work with IFS and parenting. Seth Kopald has been on the podcast several times. He leads a free Self led parenting Q and A the first Friday of the month on the Facebook Self led parenting page found here: 

(8) IFS Self-Led Parenting Group | Facebook

Tara also mentions Derek Scott who heads the IFS Counseling Association and leads IFS trainings. Derek has also been on the podcast a few times. You can find more about Derek here: Home - IFSCA

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Tara's website: Home - Luminary Parenting

The 'moon' of the day: https://www.instagram.com/luminaryparenting/

Free e-books:   How To Parent Yourself and Your Kids As the Moon Moves Through the Zodiac Signs https://luminaryparenting.lpages.co/reparent-ebook/
  What Does Your Sun Sign Reveal About Your Mothering? https://mailchi.mp/841710b7eeb1/ebook   Tara loves to dive deeply with her clients and believes that understanding your astrological natal chart is one of the greatest tools we have for developing our consciousness while we're here on planet earth.  Tara reports daily on how to use the celestial bodies to support you in your everyday life in an easy to understand and practical way. She posts everyday on Instagram and gives further insights to her Astrology Community -The Luminary Parenting Community.   Her passion is helping moms to understand how to be the best mom they can be for their kids and themselves through astrology. Tara believes in a holistic approach to living and weaves her knowledge of nutrition, herbal medicine and The Internal Family Systems method of psychotherapy into her work. Being a mom of three, living astrology daily and ecstatic dance have been her greatest avenues for healing and wholeness.    ------

If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books.

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifs.tammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

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Enjoy! 

   

Welcome to Season 4!

Today I chat with Dr. Alison Cook, psychologist and author of Boundaries for Your Soul and her new book, The Best of You.

We talk about:

- Psychology and Faith

- The parts that come up with the question, "What do I need?"

- What is 'Self', selfishness, and Self-hood?

- Alison's experience of hearing a part who feels betrayed by Self

- Productive parts and the Enneagram

- Codependency, Relationships, and Fawning

Alison says, "The Best of You is YOU leading all the parts of yourself."

Find out more about Alison at her website here:

Home - Dr. Alison Cook (dralisoncook.com)

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If you like this episode subscribe, like, comment- all the things.

My book, The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self, is available wherever you get books.

You can visit my website Home - Tammy Sollenberger where you can download a free meditation on getting to know your "Should" parts. These are the parts who remind you of what you Should be doing. They may sound a bit harsh and critical at time. We all have them!

You can follow me at ifstammy on Instagram and Twitter and on The One Inside Facebook page.

I'm grateful for Jack Reardon who created new music. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. Thanks, Jack for getting me. You can follow Jack on Instagram at bonzemusic.

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Enjoy!