NigelW Posted April 24, 2013 Posted April 24, 2013 My therapist suggested this. I have found it quite useful and I think a critique would be interesting! I do my thing and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, And you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful. If not, it can't be helped. (Fritz Perls, "Gestalt Therapy Verbatim", 1969) Source: Wikipedia
Pepin Posted April 28, 2013 Posted April 28, 2013 I feel like it is trying to build a relation with unconcious parts, likely with an emphasis on the true self. I've just started doing some work with the mecoystem/ifs and this explanation seems to make the most sense to me, though I don't really have a clue
NigelW Posted April 29, 2013 Author Posted April 29, 2013 I find that I'm resistant towards mecosystem/ifs. Argh. It may be a sign that it may be worth pursuing. Have you felt the same way at times?
Pepin Posted April 29, 2013 Posted April 29, 2013 Well, in a way I kind of discovered mine, though I feel as though my experience is a little different. I had listened to a mecosystem podcast about a year ago or so, but I really didn't understand what it was about, and I what I did understand I completely misinterpreted. Over the last couple months, I had been getting a ton of stress headaches located primarily in the forehead region. It was rather weird because it was always contained to some relatively consistent volume. I started to think that I was literally feeling my brain, but this didn't make much sense to me because the brain lacks nerves. Due to some events that I won't go into, I ended up having a breakdown and discovered all these other parts of my head during it. It was also one of the first times I could really feel my emotions. I found that I could switch between the front and the back of my head, and it would have a strong affect on how people would react to me, and also being more in the back felt a ton better. Then I began to explore more and more of my head which was rather interesting, though I couldn't do the switching. It was a bit interesting because I found that I could do more than just feel and explore my brain, but that I could activate and deactivate different parts. Eventually I found a very angry voice l located somewhere in my head and I pinpointed it to an exact location. I somehow found a way to shut it up, not I am not sure how to describe what I did or what I did exactly. I found it to be so very interesting and awesome. A few days later I began to find the extent of other parts of my brain, and try to talk to them just to see if anything would happen. I had some theories about what was happening and eventually related it to the mecosystem, though I was unsure. Ironically I began feeling crazy and hesitant about what I was doing after listening to the premium mecoystem podcasts. To put it this way, the reality of what was happening sunk in, and I got a strong urge to stop these conversations. I am glad I didn't. I have been getting into IFS and am finding things quite interesting and useful. I feel a bit weird describing my experience with it, but after a few weeks of doing this sort of work, I want to suggest it to everyone. I don't know if a lot of this is specific to me or not, but at least from experience, I can't deny it, nor can I deny the effectiveness. My level of enjoyment, and also ability to think has increased significantly. I am still pretty new to all of this, but I am embracing it quite fully being a month or so in. If anyone could confirm or deny the idea that someone can feel/explore their brain, I would find this rather nice. I have been rather skeptical about that really being what is happening, but at the moment I am not really sure. Either way it doesn't really matter, but I am just curious.
NigelW Posted April 30, 2013 Author Posted April 30, 2013 The full-tilt approach to therapy is pretty bewildering. I had a similar experience in the middle of last semester. It was just like falling out of the matrix.... I haven't experienced any type of control, although I find I can't turn off my emotions. My sensitivity towards interactions has really increased as well. How common is IFS? Did you ask your therapist about it or is there an internet resource? I feel quite ambivalent about any deep introspection, but I am curious.
Pepin Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 I found it through Stefan's interview of the founder of the concept. I believe in the interview, it was said that it wasn't a widely used method, but is gaining in popularity. Someone in a thread somewhere recomended this book http://www.amazon.com/Self-Therapy-Step-Step-Cutting-Edge-Psychotherapy/dp/0984392777 The way I would suggest looking at it is that there is nothing really to lose if the theory is false. If it is false, then the aproach could be a waste of time, but is more likely to have the same results as journaling, instrospecting, talking about important issues out loud, or having mock debates with yourself. It isn't like you are going to go crazy if you start talking to yourself a little, especially since you and everyone else does it everyday. If the theory is true, then avoiding these parts is avoiding the reality of the situation. My own drive towards working with this system is to really have an understanding of myself, being able to think, and being free from the irrationalities that people have inflicted on me. I'd really suggest giving it a try if you are curious.
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