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What Is Direct Access in IFS?
Direct Access is the IFS method in which the therapist speaks directly to a client’s internal experience, especially when the client is blended, overwhelmed, or unable to access enough Self Energy to engage through Insight.
Direct Access is often one of the most powerful and under-taught skills in IFS.
One of the biggest barriers to using Direct Access effectively is not knowing exactly how it should sound—how to ask questions in a natural way, how to stabilize or negotiate with protectors, or how to move between implicit and explicit work without it feeling awkward or mechanical.
This course teaches you exactly how to do that.
You’ll learn how to conduct full IFS interviews entirely through Direct Access, making the model accessible even to clients who dislike parts language or who need more support early in the process.
You will leave with a robust, multi-page list of specific example questions for both implicit and explicit Direct Access, all written to feel natural, conversational, and clinically grounded.
Why This Matters
Some clients:
Stay fully blended
Reject or struggle with parts language
Shut down when asked to “turn inward”
Need stabilization before Insight
Work beautifully through Direct Access — when the therapist knows how to do it
Some clients also:
Work beautifully through Direct Access when the therapist knows how to do it
Can use Direct Access as a bridge into Insight by responding to a therapist’s Self Energy.
Need compassion, curiosity, and clarity to understand that the container is safe enough to go deeper
IFS is not just Insight work.
You can do every phase of the 6 Fs through Direct Access, and for many systems, this is the most effective and least activating path.
This training shows you exactly how to do it confidently.
Training Schedule
Morning Session (8:00 – 11:00 AM PST)
Foundations of Direct Access, Implicit and Explicit approaches, when and how to use each, shifting toward Insight, and a live demonstration with teaching commentary.
11:00 – 11:30 AM PST — Lunch Break
Afternoon Session (11:30 AM – 2:00 PM PST)
Second live demonstration, guided practice using the 6 Fs through Direct Access, a 90-minute practicum in small groups, and final integration and Q&A.
What’s Included
5.5 hours of live training
5.5 NBCC CE
Two demonstrations (Implicit + Explicit Direct Access)
90-minute supervised practicum
Comprehensive Direct Access question bank (PDF)
Multi-page reference handouts for Implicit & Explicit Direct Access
Downloadable PDF of all 6 Fs prompts rewritten for Direct Access
Access to the full course recording for 1 year
Certificate of completion
Who This Training Is For
Perfect for therapists and mental health providers who:
Have clients who stay blended or overwhelmed
Work with clients who resist or dislike parts language
Want Direct Access to feel natural, not clinical or strange
Want specific, concrete example questions to use
Are confused about when to use Implicit vs. Explicit Direct Access
Want to stabilize protectors without activating them
Want to get better at knowing when to shift into Insight
If you want Direct Access to feel fluid, confident, and connected — this course is for you.
What You Will Walk Away With
By the end of the day, you will be able to:
Engage any client through Implicit or Explicit Direct Access
Stabilize and deepen rapport with protectors
Use the entire 6 Fs through Direct Access
Shift smoothly between Implicit → Explicit → Insight
Find language that feels natural, grounded, and non-pathologizing
Maintain Self Energy even when the client cannot
Make IFS accessible to clients who otherwise could not do it
Conduct IFS interviews without mentioning “parts” at all (when needed)
You’ll leave with confidence, clarity, and a full toolkit of language you can use immediately.
Course Fee: $295