IFS™ Certification

• Priority listing on the IFS Institute Directory
• Authorization to call oneself a Certified IFS Therapist or Certified IFS Practitioner on business cards, flyers, biographical sketches, curriculum vitae, resumes, etc.
• Can request for advanced IFS programming to be reviewed for IFS Continuing Education Credits towards recertification
• Certain rights and responsibilities of use over IFS Intellectual Property within the framework of IFS-I policies and with respect to IFS-I trademarks
• Potential for growth with the Institute- For IFS Certified Therapists: First step on pathway to becoming an Approved IFS Clinical Consultant or moving towards the Trainer Track

Please view the current Certification Policy on our website.

IFS Certification is a Continuing Education Certification for individuals who already have an established professional scope of practice. Individuals should abide by all laws and regulations in their region for the ethical practice of their pre-established professional scope. For any questions around your personal professional scope of practice, we recommend reaching out to your liability insurance provider.

Disclaimer: The educational offerings of the IFS Institute may include interventions or practices that are beyond your scope of practice. As a professional in your given field, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined by applicable law as beyond the boundaries of your practice, and applying your learning in compliance with your professional standards.

An IFS Digital Badge is a recognition of your accomplishments, validating that you have met the specific criteria for a particular achievement through participation in IFS programs. Digital badges are designed to be verifiable and easily shareable, allowing you to showcase your credentials with your professional network. Typically badges list only essential pieces of information, such as who earned it, the issuing organization, and expiration dates if applicable.

You can find more about information about digital badges on our website https://ifs-institute.com/ifs-digital-badging 

Please see our website.

IFS Institute™ Terms of Use and Definitions for IFS™ Credentials, Designations, and Digital Badges | IFS Institute

Re-certification is every 2 years. 

You can find out more on our website

https://ifs-institute.com/recertification 

You can find the list on our website 

IFS™ Certification Video Reviewers | IFS Institute

IFS™ Approved Clinical Consultants (ACCs) play a vital role in the IFS community by supporting IFS Certification candidates in the pursuit of IFS™ Certification.  More information about ACCs (and how to become one) is available on our website.  

https://ifs-institute.com/trainings/ifs-certification/approved-clinical-consultants 

You can find more information on our website.

IFS™ Approved Clinical Consultants | IFS Institute

•    Application & Certification Fee: $200
•    Video and Live Session Review Fee: $200 payable to your Certification Video Reviewer for a session up to 60 minutes (additional time to be charged at prorated $150 rate for longer video submissions)
•    Recertification Fee: $150, payable each time recertification occurs (required every two years)

IFSI Help Center

Please check out our help center FAQs.

We recommend reaching out and establishing yourself as a Certification Candidate when you’ve completed your level one training. This will allow us to pre-screen you, tie you to the current version of the policy, and ensure you receive all needed materials

There is a centralized online application where individuals can upload all needed materials and receive all third-party documents. To establish yourself as a certification candidate and receive all materials after you’ve completed your Level 1 training, make sure to reach out to us at certification@ifs-institute.com

1. Priority listing on the IFS Institute Directory
2. Authorization to call oneself a Certified IFS Therapist or Certified IFS Practitioner on business cards, flyers, biographical sketches, curriculum vitae, resumes, etc.
3. Can request for advanced IFS programming to be reviewed for IFS Continuing Education Credits towards recertification
4. Certain rights and responsibilities of use over IFS Intellectual Property within the framework of IFS-I policies and with respect to IFS-I trademarks
5. Potential for growth with the Institute- For IFS Certified Therapists: First step on pathway to becoming an Approved IFS Clinical Consultant or moving towards the Trainer Track

Please view the current Certification Policy on our website.

YES! We're very excited about this change. We had a lot ofInternational representation on the committee and many of our decisions werebased on changing the language to be more globally applicable.

Please see our website.

IFS Institute™ Terms of Use and Definitions for IFS™ Credentials, Designations, and Digital Badges | IFS Institute

The professional scope of practice language addition to the Practitioner designation is based on your legal professional scope of practice which is determined by the laws in your jurisdiction and not by the IFS Institute. The IFS Institute is not a licensing body or a regulatory board and cannot determine or alter the laws for the practice of psychotherapy in your jurisdiction.

It's important that individuals have appropriate training in an avenue that contains its own professional scope of practice including an ethical code and a formal complaint process for clients in order to understand the parameters of where their work can begin and end and to provide accountability and community protection while the model grows at an exponential speed.

You still do not have to pursue licensure to become Certified if you've already completed a Level 1 Training.
We have maintained access for health allied professionals through the Practitioner designation.

Some examples of coaching programs that would meet IFS Certification requirements as they have ethical codes and formal complaint bodies include: International Coaching Federation, Association for Coaching, International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaching, etc. (There are many others!) 

No. Some other programs that would meet IFS Certification requirements as they have ethical codes and formal complaint bodies include: Association for Coaching, International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaching, WABC, etc. (There are many others!)

Please see our website.

IFS Institute™ Terms of Use and Definitions for IFS™ Credentials, Designations, and Digital Badges | IFS Institute

Once you are established as a certification candidate and have purchased the application materials, there is a minimum of 2 years of integration required after Level 1 completion prior to submission, but no current maximum.

You can reach out to an approved clinical consultant directly.

Find an updated list of current IFS Approved Clinical Consultants on the IFSDirectory.

If video exceeds 60 minutes, additional fees will be prorated to $200 rate. Applicant must confirm additional fees with Certification Reviewer prior to sending video over 60 minutes.

Dual personal relationships are not permitted between the applicant and their Certification Reviewer (applicant cannot use their consultant as their Video Reviewer).

Feedback of the video session will be provided by the Certification Reviewer in the form of a brief note in writing listing strengths and growing edges

Additional requests for debrief will be charged at Certification Reviewer’s agreed hourly rate

Recorded and Live Session Evaluation and Feedback:

• The Certification Reviewer will assess the skill level of the applicant according to the lists of competencies below with the required evaluation form provided in the application materials. If the applicant does not satisfy the required competencies, they will be required to submit another video session or do another live session with the same Certification Reviewer. If the applicant is assessed on two occasions to not be ready for Certification, the Reviewer will make recommendations for additional consultation or training, according to certification standards. For the 3rd review, applicants have the opportunity to choose a new Certification Reviewer. After the 3rd attempt, we recommend applicants determine a 1 year learning plan based on feedback received prior to their next video review.

• All decisions of the Reviewer are final. A new video must be submitted for each new review.

Recorded or Live Session Review Competencies List:

An applicant is required to demonstrate the following competencies for successful Recorded or Live Session Review (See Certification Review form for full list):

• Therapist demonstrates Self Energy throughout session(s) and claims own parts’ interference if needed

• Listens to presenting problem and identifies key parts involved

• Contracts to work on target part(s)

• Extends /increases client’s Self Energy to target part

• Demonstrates the 6 “F”s

• Direct Access, if needed or development of relationship between Self and part

• Addresses fears of protectors

• Identifies and attends to all active protectors

• Facilitates client to unblend

• Acknowledging and building relationship with Exiles

• Progresses in the Six Steps of Healing at least through to Witnessing the Exile

• Unburdening encouraged, but not required due to time constraints*

• Facilitates expression of appreciation to parts from Self

• Closes the session safely

• Applicant must progress through 6 Steps of healing at least through to witnessing the exile (unburdening, invitation not always required if time does not allow)

The Reviewer will also be cognizant of the demonstration of any of the following, or of any unspecified competencies within the model:

• Assesses external constraints

• Contracts with Exiles to not overwhelm (if needed)

• Switches to new target part if necessary

• Introduces the model (if applicable)

• Works with Polarized parts

Applicants must send to a Certification Reviewer a good quality recording of a session approximately 45-60 minutes with an individual in the framework of an IFS work session OR schedule a time when the Reviewer can join for a live IFS session of the same length.

Flat rate of $200 for up to 60 minute video session review to be paid to Certification Reviewer directly.

For both the Recorded and Live Session Reviews, the applicant must provide:

• A One-page summary describing the context and/or contract about the scope of the IFS work process/session

• A One-page summary detailing the skills and aspects of the IFS model exemplified

• A One-page Self-evaluation of the applicant's own growing edges as well as their strengths in the session(s). This could take the form of a Self and Parts self-assessment to describe how the applicant maintains and identifies their own Self energy in the session, and how they work with their therapist parts that may be triggered

If the recorded session takes place in a language other than English, Applicant must ensure video includes English subtitles (Happyscribe recommended for subtitling)unless Reviewer is fluent in language of applicant.

Video and Live Session Review Fee: $200 for a session up to 60 minutes and prorated to $200 rate if longer than 60 minutes, plus any applicable Certification Reviewer travel expenses or video subtitling translation fees (Happyscribe Recommended) if applicable, payable for each session reviewed and payable directly to Certification Reviewer.

Recertification allows you to remain IFS Certified andmaintain all privileges of IFS Certification: listed HERE.

It also allows any IFS Certified Therapists with the ACC designation to maintain that designation.

Anyone who is IFS certified and wishes to maintain all benefits and privileges of IFS Certification.

$150 for your re-certification payment. Can be paid at the following link: https://ifs-institute.com/payment/219

$150 for your re-certification payment. Can be paid at thefollowing link: https://ifs-institute.com/payment/219

Filling out the re-certification application page andsubmitting 20 IFS Continuing Education Credit hours including Certificates ofCompletion for programming attended.

Please send all materials as email attachments to certification@ifs-institute.com. We no longer accept physical mail.

10 hours of your 20 IFS Continuing Education requirements can come from Clinical Consultation with an IFSI Approved Clinical Consultant.

Recertification is required every two years. Your next Certification Expiration date is always listed on your IFS Certification certificate.

Certification is valid for two years from the original Certification date. Certifications can be renewed through the Recertification application process.

IFS Continuing Education Credits are granted by IFSI forrecertification and certification. They are not the equivalent of state boardcontinuing education although some programs offer both IFS Continuing EducationCredits AND state board continuing education towards licensure renewal.

IFS Continuing Education towards recertification can comefrom these advanced IFS events:

• Level 2 IFS Trainings

• Level 3 IFS Trainings

• Program Assisting for Level 1, 2, or 3 Trainings

• IFS Annual Conference

• IFSI Program Assistant Development Workshops

• Programs featuring IFS Trainers or events with Richard Schwartz that are pre-approved for IFS Continuing Education Credit

• IFS Continuity Program:

On demand opportunities for 14 IFS Continuing EducationCredits each:

Direct Access: An IFS Skill:

https://learn.ifs-institute.com/programs/direct-access-an-essential-ifs-skill-with-frances-booth-and-dick-schwartz/

Intent Impact and Intercultural competence- How toSuccessfully Navigate Difference:

https://learn.ifs-institute.com/programs/intent-impact-and-intercultural-competence-how-to-successfully-navigate-difference/

IFS: A Compassionate Approach to Trauma and AddictiveProcesses

https://learn.ifs-institute.com/programs/ifs-a-compassionate-approach-to-trauma-and-addictive-processes/

Introduction to Somatic IFS: An Embodied Approach toHealing

https://learn.ifs-institute.com/programs/introduction-to-somatic-ifs-an-embodied-approach-to-healing-trauma/

And any of the following events:

IFS-I Pre-approved Advanced Workshops by CertifiedTherapists or Practitioners

If you ever have a question on whether a particular programprovides IFS Continuing Education Credits, you can always reach out to usat certification@ifs-institute.com

IFSI Approved Clinical Consultants (ACCs) play a vitalrole in the IFS community by supporting IFS Certification Candidates in thepursuit of IFS Certification.

ACCs engage in regular, structured meetings withCertification Candidates for two primary purposes:

• Supporting IFS Certification Candidates with skill-building in the IFS model

• Evaluation of IFS Certification Candidates for readiness toward IFS Certification

Please email certification@ifs-institute.com for next steps if you meet all pre-requisites. Requirement exceptions are not made at this time to maintain standards for all interested individuals. Reviews for the designation happen on a quarterly basis.

• Active Certification as an IFS Certified Therapist. If your IFS Therapist Certification lapses, your designation as an IFSI Approved Clinical Consultant is no longer valid

• Active licensure in your field with supervisory experience

• Minimum 3 years since the date of completion of your Level 1 Training

• Consultation experience and/or 4 PA experiences

• Recommendation rubric from an IFS-I Lead Trainer

Note: Meeting pre-requisites does not guarantee acceptance into the designation. We value all applicants and consider a combination of skills and experience as part of our review process.

Reviews for the designation happen quarterly and take about two weeks after the submission period closes.

Your ACC designation is active for as long as your IFS Certification as an IFS Certified Therapist is active and up to date. Please note this means keeping up with your IFSI Certification renewals and your external licensure renewal requirements. It is the personal responsibility of the ACC to report any licensure changes, discipline or lapses to IFSI as IFS Certification as a Certified Therapist is tied to an individual's external professional scope of practice.

If you no longer meet requirements for the IFS Certified Therapist designation for any reason, you will no longer meet requirements for the ACC designation.