If we look at the state of our mental health through a clinical lens, we use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (Edition 5) to ‘characterize’ our ills. With this, we understand that we have various mental health ‘disorders’ – anxiety, depression, attention deficit, obsessive-compulsive… and the list goes on. Some find this helpful, and it can be beneficial when we understand there’s a label for what is ‘wrong’ with us. But this lens can also be pathologizing. And in pathologizing, we can get boxed in and we box in others as well… i.e., that narcissist, she’s borderline, he’s bipolar, etc.
Alternatively, we can view our mental wellbeing and that of others through the lens of Dick Schwartz’s Internal Family System (IFS) model. This is a holistic and healing, non-pathologizing view of ourselves and others.
A quick review of IFS for those of you not familiar: We all have a Self. And Self is our wholeness, our very essence. We find Self when our heart is moved, or when we find ourselves in the present moment. We may never be fully in Self, but each of us has a Self, and we have all experienced Self from time to time, even if for a moment. Its best to speak of Self in terms of the amount of Self-Energy we have. We just need enough Self-Energy to access some or all the 8 capacities of Self (calm, courage, curiosity, connectedness, clarity, creativity, confidence, and compassion).
What prevents us from being in Self? We become blended with the parts of ourselves: our protectors (the parts that manage and defend us) and/or exiles (our hurt, wounded parts). When we are blended with these parts, we will have less Self-Energy, less wholeness, less balance, and less opportunity for healthy choices. When we become blended with a part that feels a void, we may try to fill that void by overconsuming and overconsumption contributes to climate change. Or, if we are blended with a part that feels hopeless in the concern for climate-change, we may tend to feel like, What’s the point? If so, we might give up caring for the environment altogether.
If we are going to come out on top of climate change, we need to find just enough Self-Energy for action – the action of healthy choice. With enough Self-Energy, we will realize that we don’t need that extra thing that we already have 3 of…we may realize that we are already satiated. And if we are not blended with hopelessness, we may recognize that there is still time to change the path we are on.
With enough Self-Energy, we have a chance for balance and choice. The growing IFS community provides us with an understanding of ourselves and others and in relationship to our environment. And one of the real beauties of IFS is that when we are in Self-Energy, it’s contagious. When we are around people in Self-Energy, we are inspired, we feel more whole. In this way, little, by little, we can all move in this direction, gaining momentum towards healthier stewardship of our planet.
Yes, IFS, helps empower us with balance and healthy choices.
… And this can heal our planet.
