This handout is a companion to the more in-depth Guide for IFS Therapists & Practitioners. It's designed to help you think through three questions in sequence: 

1. Would this client benefit from group work right now?

2. Is an Interactive IFS Group specifically the right kind of group?

3. If yes to the above, how do you open the conversation?

1. Would this client benefit from group work right now?

Groupwork is particularly useful for clients who have made meaningful progress in one-on-one work, and whose next layer of growth is relational. Common signs include:

• Their relationships are often shaped by patterns such as conflict avoidance, people-pleasing, difficulty asking for help, and losing connection when strong emotions are present.
• They've had insights about their relational patterns, but still mostly live inside them.
• They would benefit from a community of others to practice with on an ongoing basis. 

2. Is an Interactive IFS Group specifically the right kind of group?

Not every client who's ready for a group is ready for this kind of group. Interactive IFS Groups are a particular thing with certain framings and intentions.

An Interactive IFS Group is a good fit when your client:

• Has working familiarity with IFS — parts language, the protector/exile distinction, some experiential practice accessing Self. They don't need to be advanced, but they need enough internal scaffolding to speak for parts.
• Wants a live relational arena to extend their inner work into, not a place to process outside life issues. These groups are for relational practice; the leader does not do lengthy individual IFS work in the group.
• Can tolerate (and ideally welcome) being affected by other people in real time, including moments of feedback, challenge, or conflict.

Sometimes a client is ready for group but not this one. An Interactive IFS Group is likely not the right next step if:

• Their work right now is primarily focused on stabilization and processing past experiences.
• They have significant unresolved trauma, including exiles that become quickly activated around others.
• They are not yet able to access enough Self-energy under mild to moderate relational pressure.

In these cases, a different kind of group will likely be more beneficial. 

3. If yes to the above, how do you open the conversation?

You know your client best — but here are some guidelines:

Frame it as an addition, not a replacement. Some clients hear a group referral as a signal that you're trying to reduce contact, or that individual work isn't working. Be explicit that this isn't the case. Interactive IFS Groups offer something structurally different — the chance to do relational work in a live relational context — not something better.

Be honest about what it asks of them. The early weeks can be disorienting; the norms are different from ordinary social interaction. Real feelings get activated. Other members say unexpected things. This isn't a problem with the group — it's the medium of the work. Clients who are aware of this tend to settle in better.

Leave room for it to not be the right time. Offering the possibility is different from advocating for it. A client who feels free to say "not yet" or "not for me" is more likely to be honest with themselves about when it is right.

Practical next step. If you both think it might be a good fit, they can fill out the questionnaire at interactivegroupinstitute.com/interactive-ifs-groups. Every prospective member has a pre-group interview with a leader, so fit gets assessed again before anyone joins.

For a fuller treatment of what Interactive IFS Groups offer, including a detailed client story, see the Guide for IFS Therapists & Practitioners by Jay Earley