The system is incredibly user-friendly but it's also extremely deep.

IFS seems to be expanding now, lots of practitioners and trainings and a certain "hey this works" buzz gathering around it. I can't remember how I heard about it, but I'm very glad I did. I've always been interested in therapies which employ the concept of "parts"/"subpersonalities"/"ego states", but have never felt I got beyond a certain point with the concept. IFS has, so far, proven to be the missing key I needed. It takes parts therapy past anything else I've tried for dynamic psychological self discovery and healing.

Jay Earley's book is for the beginner who wants to practice IFS, including completely alone, which is highly feasible. As such it goes slowly, explains carefully, and contains a lot of encouragement for the initially unsure. It is however far from lacking in experienced wisdom, and I will testify you can do wonderful stuff with it and nothing else.

The system is incredibly user-friendly but it's also extremely deep. It gets you right inside the issues and, unlike so many of the more cognitively-based therapies that are popular now, it really does surprise. You know you are dealing with the real stuff of the psyche -- the sudden shifts, the realizations, the sheer off-the-cuff creativity, the insights given by each part painting a truly personal and dynamic picture, yet fully in control. I soon realized that I had been attempting to do similar things to this many times before, and that when I had succeeded in healing trauma in myself, the method had been similar to this, but lacking the overall concept. Yes, I really would say IFS has managed to come up with the right systems-based, loose-but-accurate formula to induce such experiences deliberately, yet organically, without any hint of being mechanical or stiff. Something I particularly appreciate is the complete lack of any *combat*. You never *overcome* resistance -- you *honour* it. (None of this 'breaking down the ego' crap.)

The main thing about IFS is that it works, and works by honouring systemic processes and knowing just what to do with them, after having plainly worked very hard to arrive at this ingenious and soulful understanding. I really do recommend it to anyone who wants to work on themselves in a deep yet safe manner, because I think you'll find it effective, and fascinating. This excellent book will form a great gateway. I have never been more impressed with any therapy system.

Jason Wingate

Read this book if you wishing to live a richer life.

Enormously hopeful and empowering,… Earley’s writing is beautifully organized and clear, as compassionate and respectful as the process he is teaching, and the reader is supported and encouraged at every step…. Anyone wishing to live a richer life, or help others do so, needs to read this book.

Ann Weiser Cornell, PhD

Author of The Power of Focusing and

The Radical Acceptance of Everything

Heal your extreme parts, and transform them into valuable resources.

Jay’s passion has been to introduce IFS to a lay audience so that people can work with their parts on their own. Through well-described experiential exercises and examples of actual IFS sessions, you will be able to enter your inner world, heal your extreme parts, and transform them into valuable resources.

Richard Schwartz, PhD

Creator of IFS, from the Foreword

The ultimate expression of the empowering IFS model

The empowering aspects of the IFS Model find their ultimate expression in Dr. Earley’s book, Self-Therapy… Therapists will appreciate this clear map of the inner territory of the psyche and will find this book a valuable resource for their clients.

Susan McConnell

Senior IFS trainer

Highly recommended and life changing!

IFS (Internal Family Systems) is one of the fastest growing approaches to therapy. It's fast, very effective, and is based on a compassionate and powerful model of the human psyche. It can rapidly transform individuals, relationships, families, groups, and eventually societies. Jay's book is a wonderfully clear guide to this amazing work. It is beautifully written and full of examples that demonstrate each process. He's created a systematic and easy to use approach that can be used by individuals working on themselves as well as by therapists using this cutting edge approach. Dick Schwartz's books are excellent but I would recommend Jay's "Self-Therapy" as the first resource for someone wanting to do this work. Highly recommended and life changing!

Stephen Omohundro

Computer Scientist, Palo Alto, CA

An invaluable resource, an absolute must for therapists.

Self-Therapy is an invaluable resource, an absolute must for all therapists who want to move their clients beyond tolerable recovery to a more thorough process of healing. It is a gift to those of us who want to offer a gentle excavation of wounds resulting in a beautiful new landscape.

Cheryl Ades

LCSW, Louisville, KY

Best form of therapy I have come across.

"Self Therapy" is my book of choice which I recommend to anyone wanting to learn the Internal Family Systems form of therapy. As a therapist myself, I have found this form of therapy to be the most profound and beneficial form of therapy I have ever come across. Readers will enjoy all the transcripts of real therapy sessions, and the help sheets which Jay includes in the book, as well as the numerous drawings in the book which helps illustrate the different parts of a person's psyche. They all work together to make this a fun and easy to follow book, suitable for therapists wanting to learn the IFS system, as well as non-therapists looking to find a powerful way to help themselves.

I highly recommend this book, and this form of Self Therapy to anyone who truly wants to change their life for the better. It certainly has helped change mine in a big way, and I have Jay Earley to thank for that. I also recommend Jay's telecourses based on this book. He is truly a masterful writer and teacher.

Sandy Therry (M.Couns)

Director, The Emotional Healing Centre, Perth, Western Australia

A magical model for transformation and healing.

Dr. Earley's clinical competence and passion for teaching IFS provide an invaluable, user-friendly companion for students and practitioners alike. His clear descriptions, outlines, illustrations, exercises, and transcriptions offer a thorough and systematic contribution to the understanding and application of this magical model for transformation and healing.

Laura S. Schmidt, MA, LMFT

Spokane, WA

"User friendly" directions on how to use the IFS process.

Jay presents an exceptionally clear explanation of the IFS model. He provides "user friendly" directions on how therapists and clients can use the process. I can apply it directly from this book.

Kevin J Miller, PhD

Florham Park, NJ

An incredible book, the definitive guide to Internal Family Systems (IFS).

This is such an incredible book. Most of the IFS books that I had read to date were much more clinically oriented. This is a book that you could give to anyone that is interested in IFS. Jay builds from such a clear and simple foundation that even most complex aspects of Internal Family Systems are easy to understand. I also love the way the book is written so that non-therapists can work with themselves or each other. It's truly the any-man's guide to IFS.

Everette Considine

Seattle, WA

Fantastic, easy to understand, clear and thorough IFS book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is easy to read, gives clear examples, and helpful illustrations. It clearly details how IFS works and has really useful assignments as well. Jay Earley clearly has a clear and insightful understanding of how this therapy works. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning about IFS, and I especially think it is crucial if you are interested in learning how to use IFS with a peer.

Claire Verbinski

Berkeley, CA

Exceptionally clear and accessible.

I read all the time, and Self-Therapy was exceptionally clear without being repetitious. It goes into much more detail than other IFS books, but it doesn’t feel dense or overwhelming. I found it so intriguing that I just wanted to keep reading. It is much clearer than most psychology writing and very accessible for the general public.

Linda McLyman, M.S.

Leadership consultant, Syracuse, NY

Self-Therapy demystifies therapy and empowers people to heal their lives.

Jay has a very thorough understanding of IFS and an uncanny ability to break it down into small enough chunks to make it accessible to novices while still making it stimulating for experienced IFS practitioners. Self-Therapy demystifies therapy and empowers people to work on themselves to expand and heal their lives.

Kira Freed, M.A., LPC, CLC

Tucson, AZ

Invaluable for anyone who wants to do healing work on their own.

This text is invaluable for clinicians as well as for individuals who want to do internal psychological healing work on their own. Dr. Earley explains each concept in several different ways to ensure clarity and the illustrations are a great visual look at how our 'Parts' interact with each other. He had supplied comprehensive, exciting and 'do-able homework' that walks us through each concept. This methodology brings compassion and deep respect for client's and their 'Parts', while offering an experiential way for us to get to know our Selves.

I am on my second read and still catching nuances that I missed the first time. This will be a book that I will re-read many times and will consult frequently.

Kathy F. Grace

Chapel Hill, NC

Life-transforming, my heartfelt gratitude.

Jay's classes have been life-transforming for me, and this wonderful book is a support for Self-leadership. I often feel heartfelt gratitude at finding myself standing strong after having been guided by Jay through my inner tangle of parts.

Elizabeth Russell

Florida

Brought it all together for me.

Self-Therapy was a big help to me in the beginning when I didn’t have much knowledge of IFS or myself. The transcripts were intriguing because I looked at other people’s experience in the book and recognized my parts. This helped me to realize that I'm not the only one with these difficult feelings. In my journal I wrote out the answers to each of the questions for my parts, and this brought it all together for me.

Mindy Lamberson

Des Moines, Iowa

To learn IFS therapy, GET THIS BOOK.

If you're wanting to learn IFS, GET THIS BOOK. I couldn't repeat that too much.

I took the official IFS Level I trainings, 6 long weekends and many thousand dollars. On the very last weekend I dove into "Self Therapy." It was only then that I got the practical how to of IFS. Jay Earley's writing made it click.

The author made what seemed so vague and impractical during the training come alive. His straight forward writing and descriptive images communicate the practical side. His introduction makes sense to my clients. His condensed version of an IFS session at the back of the book is worth the price several times over. Need I say more? If you want to learn IFS, GET THIS BOOK.

Russ Pool

NOT JUST ANOTHER SELF HELP BOOK.

Amazing state of the art therapy in a book. Not to be missed. I have been a therapist for 19 years and this book is one of only a handful of things that I have found that truly make a life changing difference in myself and in the lives of the people I help. It should be required reading for therapist and clients alike as well as anyone on the journey to more happiness and peace. My clients love it. It is easy enough for anyone to read yet is jammed full of life changing concepts and a new state of the art therapy that can be utilized immediately. This book will open your eyes to all the parts of yourself for you to know, understand, appreciate and love...which doesn't leave much room for self criticism! It's practical and down to earth yet can go as deep into the person as the reader chooses to go. This is not just another self help book...it's an offering of true healing on a silver platter.

Peggy Stephens

Derby City, KY

Terrific Guide for Beginning to Understand IFS.

Self-Therapy: A Step by Step Guide to Creating Inner Wholeness Using IFS is just that....a terrific first read and introduction to what IFS is and how it works. The book serves as a practical resource that I find myself going back to again and again. The book is written in an engaging and informative style and the accompanying illustrations help the novice to grasp new concepts easily. The introductory course that Jay teaches using this book is an ideal way for anyone interested in learning more about IFS to gain a solid understanding about IFS.

G.R. Sykes

Michigan

A Manual for Regulating Your Moods.

Jay Earley has made operational the specific step-by-step details for using a very complex and powerful model that will grow your emotional intelligence and help you learn self-regulation. If you are considering any form of psychotherapy and you are the kind of person that likes to know how your car is made before you drive it, you will love this book. While not a substitute for a real, personal relationship with a skilled therapist, it will give you some details about this form of therapy that you just can't possibly cover in therapy. Your therapy will move a lot faster if you apply yourself to read Jay's book and, like his title suggests, you will be able to take on the job of your therapist for yourself.

Keith A. Miller

Washington, DC

Helpful book!

This book gave me examples of how "parts" of people affect them, and how to work with and heal those parts. It was very helpful to follow people through different chapters, to see the depth and power of IFS (Inner Family Systems) work and the progress they made. The book is about self therapy, but it gives people hints about when it might be better to actually go see a therapist for more in depth help than someone can do themselves.

I think this book will be invaluable for lay people, people in IFS therapy, and even for IFS therapists.

K. Locke

Bloomington, MN

A MUST read for client and therapist alike.

A MUST read for client and therapist alike who want a clear explanation and description of how IFS works and how to use it for yourself or a client. Transcripts with explanations allow you to hear what real sessions sound like along with comments that clarify what is happening or why the therapist chose the intervention. Jay Earley is clear and sensitive to his readers' need for clarity.

Marla Silverman

Nanuet, NY

Learn how to heal yourself. Empowering, satisfying, and opens up freedom from childhood wounds.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand and heal him/herself. Even without taking the classes, the book makes it easy to understand new things about oneself in a fresh new way. Also, it doesn't have a concept to fit yourself into, as many therapies try to explain the psyche with theories...what you learn is exactly who you are and how you function and think. There is no sense of being "diagnosed" and put into a therapeutic "box".

There is direct contact with oneself in a way that is much more articulated and you will understand yourself with compassion, calm, and interest in a way you cannot imagine ahead of time.

Elizabeth B. Russell

Florida

A much needed and complete guide.

This is a much needed comprehensive description of the Internal Family Systems method. It is clear, well-organized with lots of exercises and examples. This is a must for all therapists using this model and for a complete guide for all those who like to use this process for themselves.

Ruth Schweitzer

Fairfax, CA

A powerful therapy; book makes complex concepts easy to understand.

I was recently introduced to the IFS model and found this book very helpful in "bringing to life" the ideas of Richard Schwartz. I love the therapy and feel I understand how to actually use the model a great deal better than I did just reading Schwarz' books. I highly recommend this book.

Terry R.

YOU HONESTLY WANT US TO SUCCEED with the process!

I have been struggling for more than seven years with the self help process and have read many self-help books. I just finished reading IFS Self-Therapy and I cannot express how grateful I am for your generosity. It is one of the most open-hearted and giving self-therapy guides I have ever read.

It has been my experience that a lot of self-therapy books keep so much away from the reader, making the actual self-help impossible. But YOU have thought of all the possible pitfalls and warned of them. The book provides so many detailed examples and you have written with such an open heart that it is almost impossible to fail. YOU HONESTLY WANT US TO SUCCEED with the process, rather than provide a teaser and then ask for more money!

I was deeply moved - by the result of my first IFS session and - again - by your generosity.

I have gone through several solo scientology-based processes, Dilts' and Andreas' NLP (which I loved, too) and Gendlin's focusing (which is clearly a source for IFS). I am also familiar with Mike Goldstein's Idenics, the Sedona method, EFT and much more! But, your work was the miracle I was waiting for, it integrated a lot of the above mentioned techniques...and it is one of the most comprehensive ways to work with the identities/roles that I know, without unnecessary esoteric or Scientology lingo, I am so impressed and again: I can’t thank you enough.

Kira Held

Berlin, Germany