Dick Schwartz’s approach to therapy in general and psychedelics in particular has been very helpful to me over the past decade. I want to share two of his most useful points from the Summit on Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.
One point is about the necessity to engage with protector parts in our preparation work: Do not override any reluctance from protector parts. Draw them out. Understand and value their concerns. Make agreements that they are comfortable with, about how you will handle the things they are concerned about. DO NOT proceed to the medicine work without their willingness.
Here is what I have noticed can happen when we override protector parts to go into vulnerable territory on medicine without their permission:
- They may sabotage the session in any way they can: The client may feel unsafe, have trouble communicating, go numb and dissociative, or avoid letting the medicine have any effect without a high dosage…
- When overridden, protector parts will typically lose trust in therapy, in the therapist, and in the client’s capital “S” Self. That is clearly counterproductive.
- Even if the protector parts do not interfere with the session at hand, they will often be less willing to step aside later. They may demand a good deal of clean-up time, assurances, and apology from the client’s Self and from the therapist. They often want to be sure that you know what you did that upset them and that you will not do it again.
Triggered protector parts will often escalate into their most powerful and primitive defenses when we override them. So, save yourself and the client from a lot of clean-up work down the line and check in carefully with protector parts in your planning sessions. Then, right before taking the medicine, review any agreements you have made with the protector parts and stick to them.
This can smooth the way into deep healing experiences. It minimizes reactivity to the therapist, the medicine, and the parts of the client that want to do the medicine work.
The second point is about how to be with people when they get stuck in difficult places, especially on medicine. It is often linked to a traumatic or difficult experience that they had to navigate as a child with no skills or resources.
Typically a young, scared, protective part hijacks the whole system and dares not let go. That was the best they could do back then, and that is all they know now. What works best is to attune and empathize with the part. It is not about making them go away, but inviting them to step back just a little so you can help them. They may need help to notice that they are physically or relationally safe. BCR practice in the planning stages can predict and often preclude this issue. It builds skills into the nervous system, for feeling safe in relational space.
The hijacking parts may need to see that they are not alone in this place of intensity that they had to negotiate by themselves as a young one. They may need to notice that they can set real boundaries that you will respect. In any case, attune to that young part with somatic empathy. Help it get words on what it needs.
Therapists, trust in your own adult ability to regulate your own young scared parts, and do not be in a rush for the client to feel different. We are not asking these scared parts to go away or change. We are inviting them to show up and get the relational help that they needed back then and still need now.
Scared parts can get that help from the client’s Self or from the therapist. They may want suggestions, or just attunement and attention. They may need to know that you know that there are no bad parts and they will not be shut down, ignored, or banished.
I’ve been seeing that IFS with low-dose medicine and embodied practices makes a real difference in people’s lives.
Thank you, Dick Schwartz!