We all contain multitudes.

Internal  Family  Systems

Our suffering, confusion, stuck places, relationship struggles and parenting triggers

arise due to conflicts between the many parts of ourselves.

Our parts can carry negative beliefs, energies, generational legacies…

Just as the presence of an attentive, warm and capable parent

provides a sense of safety and rest to children,

freeing up the energy of Self

access to more joy, playfulness and creativity.

provides our parts with relief, balance and

IFS provides a simple yet profound model for moving towards more internal harmony, choice and freedom as we relate with our parts in such a way that they make more internal space for our true Self–our essence, our highest Self, our true Nature, our loving inner parent or the divine within– to lovingly take the lead.

ABOUT LISA

I am an Internal Family Systems therapeutic practitioner, a nurse practitioner and a Neufeld Institute certified parent consultant. I hold a master’s degree in nursing and have taken all the coursework needed to become a therapist. However I’ve chosen not to pursue licensure as a therapist in order to focus specifically on the approaches I find most effective — the Neufeld Paradigm and IFS — and so that I can work with out-of-state clients (given that there are only two of us certified Neufeld parent consultants in the US!).

My background includes an extensive course of study of psychology, child development and attachment. I had the good fortune to complete a traditional two-year mentorship with Dr. Gordon Neufeld, widely considered to be the foremost expert in attachment and developmental psychology. I am honored that Gordon views me as an expert in his model and offered me a Faculty appointment at the Neufeld Institute at the completion of my internship.

I support parents through one-on-one consults and through teaching classes on all aspects of child and adolescent development (see my sister website here). I also support parents and adults in general in their own personal development using the Internal Family Systems model.

I bring to my work a soft and open heart, a sense of playfulness and a good sense of humor, warm compassion and a deep understanding of how attachment unfolds, both in our external relationships and in our internal ones. I live in Portland, Oregon and am filled with gratitude to be the mom of two teenage sons.

I would be honored to support you with:

  • Relationship Issues

  • Parenting Issues

  • Midlife Exploration

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Finding more balance and playfulness

I am especially well-suited to work with:

  • Parents

  • College Students

  • Grandparents

  • Those struggling with issues related to parenting

  • Those who grew up as parentified children

  • People looking for support around a specific issue as opposed to more open-ended long-term therapy