Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I discovered IFS soon after it arrived in the UK, and my first teachers included Dick Schwartz (who was my trainer for Levels 1, 2, and 3), as well as many other senior IFS trainers. These early experiences gave me both a strong grounding in the model and a deep appreciation of its transformative potential, personally and professionally.
Today, I serve as a Lead Trainer with the IFS Institute, leading UK and international trainings that support the global growth of IFS. I was the first UK-based trainer appointed by the Institute and my work now also includes mentoring new trainers and delivering workshops for approved clinical consultants.
I’ve a particular interest in integrating IFS into the process and content of supervision and consultation. Together with Emma Redfern, I co-developed the FP8 Model of IFS Supervision and Consultation and contributed a chapter to IFS Supervision and Consultation (Redfern, Routledge, 2022). I design and offer trainings on this topic, ranging from short workshops to an intensive programme. I’m currently writing a book about transforming supervision and consultation with IFS.
I’ve been involved with the IFS community in the UK and beyond for many years. This includes as co-host of the annual UK IFS Open Space gathering since it began in 2018.
Other training and experience
In addition to IFS, I’m trained in Psychosynthesis, EMDR, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, as well as a wide range of other trauma approaches. I’ve run a successful private therapy practice since 2011, and also have experience as a therapist and supervisor working for a charity supporting survivors of sexual assault.
Before training as a therapist, I held senior leadership roles in children’s social work, including responsibility for strategic development and operational management of services. Supervision of staff and teams was central to my role.
I later became a self-employed consultant, using participatory approaches such as Open Space, World Café, and Appreciative Inquiry to support leadership and service development in public services. My focus was on working with service leaders, management and operational teams, and stakeholder groups.
These experiences gave me a deep understanding of people, systems, and the importance of supportive spaces for growth and change.
My professional journey has been shaped not only by training and roles, but also by my identity as a white, middle-class, cisgender woman. I carry awareness of the privileges and opportunities this has afforded me, and I hold a commitment to working in ways that honour diversity, equity, and the lived realities of those whose paths may be different from my own.
Looking back, each step has led naturally to what I do today: supporting therapists and supervisors to bring more Self-energy into their practice and into the wider world.
Contacting me
The best way to contact me is by sending me an email at lizmartins2@gmail.com.