In this episode, we explore honoring and accompanying grief through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) with senior trainer Einat Bronstein. Drawing on the work of Francis Weller and other key grief theorists, we reflect on grief not as a problem to solve, but as a deeply human experience that calls for presence, witnessing, and integration.
We discuss how cultural expectations and “collective burdens” shape the way grief is experienced, often leading to blocked or frozen processes. From an IFS perspective, grief is understood as a complex, non-linear experience carried by different parts of the internal system, particularly exiles.
The conversation explores topics like:
- How IFS differs from stage-based and task-oriented models of grief – such as those of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, John Bowlby, J. William Worden, and Robert Neimeyer
- What happens internally when we experience loss, and the roles of different parts in the grieving process
- Why grief may feel stuck, and how Self-led witnessing can allow transformation and healing
- The connection between present grief and earlier, unresolved losses
- The role of psychoeducation, ritual, and embodied expression in supporting grief
- What it means to “integrate” a loss within the IFS framework
We also reflect on common pitfalls therapists may encounter when working with grief, and the deeper wisdom that can emerge from loss, about love, attachment, and the enduring presence of those we have lost.
This episode is an invitation to approach grief with curiosity, compassion, and openness, honoring it as a doorway to connection, meaning, and inner transformation.
Listen to this episode of IFS Talks on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.