Going Inside: Healing Trauma from the Inside Out

In this episode of Going Inside Live, John Clarke unpacks some of the most pressing questions therapists are facing today. From the ethical risks of moving too fast with exiles in IFS therapy, to how AI is already being used by clients and therapists alike, this episode offers grounded insight and practical advice. Whether you're navigating parts work or exploring how AI tools fit into your practice, John’s perspective will help you deepen your skill and awareness as a therapist.
3 Key Takeaways:
Why rushing toward exiles in IFS can backfire — and how to rebuild trust in the system when it happens.
How therapists and clients are already using AI tools to process sessions — and the ethical gray areas to consider.
A therapist's real role: Why "focusing, deepening, and relating" might be more important than fixing.
Resources & Offerings:
➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN
Connect with me:
https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy
Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this solo episode, John Clarke explores how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy reshapes the way therapists understand their clients, their work, and themselves. He answers live questions from fellow practitioners about numbness, blending, unburdening fallout, and parts that resist the IFS model entirely. With raw honesty and grounded clinical insight, John also shares how grief, meaninglessness, and therapist rescuing energy show up in the room—and how to handle it all with curiosity and compassion.
If you're craving a deeper therapeutic experience—for your clients and yourself—this episode will guide you back to self-energy, presence, and purpose.
3 Key Takeaways:
Discover why a client “feeling nothing” may be the perfect place to begin, and how to access parts through thoughts, not just the body.
Learn to notice when your own parts are activated and how “doing the U-turn” back to your system can shift the session entirely.
What to do when clients’ systems resist change, unburdenings fall flat, or protectors don’t want to be seen as just “parts.”
Resources & Offerings:
➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador

➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE

➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN
Connect with me:
https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy
Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

What does it really mean to integrate IFS and somatic work in a way that’s effective — not just for your clients, but for you as the therapist? 
In this live Q&A episode, John Clarke dives deep into the intersections of IFS, polyvagal theory, somatic therapy, and nervous system regulation. Whether you're navigating anxious clients, parts that over-intellectualize, or your own burnout, this episode offers grounded insights and powerful frameworks to help you heal and show up with more self-energy.
3 Key Takeaways
Why trying to “regulate” might actually shut down the trailhead — and how going toward dysregulation creates deeper healing.
The real reason clients overthink and “can’t feel” — and what to do instead of pushing them into embodiment.
Digital detox isn’t about willpower — it’s about meeting the parts that are addicted to distraction.
Resources & Offerings:
➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN
🌐 Connect with me:
https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

In this solo Going Inside Live episode, John Clarke dives deep into what to do when your IFS sessions hit a wall - when clients feel shut down, protectors won’t budge, and insight isn’t working. Whether you’re facing “I don’t know” responses, feeling stuck as a therapist, or unsure how to use direct access effectively, this episode gives you grounded, real-world strategies to move forward. Plus: John shares how he maps parts in-session, stays in Self, and supports clients (and himself) through stuckness.
Key Takeaways
Why insight isn’t always enough and what to do when your client says “I don’t know” or can’t connect with a part
How to use Direct Access in a way that doesn’t feel clunky including exact scripts and therapist mindset shifts
Parts mapping made simple John’s favorite iPad-based method for tracking systems across sessions
Resources & Offerings
Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN
Connect with me
https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy
Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast

What if your inner critic, your shame, and your perfectionism are all working together in secret? In this episode, John Clarke sits down with Jessica Fern and David Cooley, authors of Transforming the Shame Triangle: From Shame to Love Using Parts Work, to explore the unconscious internal system that keeps us stuck—and how to break free. Whether you're a therapist, coach, or someone doing deep inner work, this conversation introduces a powerful IFS-inspired framework for turning shame into compassion and healing from the inside out.
Key Takeaways:
Why shame is rarely just one part—and how inner critics, shame, and escapers work in a triangle
How to transform the inner critic into an inner coach and move toward self-led healing
The hidden connection between shame and “success”—and why high-functioning clients often stay stuck
👤 Guests: Jessica Fern & David Cooley
Jessica Fern is a therapist, certified trauma professional, and trained IFS practitioner with 25+ years of experience across somatic, narrative, and psychospiritual healing modalities. She's the internationally recognized author of Polysecure, The Polysecure Workbook, and Polywise. Through her international private practice, she helps clients break free from trauma, insecure attachment, and reactive relational patterns.
🌐 Learn more: JessicaFern.com
📧 Contact: [email protected]
📸 Instagram: @jessicafern411
David Cooley is a restorative justice facilitator, cultural broker, and creator of the Restorative Relationship Conversations model. He works with LGBTQ+ and non-monogamous partnerships through a trauma-informed, attachment-based lens—integrating narrative theory, somatic work, and mindfulness.
🌐 Learn more: RestorativeRelationship.com
📸 Instagram: @rrconversations
📖 Their new book: Transforming the Shame Triangle — available wherever books are sold.
Resources & Offerings:
➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN
Connect with me:
https://www.johnclarketherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/johnclarketherapy/
https://www.tiktok.com/@johnclarketherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@johnclarketherapy

Grab Your Seat for the Free IFS Webinar Here: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ Free Training - Learn how to integrate the principles of IFS into your therapy practice: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast