Introduction
In these times of political polarization and rising authoritarianism, it can be challenging to act with courage and skill. By exploring our own inner dynamics of power and polarization, we can find our way to healthy authority through Self-Leadership.
Each workshop will have a specific theme in which you’ll have a chance to “workshop” a particular personal or professional issue related to power and polarization through the practices of parts work.
Please note: You can register for individual sessions or enjoy the full training at a discounted rate.
Session 1: Exploring Inner Power Dynamics to Respond Skillfully to Authoritarianism
February 04, 2026, 6-7.30 PM GMT
How do your parts relate to power externally? Do you have parts that are compliant, defiant, that seek or avoid power?
How do your parts relate internally? Do you have parts that are internally authoritarian? Do your parts sometimes rebel, collapse, dominate or control each other?
Through the inner work of mapping our internal power dynamics, we open the possibility for being led less by parts and more by Self, which naturally carries qualities such as creativity, courage, and compassion. When we discover this internal Self-leadership, we can respond to authoritarian power dynamics with greater clarity and effectiveness.
We’ll explore a particular challenge you have with responding to power dynamics, through mapping your parts then working more deeply with one part.
In our next session, we’ll explore how power dynamics relate to polarizations and the IFS approach to internal transformative conflict resolution.
Session 2: Transforming Inner Polarizations to Decrease Political Polarization
February 11, 2026, 6-7.30 PM GMT
Our inner polarizations can be a portal to working with external polarizations.
Political polarization threatens planetary wellbeing. It prevents societal coherence and leads to “epistemic chaos”, in which it’s hard to agree on basic shared truths. Addressing polarization is critical to addressing the climate crisis and Metacrisis.
If we attempt to address polarization from a polarized place, we can make the situation worse. IFS parts work guides us to transform our own polarizations. By learning how to do this internally, we can become more skilled in reducing the “inflammation” of polarization in our relationships and politics.
In this workshop, you are invited to bring a particular situation where the rubber hits the road for you. Do you have a family member or friend with whom you feel polarized? Do you experience polarization in a work or organizational context? Are you committed to building bridges but feel stuck?
You’ll learn an IFS approach to working with polarization by practicing with two of your parts. This basic practice, once learned, can be used internally and also inform how you relate with others.
Building on the themes of power dynamics and polarizations, in our next session, we’ll explore healthy power, authority and agency.
Session 3: Accessing Healthy Power, Authority, and Agency
February 18, 2026, 6-7.30 PM GMT
In the previous two sessions, we’ve explored how working with our inner power dynamics and polarizations can support us in greater internal ease and more skillful relationships.
In this workshop, we’ll take it a step further by exploring the ground of healthy power, authority and agency: what IFS calls “Self”. Self is simply that in us which is not a part: it’s our innate capacity for awareness, confidence, courage, and clarity.
We’ll explore healthy agency, authority and power: neither denying or avoiding power, nor using “power over” to dominate and harm others. We’ll take a systemic lens to looking at power, and ways that we can find ease in holding power in a collaborative way, beneficial to our web of relationships, from personal to ecological.
You’ll have the opportunity to map any parts that may be concerned about embodying these qualities and work with one specific part. Throughout we’ll explore Self-Leadership as a way of accessing inner authority to organize and build social power collaboratively.
About the Facilitator
Lisa Ferguson Ph.D. is the founder of Climate Compassion, an organisation dedicated to supporting change agents in their response to planetary crises. Her work focuses on integrating psychological and contemplative methods to address collective challenges such as climate breakdown, offering a unique blend of inner work and practical leadership skills. She brings a wealth of experience to her role, including facilitating regular parts work groups for climate professionals, therapists, coaches, and activists; integrating deep contemplative practices with psychological disciplines; experience in activism and community organising, and over a decade of experience as a corporate consultant.