In this episode Mark sits down with Dr. Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS), for a profound conversation about healing the parts of ourselves that carry pain, trauma, and protection. They dive into the power of “unburdening” — the process of releasing individual, ancestral, and collective wounds — and how doing so reconnects us to the self, the calm, compassionate center within us all. Dr. Schwartz breaks down the roles of our inner protectors, exiles, and firefighters, explaining how true healing happens when we stop exiling our pain and start listening to it with curiosity and love. Together, Mark and Richard explore how parts work bridges psychology and spirituality, why even our most destructive parts are rooted in protection, and how accessing the Self transforms not only our internal world but the collective one around us.

Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. He is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, and has published five books, including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model.