Pear Tree Software

Bahama, North Carolina

Why Use Software?

Good question! People have been doing IFS Therapy for years without it. Why should I get involved with a software program and computer if I don't need to?

If you're a confirmed computerphobe, the answer is probably - you shouldn't!

For all others, the answer is: for the same reasons that software is used in most other fields of endeavor - it can help you to do a better job.

It takes some time to enter your narratives, update the parts list, create clove diagrams, etc. That time requirement could be seen as a drawback. However the time spend doing those things is also an opportunity for reflection, analysis and insight.

As a therapist, that time helps you to internalize and remember each client's material. And as a byproduct of that effort you develop a case history which is more accessible, more usable and more powerful than hand written notes or narratives.

In personal use, the software becomes your personal journal, a resource and tool kit for your inner explorations.

More specifically:

All the different kinds of information you keep about your clients and your practice are easily available in one place. No more searching through notebooks, folders, calendars, etc.
Your therapy notes and narratives become more organized, accessible, legible and effective.

The Parts List gives you a resource of information on each of the parts, their roles and burdens.

Three powerful visual tools, Clove Diagrams, Parts Diagrams and the Conference Table, are conveniently available, and their results are organized as time series records.

The IFS Scale provides a valuable profile of a person's parts and how extreme they are. Trends in the results are integrated into the Therapy Progress window.

The Therapy Progress window offers insights and encouragement about the course of the therapy.
The Client Intake form makes each client's background information easily accessible, in as much or as little detail as you wish.
Other features, the IFS Therapy Guidelines, Appointment Calendar, Billing System, and Progress Notes window, help you to plan your work and organize your practice.
Sharing IFS materials - narratives, diagrams, etc. - via email allows for enhanced collaboration between therapist and client, as well as co-therapists, trainers, researchers, etc.

For more details read on, or click the links above.

Therapy Notes and Narratives

Using IFS Insight in this area requires that you enter your therapy notes/narratives into the system. This takes a few minutes, either after each session, at the end of the day, or whenever convenient. You are free to enter brief summary notes or detailed narratives. In return for this effort you get these benefits:

Never having to decipher scrawled notes at a later time.

Never losing or misplacing notes.

Easy access to all notes. They are categorized and indexed for you.

For those not computer-averse it's easier than by hand: you can cut and paste, rearrange your thoughts, find key words with the search function.
For therapists, the process of entering your notes helps you to internalize and remember them.

The entry process also provides the discipline of reviewing each point, and the opportunity to think more about it. New insights may be gained in the process.

For personal use, the software becomes your personal journal; it can serve as a gateway to your inner space. The process of journaling as you conduct an internal session also serves to "anchor" the session, leaving a written "bread crumb trail" as you explore the byways of your inner landscape.

While entering your notes therapists have the complete client and part history at their fingertips, for comparisons, cross checking, analysis, etc.

Parts List

After entering each session narrative, IFS Insight encourages you to log significant points to their proper category in the Parts List (role, burden, polarization, etc.) Through regular session entry and parts updating you develop the Parts List into a valuable map, index, and information resource.

Parts List gives quick overview of parts

Displays summary descriptions of parts, roles, burdens

Optionally includes more detailed dated notes on any part, role or burden

Instant access to any part, role or burden through tree structure

Clove Diagrams
Clove diagrams are visual and verbal representations of how small groups of parts relate around a particular issue or situation. Creating and working with these diagrams provides an important additional perspective on our parts. These diagrams "zoom in" on the roles and relationships of parts around the issues of our daily life.

Visual diagrams with symbols, images, various kinds of links and arrows
Text comments as labels, paragraphs or "bubble text" (let parts talk, like comic book characters)
Create a series of diagrams for each issue or "clove", as your understanding develops and as the relationships change over time.
Print out the clove diagrams for discussion and reference

Parts Diagrams
The software provides a convenient facility for using this valuable visual tool. A client can use your software in your office and take home a printout if desired. Or, if the client has the personal edition of IFS Insight he/she can create parts diagrams at home.

Visual map of internal landscape at a point in time

Process of creating the diagram can spark insights

Printed copies useful for discussion and review
Use standard symbols or create personalized ones by drawing or clipping from photos, images, etc.

Automatic dated saving creates time series record

Conference Table

Conduct conference table session on screen in therapist office or client home

Focus on a specific issue brings parts together in a purposeful way

Parts can learn about other parts points of view, reevaluate their own

Multiple sessions move toward goal of positive parts positions

Automatic dated saving creates time series record.

IFS Scale

Provides profile of parts on 10 dimensions: Self, pleasing/abandoned, anxious/pessimistic, addictive/ impulsive, dissociating, etc.

Helpful in planning therapy approaches

Valuable tool for tracking progress

Convenient to administer on screen or on paper form

Therapy Progress

Gives indicators of current state of work on burdens

Shows trends in IFS Scale parts profiles

Review can spark new insights and approaches

Positive trends can provide valuable encouragement

IFS Therapy Guidelines

Model therapy sequencing suggested by Richard Schwartz

Safe, effective, and respectful of parts

Personalize the guidelines with your own added notes, references, examples, etc.

Client Intake Form

Client background information always available

Record minimal basic information or more detail as appropriate

Appointment Calendar

Schedule therapy appointments, meetings, phone calls, to do items

View a week or a month at a time

Handles recurring as well as one time appointments

Print out paper version as needed

Billing System

Uses therapy sessions from Calendar, or enter them separately
Quickly log sessions and payments at end of day or when convenient
Optionally print client statements for coming day's appointments, at end of month, or other times
Print or view Income Statement and Receivables Aging at any time

Progress Notes Window

Record progress notes in any of several standard formats (SOAP, DAR, DAP, etc.) or free form

Create your own custom format

Print out individual note, note history for a client, or all client notes in a period

Sharing IFS Materials via Email

Send narratives, diagrams, and other IFS materials to other IFS Insight users via email
Other user can view or modify materials as if created on their system
System requires consent forms and creates audit trail to safeguard confidentiality

Pear Tree Software

Bahama, North Carolina

Why Use Software?

Good question! People have been doing IFS Therapy for years without it. Why should I get involved with a software program and computer if I don't need to?

If you're a confirmed computerphobe, the answer is probably - you shouldn't!

For all others, the answer is: for the same reasons that software is used in most other fields of endeavor - it can help you to do a better job.

It takes some time to enter your narratives, update the parts list, create clove diagrams, etc. That time requirement could be seen as a drawback. However the time spend doing those things is also an opportunity for reflection, analysis and insight.

As a therapist, that time helps you to internalize and remember each client's material. And as a byproduct of that effort you develop a case history which is more accessible, more usable and more powerful than hand written notes or narratives.

In personal use, the software becomes your personal journal, a resource and tool kit for your inner explorations.

More specifically:

All the different kinds of information you keep about your clients and your practice are easily available in one place. No more searching through notebooks, folders, calendars, etc.

Your therapy notes and narratives become more organized, accessible, legible and effective.

The Parts List gives you a resource of information on each of the parts, their roles and burdens.

Three powerful visual tools, Clove Diagrams, Parts Diagrams and the Conference Table, are conveniently available, and their results are organized as time series records.

The IFS Scale provides a valuable profile of a person's parts and how extreme they are. Trends in the results are integrated into the Therapy Progress window.

The Therapy Progress window offers insights and encouragement about the course of the therapy.

The Client Intake form makes each client's background information easily accessible, in as much or as little detail as you wish.

Other features, the IFS Therapy Guidelines, Appointment Calendar, Billing System, and Progress Notes window, help you to plan your work and organize your practice.

Sharing IFS materials - narratives, diagrams, etc. - via email allows for enhanced collaboration between therapist and client, as well as co-therapists, trainers, researchers, etc.

For more details read on, or click the links above.

Therapy Notes and Narratives

Never having to decipher scrawled notes at a later time.

Never losing or misplacing notes.

Easy access to all notes. They are categorized and indexed for you.

For those not computer-averse it's easier than by hand: you can cut and paste, rearrange your thoughts, find key words with the search function.

For therapists, the process of entering your notes helps you to internalize and remember them.

The entry process also provides the discipline of reviewing each point, and the opportunity to think more about it. New insights may be gained in the process.

For personal use, the software becomes your personal journal; it can serve as a gateway to your inner space. The process of journaling as you conduct an internal session also serves to "anchor" the session, leaving a written "bread crumb trail" as you explore the byways of your inner landscape.

While entering your notes therapists have the complete client and part history at their fingertips, for comparisons, cross checking, analysis, etc.

Parts List

After entering each session narrative, IFS Insight encourages you to log significant points to their proper category in the Parts List (role, burden, polarization, etc.) Through regular session entry and parts updating you develop the Parts List into a valuable map, index, and information resource.

Parts List gives quick overview of parts

Displays summary descriptions of parts, roles, burdens

Optionally includes more detailed dated notes on any part, role or burden

Instant access to any part, role or burden through tree structure

Visual diagrams with symbols, images, various kinds of links and arrows

Text comments as labels, paragraphs or "bubble text" (let parts talk, like comic book characters)

Create a series of diagrams for each issue or "clove", as your understanding develops and as the relationships change over time.

Print out the clove diagrams for discussion and reference

Parts Diagrams The software provides a convenient facility for using this valuable visual tool. A client can use your software in your office and take home a printout if desired. Or, if the client has the personal edition of IFS Insight he/she can create parts diagrams at home.

Visual map of internal landscape at a point in time

Process of creating the diagram can spark insights

Printed copies useful for discussion and review

Use standard symbols or create personalized ones by drawing or clipping from photos, images, etc.

Automatic dated saving creates time series record

Conference Table

Conduct conference table session on screen in therapist office or client home

Focus on a specific issue brings parts together in a purposeful way

Parts can learn about other parts points of view, reevaluate their own

Multiple sessions move toward goal of positive parts positions

Automatic dated saving creates time series record.

IFS Scale

Provides profile of parts on 10 dimensions: Self, pleasing/abandoned, anxious/pessimistic, addictive/ impulsive, dissociating, etc.

Helpful in planning therapy approaches

Valuable tool for tracking progress

Convenient to administer on screen or on paper form

Therapy Progress

Gives indicators of current state of work on burdens

Shows trends in IFS Scale parts profiles

Review can spark new insights and approaches

Positive trends can provide valuable encouragement

IFS Therapy Guidelines

Model therapy sequencing suggested by Richard Schwartz

Safe, effective, and respectful of parts

Personalize the guidelines with your own added notes, references, examples, etc.

Client Intake Form

Client background information always available

Record minimal basic information or more detail as appropriate

Appointment Calendar

Schedule therapy appointments, meetings, phone calls, to do items

View a week or a month at a time

Handles recurring as well as one time appointments

Print out paper version as needed

Billing System

Uses therapy sessions from Calendar, or enter them separately

Quickly log sessions and payments at end of day or when convenient

Optionally print client statements for coming day's appointments, at end of month, or other times

Print or view Income Statement and Receivables Aging at any time

Progress Notes Window

Record progress notes in any of several standard formats (SOAP, DAR, DAP, etc.) or free form

Parts Diagrams
The software provides a convenient facility for using this valuable visual tool. A client can use your software in your office and take home a printout if desired. Or, if the client has the personal edition of IFS Insight he/she can create parts diagrams at home.