ITD Practitioner Program
Handouts, Videos and Assignments for each session can be accessed through the links on this page.
Character Identification, Inner Team Principles
Insiders Assessment, The Inner Critic
Outsiders, Ambivalence, Facilitation Process
The Guardians; Protector and Trusting
Facilitation practice: Pusher and Being
Facilitation practice: Pleaser and Boundaried
Facilitation practice: Perfectionist and Messy
Facilitation practice: Responsible and Playful
Facilitation practice: Rational and Feeling
Client education and contracting
ITD Practitioner Program
Session 1
The Inner Team and its Characters
Pre-Program Preparation
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Reflect on your personal objectives for this program. What outcome would delight you? Come to the first session ready to share.
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Purchase a copy of Part of Me: The Inner Team Dialogue Guide
Preparing for Session 1
Videos:
Reading Assignments
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Read Chapters 1-3 of Part of Me
Session One Agenda
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Introductions and intention setting
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The Principles of the Inner Team
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Learning to observe your characters
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Demonstration of an ITD session
Session 1 Homework
Come to the next session ready to share your observations and reflections.
Session Recording, 6-3-25
Session 2
Insiders and the Inner Critic
Preparing for Session 2
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Take the ITD Insiders Assessment (Password: 2025ITD-free) and read through your results.
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Read chapter 6 of Part of Me: The Inner Critic
Optional reading:
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Article on Inner Critic: What if the Voices in Your Head Could Work For You, Not Against You?
Session Agenda
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The Insiders Assessment
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The Principles of the Inner Team
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The Protective role of Insiders
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The Inner Critic's role on the Inner Team
Session 2 Homework
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Choose one of your Insiders to observe this week. See if you can notice when it shows up, and what it has to say. Notice what it thinks is dangerous, and what it wants to keep you from doing.
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When you notice your Insider, see if you can find a space of appreciation for the ways in which it is protecting you. Offer it a little bow of gratitude. Pay attention to what happens in you - emotionally and somatically - when you find this place of appreciation.
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BONUS ASSIGNMENT: If you notice your Inner Critic getting activated this week, see if you can tune into the moment of vulnerability which preceded it. What was the fear which popped up?
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Come to the next session ready to share.
Session Recording 6.10.25
Session 3
Ambivalence, ITD Facilitation Process
Preparation for Session 3
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Read The Power of Two: an article exploring ambivalence and the Inner Team
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Read through the Facilitation Conventions guide
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Watch the Practicing ITD Safely video, or read the Safe and Ethical Practice guidelines
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Review the Session Flow Diagram
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Watch the following short videos
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Download the "Who Bugs You?" exercise. Have it available for today's session.
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Download the Who Bugs You slides
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Download and review the Facilitation script.
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Please have this script available during the session, either electronically or printed.
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Session Agenda
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Recap of terminology and principles
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Facilitation conventions
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Demonstration of ITD facilitation process
Session 3 Homework
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No homework this week.
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Take the time to get a head start on week 4 preparations.
Session Recording 6-17-25
Session 4
Protector and Trusting
Preparation for Session Four
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Overview of Protector and Trusting characters video (6 minutes) and/or read the Protector/Trusting profiles in Part of Me: pp 164-171
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Watch: Demonstration of Protector and Trusting facilitation (30 minutes)
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The Guardians: what happens when the Protector and Inner Critic team up?
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Download the latest version of the facilitation script questions
Optional Reads
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The Protector and Alcohol (optional read)
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The Protector Check-In (3 minute video)
Session Agenda
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Meet Protector and Trusting characters
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Practice facilitating a character
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Explore the mechanics of moving between characters in a single session
Session 4 Homework
Observe your Protector this week, noticing when it activates, and what it flags as threatening. Thank it for protecting you (the inner bow of appreciation).
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Try this in familiar environments (the grocery store, a room in your house) or with familiar people (friends, colleagues). Then try it in an unfamiliar environment too, or when interacting with a stranger. See what information comes to light.
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Practice connecting with Trusting (internally, or through journaling). Ask your Trusting character for its perspective on a problem you are currently facing, such as a relationship in your life that isn't where you'd like it to be. Then check in with your Protector about the same issue or concern. See what you notice in their perspectives.
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Come to the next session ready to share.
Session Recording
Password: 21r3*u$v
Session 5
Pusher and Being
Preparation for Session 5
Read the Pusher and Being profiles in Part of Me (pp 172-178) and/or watch The Pusher and Being video.
Optional Material:
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Read the New York Times Article on the Nap Ministry
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Listen to Cheryl Wheeler's tongue-in-cheek ode to the Inner Critic/Pusher combo: Unworthy
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Listen to Hal and Sidra Stone audio lecture on Pusher and Being (below)
Session Agenda
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Explore Pusher and Being characters
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Explore the mechanics of moving between opposite characters during a session
Session 5 Homework:
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Observe your Pusher: when you sense that your Pusher is activated, pay particular attention to your body, and notice what you feel. And since this is the Pusher we're talking about, notice any resistance to slowing down and noticing!
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Think through the coaching goals your current and past clients have chosen. Look at these through the lens of Pusher and Being. What do you notice?
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Come to the next session ready to share.
Session Recording 7-1-25
Session 6
Pleaser and Boundaried
Session 6 Preparation
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Watch the Pleaser and Boundaried overview (11 minute video) and/or read Part of Me pp. 157-163
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Watch the Pleaser Case Example video (4 minutes)
Optional Materials
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A conversation with a recovering Pleaser - an interview with attorney Allie Moore, describing the journey towards balancing Pleaser/Boundaried.
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Audio Lecture from Hal and Sidra Stone - The Pleaser (below)
Session Agenda
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Explore Pleaser and Boundaried
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Contrast personal, relational energies with impersonal, contained energies
Post-Session Exercises and Reflections
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Pleaser Reflection: notice where you say yes (or feel a pressure that you should say yes) when you mean no. What's the somatic sensation when you notice this pressure? See if you can notice the vulnerability underneath this: what is the vulnerable part of you afraid will happen if you say no?
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Boundaried Reflection: See if you can identify a moment in which you have the impulse to withdraw, disengage or pull back from a relationship. What's the somatic sensation that accompanies this impulse? Notice what your vulnerable part is afraid will happen if you stay engaged in that relationship. In retrospect, see if you can identify a boundary which you have not yet communicated to this person.
Session Recording
Passcode: F%6TnaB&
Session 7
Perfectionist and Messy
Perfectionist and Messy Go to the Beach
(Photo credit: Tracy Burke)
Preparation for Session 7
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Read Part of Me pp. 145-150 and/or watch Perfectionist and Messy video (11 minutes)
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Demonstration Video: Facilitation of Perfectionist and Messy - 40 minutes
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Optional Read: In Defense of Messiness (NY Times, Jan 2025)
Optional Resources
Session Agenda
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Meet and experience Perfectionist and Messy
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Recognize the indicators that this pair is impacting a client's goals
Session 7 Homework:
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Pay attention this week to the Perfectionist's pattern of repeated editing, revising, tweaking and second guessing. When you notice any of these manifestations of working hard to make something perfect, thank your Perfectionist, and see if you can tune into the vulnerability that it's protecting. What does your vulnerable part fear might happen if your work isn't perfect?
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Invite Messy to take charge of an activity over the next couple of days. For example, let Messy pick out your clothes one morning, or prepare some food, or create something. Notice how this feels. See if you can stay present with Messy as an ally, even if your Perfectionist and Critic have something to say.
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Come to next session ready to share what you noticed.
Session Recording 7-15-25
Session 8
Responsible and Playful
Preparation For Session 8
Read Part of Me pp 186-191, and/or watch the Responsible and Playful video (7 minutes)
Optional Materials
Session Agenda
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Explore the adult/child polarity within Responsible/Playful
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Practice facilitating by matching the energy of a character
Session 8 Homework
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Identify at least three roles you play in your life which are important to you (e.g. parent, friend, spouse, employee, business owner, neighbor etc). For each of these three roles:
- Make some notes about what you feel responsible for, commitments you have made, obligations you take seriously. Notice how you feel as you bring your attention to this.
- Next, connect with the playful part of you. Imagine you gave your Playful character full permission to show up in this role. What impulses, inspirations or thoughts come up? Notice the feelings/somatic sensation which these generate for you.
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Consider an area of your life that is feeling flat, uninspiring, routine, or dull. See if you can identify any ways in which your Responsible character may be involved. Ask your Playful character what to do to revitalize this area of life.
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Come to next session ready to share
SESSION RECORDING 7-22-25
Session 9
Rational and Feeling
Session 9 Preparation
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Read Part of Me pp 179-185, and/or watch Rational and Feeling video
Optional Resources
Session Agenda
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Explore the ITD perspective on the polarity of head and heart, reason and passion
Post-Session Exercises and Reflections
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Identify an area of your life where you make decisions largely based on intuition or emotion, where you allow your heart and gut to lead. Invite your Rational character to comment, share its point of view on those decisions.
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Now flip the script, and take an area of life where you make decisions rationally, based on evidence and data (commonly areas like managing money, or certain products/services you buy). Invite your Feeling character to offer its point of view on those decisions.
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Come to next session ready to share
Session Recording 7-29-25
Session 10
Contracting, Client Education and ITD Integration
Preparation for Session 10
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What questions are you sitting with about using ITD in your practice? Come ready to share these.
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Notice any hesitancy you feel about bringing ITD to your clients. What are your concerns?
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Reflect on what's changed in you, as a person and as a coach, over the past ten weeks. What do you know about yourself now that you didn't know when we began?
Optional Materials
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Optional Reading: Part of Me pp 293-306
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This is a long-ish personal narrative, telling the story of the development of ITD, and what it taught me about how my own Inner Team works.
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Post-Session Actions
Complete this brief post-program survey. Thank you in advance for your feedback!