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Pause with Laura IFS Consultation, Groups, Workshops, Retreats, Speaking. Approved AAMFT Supervisor & IFS Consultant

Hi colleagues, Find the sweet balance of helping others WHILE protecting your own energy and parts. Doesn't that sound g...
04/08/2025

Hi colleagues, Find the sweet balance of helping others WHILE protecting your own energy and parts. Doesn't that sound good?!

Join an established consultation group of motivated clinicians Wed 8/6 who want to continue to deepen & expand their clinical skills, confidence, Self energy and ability to do this work sustainably and effectively!

Join our Advanced L2+ Consultation Group which continues Wednesday 11am -1pmPT 8/6

Join our IFS Certification/ AAMFT Approved supervision group Wednesday 2-4pmPT Wednesday 8/6

Seats are Limited. 2H goes fast! Submit a case for consultation. We’ll address 1-2 per meeting. Drop in Summer Special $155. Save $40

Refer a colleague who registers and save 5%
https://www.pausewithlaura.com/ifs-consultation

Sept-Dec Group Dates also listed here
including Monday Intermediate IFS L1+ Grads Consultation Group Set resumes 8/25 ~ 4:15-6:15pm PT

DM me with questions or your email to join my community https://info.pausewithlaura.com/newsletter for first updates

Receive support, mentorship & community navigating the range of practical, personal and clinical challenges of this profession. You got this & I got you!

Find the balance between caring and helping without burning out.

Recent consultation topics:
· What to do with our own grieving parts in session?
· Consideration of power imbalances and cultural differences in the therapeutic relationship.
· Which parts are running the show in session?
· Gaining fluency, confidence and ease shifting into direct access (implicit, explicit or embodied)
· Trouble setting boundaries: Why do I say yes when I want to say no?
· Clients that overwhelm, demand and exasperate
· Parts tripped up by being videoed for Certification
Here's to curiosity, courage and motivated clinicians who are willing to ask for help, share their challenges and vulnerabilities, so they can feel more confident, proficient and effective.

Hope to see you on 8/6!
Please reply with any questions. I'd love to welcome you to a sweet crew of clinicians!
warmly,
Laura

https://www.pausewithlaura.com/
Clinician for 27 years. IFS Certified for 17.

It's been 2 years since our last multi-day backpacking trip. Yes, this is a pretty demanding activity for our bodies and...
04/08/2025

It's been 2 years since our last multi-day backpacking trip. Yes, this is a pretty demanding activity for our bodies and we never know how many more trips we have left in us. Fortunately, we're still able to carry everything we need (but water!) for 5 nights, 38 miles and lots of elevation without serious body distress. It blows my mind every time, but I'll take it as long as I can.

Not meeting another human for 3 days sent us on a less popular route with lots of treefall (due to declining forest service budgets 🙁 but we persevered and were rewarded with cool streams and the most luscious huckleberries ever!

Here's a start of pics. More to come.

Grateful for our gorgeous state and still sharing this activity with Mr. Schmitty. We love the simplicity and the rhythm of this activity. These views are in the Pasayten Wilderness outside of Winthrop, WA.

Get outside to go inside!









If you know me, you know I’m all about celebrating milestones--both yours and mine! 🎉🙌🏽ALL the hard-working parts, peopl...
22/07/2025

If you know me, you know I’m all about celebrating milestones--both yours and mine! 🎉🙌🏽

ALL the hard-working parts, people and sacrifices that helped you reach a goal deserve to be acknowledged and validated!
Right??

The past few weeks have been FULL of celebrating IFS consultee milestones:

2 long term consultees completed YEARS of clinical requirements towards IFS Certification (yeah!)

Congratulations Katie Ray & Forest Benedict! Well done! I loved getting to work with you!

🎉My Summer Monday 4pm PT IFS Certification Group set finished last week with enough momentum to want to continue meeting monthly.
👉🏼Join us 8/25!

👉🏼My 8 month Advanced L2+ Consultation Group completed, again with enough interest to continue meeting Wednesdays 11am PT.
🎉Join us 8/6!

🙏🏽Helping hard-working, caring therapists navigate the range of practical, personal and clinical challenges of this profession is my greatest joy.

Helping clients heal is so important, and it takes support, community and guidance so we find the balance between helping others heal and not depleting ourselves. I know this all too well, having nearly left the field a few times myself from bewilderment and burnout. 😩

I’m so grateful for curious, courageous and motivated clinicians who are willing to ask for help, share their challenges and vulnerabilites, so they can feel more confident, proficient and effective.

Well done, all. Let’s celebrate!!🎉








I've embraced pushing myself physically since I was young. This is one of the facets that connected Erik and me when we...
13/07/2025

I've embraced pushing myself physically since I was young. This is one of the facets that connected Erik and me when we first met on a weekend of Mountain biking and rock climbing during college. Our first date was an 8 week self supported bike tour through British Columbia and WA state. We never seem to choose the straightforward path for recreation.

Never a dull moment with Team Schmidty!

For over 30 years, Erik has encouraged and supported me to stretch my comfort zone and abilities more than I would on my own. This expands our possibilities and has given us some pretty satisfying adventures.

Yesterday to beat the heat and "celebrate" his homecoming 🙂, I somehow agreed to climb gravel roads 4500 feet to the top of our mighty local ski mountain. He patiently waited when I had to stop and stretch my back and hip flexors b/c my body isn't quite ready for such a sustained climb, so pro Mr. Dolomite 🙂

Refreshing, wooded shade? yes.
Body discomfort? mucho yes.
Satisfaction and view on the top. You know it.
And my favorite, the DESCENT and the fully artificial DQ reward!!

Grateful for our partnership through the physical challenges that expands our worlds.
Somehow the discomfort seems to fade when it's all over!










Give yourself something to look forward to this Fall in the beautiful Berkshires with an IFS retreat at Kripalu! I’m thr...
12/07/2025

Give yourself something to look forward to this Fall in the beautiful Berkshires with an IFS retreat at Kripalu! I’m thrilled and grateful to get to share 2 offerings with participants in this nurturing setting.

Sept 14-19 LifeForce Yoga & Internal Family Systems Therapy: New Tools to Bring Balance to Your Life

Join Laura Schmidt, LMFT, senior IFS therapist and consultant and Amy Weintraub, C-IAYT, IFS & Yoga Pioneer and as they guide you to access your innate compassion and wisdom beneath the parts that lead your life. Experience an IFS overview and a gentle evidence-based yoga protocol to help you self-soothe and clear your mind.

Befriend your body, behaviors and emotions in community through pranayama, meditations, mantras, yoga, IFS experientials and live demos. All bodies and experience levels are welcome.

Space is Limited. Invite a friend or colleague.
https://kripalu.org/presenters-programs/lifeforce-yoga-and-internal-family-systems-new-tools-bring-balance-your-life

🍂DM or email any questions: support at pausewithlaura dot com
Link in Bio


amylifeforceyoga

He's home! Safe and sound with LOTS of fitness and Italian joy after biking in the Dolomites while teaching in Trento fo...
12/07/2025

He's home! Safe and sound with LOTS of fitness and Italian joy after biking in the Dolomites while teaching in Trento for 8 weeks. Not a bad gig, Mr. Schmidty!

Yes, I missed him dearly AND No, I wasn't lonely or bored, like many assume when we're apart. I love being home alone and am a big advocate of couples spending time apart--something we've done for over 30 years.

It's not easy, but clarifies so many facets of a partnership and helps us appreciate the other even more.
Like Keb Mo sings: "How can I miss you if you don't go away?"
🧡

Erik's absence forced me to do a lot of things I don't normally do for myself--which stretched me and also gave me renewed confidence and capacity, for which I'm grateful.

I made myself cook but am happy the chef of the house is back! and I didn't ruin his favorite skillet like I feared. phew.

I didn't munch any sprinkler heads while mowing. phew.

I packed up, drove 15H and kayaked 40 miles on the Rogue River safely (with friends!), without my personal guide to follow and watch out for me.

I survived AND my parts and I are grateful my companion is home. I was pretty touch starved and definitely missed his positive energy.

Let's enjoy summer!





L2+ IFS Grads, join us Wed 7/9 for a unique opportunity to deepen and expand with fellow Advanced IFS colleagues! You'll...
08/07/2025

L2+ IFS Grads, join us Wed 7/9 for a unique opportunity to deepen and expand with fellow Advanced IFS colleagues! You'll be joining a motivated core group who have met for the past 10 months.
It’s a space for insight, connection, and clinical growth.

Wed, July 9 11am-1pm PT (Seattle)
1-2 case consults, Q&A, Direct IFS work with me, Personal & group process with a stellar group of advanced clinicians from around the country!

🌟 First-time participants in my offerings save $50!
🎯 Limited spots available: https://www.pausewithlaura.com/25summer-registration or Link in Bio

Kind words from recent consultees:
"Thank you again for your calming and inviting energy. I truly enjoyed our work together—I left feeling inspired and encouraged.” —HC

"I really enjoy small groups like the ones you cultivate. It’s so amazing to be cultivating an IFS therapist community. The sense of belonging is hugely motivating to keep trudging along through periods of confusion and worry. You hold the space so warmly but also with a gentle firmness which I deeply appreciate. Feel so lucky!!" —Amy S.

DM or email me at laura (at) pausewithlaura (dot) com with any questions.

My parts still want to be on the river, so this background is the compromise we made when we returned to work. All our p...
08/07/2025

My parts still want to be on the river, so this background is the compromise we made when we returned to work. All our parts are soothed by staying in my kayak. Oh, water, you healer, you! 💦

I just enjoyed 2 hours of clinical consultation and group processing with my IFS Certification Group. We viewed a snippet of a videoed session that gave us so much to discuss, like:

👉 How do we respond when we’re confused in session?
👉 What do we do when we don’t know what to do?
👉 How do we navigate when we're unsure which parts we're working with?
👉 And how do we recognize and respond to the parts (clients and/or mine) who are dictating the session?

There is always much to unpack!

I appreciate all the brave and trusting consultees who share clinical challenges and questions.

I love getting to support you, helping you expand you clinical confidence and capacity. This is sacred work. 🙏🏽

A special day today, as I got to co-teach with in her IFS for Self Healing course. (There’s still room and today’s reco...
26/06/2025

A special day today, as I got to co-teach with in her IFS for Self Healing course.
(There’s still room and today’s recording if you can join us next Wed 11am-1pm PT!) link in bio

We were both pleased how the 2H went and the ease, respect and content we covered.

I’m grateful to Lissa for this opportunity to give over 200 students an experience of IFS together. We’re both appreciating the collaboration. It’s a lot more enjoyable than all alone!

This slide shows the topic where Lissa and I first connected 5 years ago—over the importance of recognizing how we and others in positions of power (e.g. physicians, therapists, etc.) NOT leverage that power imbalance to intentionally or unintentionally cause harm for our patients and clients. We have to be mindful of this, take responsibility for it and be pro-active about protecting our clients and patients.

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