- Explain and understand the integration of IFS, Polyvagal theory, and developmental neuroscience in the treatment of trauma and dissociation.
- Identify and apply core IFS techniques, including mapping, the 6 F's of unblending, and Self-to-part communication.
- Demonstrate strategies for cultivating therapist Self-energy and managing therapist parts to foster safety and resilience.
- Describe the foundational goals, assumptions, and credo of IFS as a non-pathologizing, integrative framework for trauma healing.
- Analyze the roles and burdens of managers, firefighters, and exiles within the internal system, and recognize clinical signs of burdened and blended states.
- Differentiate between implicit and explicit trauma memory and apply neuroscience-informed strategies to support clients in staying regulated during parts work.
- Understand how to apply Polyvagal Theory to support the nervous system during parts work.
- Employ experiential practices such as heart coherence, guided imagery, and Self-to-part dialogues to deepen therapeutic presence and client access to Self-energy.
- Utilize IFS-informed approaches for addressing attachment wounds, preverbal trauma, and shame cycles.
- Explain the unburdening process within IFS and demonstrate gentle, trauma-informed preparation for unburdening work.
- Apply IFS strategies for working with polarizations and extreme parts.
- Demonstrate methods for managing therapist countertransference through unblending and Self-leadership.
- Evaluate the role of spirituality, legacy burdens, and ancestral resilience within IFS therapy.
- Identify adaptations of IFS for complex trauma and dissociative presentations.
- Discuss ethical considerations, limitations, and risks when applying IFS therapy.
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Join us at the beautiful Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs
where you’ll spend 3 days filled with skills-building and personal transformation!
PLUS, earn up to 15.25 CE Hours!
where you’ll spend 3 days filled with skills-building and personal transformation!
PLUS, earn up to 15.25 CE Hours!
This is your opportunity to train with IFS and trauma treatment expert Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500. PLUS, earn up to 15.25 CE Hours!
Hailed as "the treatment method that all clinicians should know to treat clients effectively" by Bessel van der Kolk, author of the New York Times Best-seller The Body Keeps the Score, IFS is rapidly becoming one of the most popular and effective treatment approaches to heal emotional wounds — the wounds that prevent clients from moving forward in therapy.
Whether you're new to IFS or you've been using it for years, you'll leave this immersive 3-day training with practical skills, strategies, and clinical confidence to effectively treat trauma, anxiety, depression, and more. Through live demonstrations, guided practice, and real-time feedback, Stacy will show you how to build clients' sense of trust and inner stability, release trauma stored in the body, work with anxious parts, and integrate IFS with modalities you already use like EMDR and CBT.
What you'll get when you register now…
- Learn IFS from Trauma Expert Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500
- Take Time to Relax and Rejuvenate in Beautiful Colorado Springs
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Coffee and Tea Service Included
- Earn up to 15.25 CE Hours
- Can't Attend? Virtual Option Also Available
Register today and we'll see you in Colorado Springs — or online!
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy for Trauma
A 3-Day Experiential Training Retreat with Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500
May 13-15, 2026
Join Live In-Person
Cheyenne Mountain Resort
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
- Breakfast and lunch included
- Earn up to 15.25 CE hours
- Network with peers from across the country
- 60-day recording archive access
$899.99
Join Virtually
Live stream from anywhere
- Earn up to 15.25 CE hours
- Live online Q&A
- 60-day recording archive access
$499.99
Click here for Credit details | Click
here for virtual CE credit details
Can't attend live on May 13-15, 2026?
Order the self-study version here!
Click here to register as the coordinator for the in-person event.
Click here for in-person cancellation policy details
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Can't attend live on May 13-15, 2026?
Order the self-study version here!
Click here to register as the coordinator for the in-person event.
Click here for in-person cancellation policy details
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Retreat Schedule
All times are U.S. Mountain Time (MT)
May 12, 2026
4:00 pm
If staying at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, check in, then explore the resort.
May 13-14, 2026
7:00-8:00 am
Breakfast (provided)
8:00 am-12:00 pm
CE Training
12:00-1:00 pm
Lunch (provided)
1:00-3:30 pm
CE Training
3:30 pm
FREE TIME! 217 acres of mountain resort are yours—spa, pool, private lake, or a balcony with a view of the Rockies. This is the part where you actually rest.
May 15, 2026
7:00-8:00 am
Breakfast (provided)
8:00-12:00 pm
CE Training
12:00 pm
Training over, go have more fun on your own!
Total CE Hours: Up to 15.25
Please note: There will be a 15-minute break each day.
Full Retreat Outline
Day 1: Welcome circle & intention-setting practice
- Arrival practice and orientation
- Guided meditation: Self as Sacred Center
- Establishing safety, consent, and pacing
Overview of IFS & Trauma Integration: A Heart-Centered Framework
- Goals, assumptions, IFS credo
- Self as the container and cornerstone to healing
- Heart coherence as a gateway to self
- Experiential:
- Heart Coherence Breath Practice
- Guided “Meet a Part” exercise
- Experiential:
IFS, Trauma, and the Nervous System
- Trauma, nervous system, and parts
- Polyvagal-informed IFS
- Developmental neuroscience of trauma & dissociation
- Understanding dissociation through an IFS lens
- Mapping protectors and exiles in trauma treatment
- Parts and the burdened system: Protective parts (managers, firefighters) and exiled parts
- Experiential
- Mapping exercise practice
- Q & A + integration pause
Day 2 – Skills & Relational Healing
Unblending with the 6 F’s
- Live demo
- Step-by-step unblending process
- Speaking for vs from parts
- IFS Communication Methods
- Experiential
- Paired practice in self-to-part dialogue
- Group processing & troubleshooting
- Experiential
Attachment & Relational Trauma
- Preverbal trauma, attachment styles, shame cycles
- Internal attachment repair using IFS
- Experiential
- Self-compassion & attachment repair meditation
- Small group practice & reflection
- Experiential
Day 3– Integration, Complexity & Closure
Spirituality, Legacy Burdens & Unburdening
- Collective and legacy burdens
- Ancestral resilience
- Step-by-step unburdening process
- Self as the ultimate corrective experience
- Experiential:
- Inviting guides, or sacred resources
- Connecting with a vulnerable part
- Integration discussion
- Experiential:
Complex Systems, Extreme Parts & Ethics
- Polarizations and inner conflict
- Staying self-led with extreme parts
- Adaptations for complex trauma & dissociation
- Ethics, evidence, limitations, and risks
- Collective blessing & closure
Evidence, Research Limitations, and Treatment Risks
- Examining the current research
- Challenges to the research and research limitations
- Addressing potential risks
- Contraindications and other considerations
Your Training Venue
Learn where the mountains meet the sky.
Nestled 6,200 feet closer to the stars, Cheyenne Mountain Resort is a four-diamond gem of the Rocky Mountains Colorado—217 acres of rustic Colorado comfort with beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains and Pikes Peak.
The setting is part of the training. IFS is about creating the right conditions for healing. We chose a location that does the same for you.
Between sessions, recharge your way:
- Escape to Alluvia Spa for massages, facials, body wraps, or nail treatments in a full-service indoor spa with outdoor lounge
- Tee off on the Pete Dye championship 18-hole golf course, play pickleball or hit one of seven indoor/outdoor tennis courts
- Swim year-round in the indoor Aquatics Center pool or the resort pool near the main lodge—plus an adults-only pool with hot tub
- Breathe in the fresh Colorado air from your private balcony or patio — every room has one
The bottom line: You'll leave not just with new clinical skills, but actually rested.
Cheyenne Mountain Resort
3225 Broadmoor Valley Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
719-538-4000
3225 Broadmoor Valley Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
719-538-4000
Rooms are $229 ($249 with resort fee). Don’t delay! Our special room rates expire April 17, 2026, or until the room block is full. Space is limited and the hotel will book quickly.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy for Trauma
A 3-Day Experiential Training Retreat with Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500
May 13-15, 2026
Join Live In-Person
Cheyenne Mountain Resort
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
- Breakfast and lunch included
- Earn up to 15.25 CE hours
- Network with peers from across the country
- 60-day recording archive access
$899.99
Join Virtually
Live stream from anywhere
- Earn up to 15.25 CE hours
- Live online Q&A
- 60-day recording archive access
$499.99
Click here for Credit details | Click
here for virtual CE credit details
Can't attend live on May 13-15, 2026?
Order the self-study version here!
Click here to register as the coordinator for the in-person event.
Click here for in-person cancellation policy details
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Can't attend live on May 13-15, 2026?
Order the self-study version here!
Click here to register as the coordinator for the in-person event.
Click here for in-person cancellation policy details
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Why Clinicians Travel From Across the Country for This Training
"I've taken three IFS trainings. This was the first one where I actually felt it."
There's something different about learning IFS in a room full of committed clinicians, away from your inbox, with a teacher who holds space like Stacy does.
Clinicians choose this retreat because:
→ Experiential learning sticks. Research is clear: we don't learn relational skills from slides. We learn them through practice, feedback, and felt experience. This retreat is designed around demos, dyads, guided practices, and reflection—not lectures.
→ The location matters. You can't access self-energy in a fluorescent-lit hotel ballroom while checking your phone between sessions. This retreat is held at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in the Colorado Rockies—217 acres of mountain views, fresh air, and space to actually breathe. The environment isn't a bonus. It's part of the medicine.
→ You'll leave restored, not depleted. Most CE trainings drain you. This one fills you back up. Because Stacy understands that clinicians doing trauma work need to be resourced—and she's designed every element of this retreat to support your nervous system, not tax it.
→ Stacy Ruse is the real deal. She's not just teaching IFS—she's living it. As an IFS clinical consultant, EMDR consultant, and E-RYT-500 yoga teacher, Stacy integrates neuroscience, somatic awareness, and transpersonal wisdom in a way that makes the model come alive. Her warmth and presence create the exact conditions for deep learning and healing.
Your Peers are Raving about Learning IFS with Stacy Ruse
“This was one of the best trainings of any kind that I have participated in. I learned so much!”
—Mary R, Social Worker
“One of the most incredible trainers I have ever had, and best trainings I have ever been to. Could not recommend it enough.”
—Francesca D, Social worker
“Easily the best continuing education training I have completed.”
—Josh H, Social Worker
“I have taken other IFS trainings, but didn't feel I gained enough knowledge to implement. Now I feel ready.”
—Melissa T, Social worker
Meet Your Expert
Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500
Stacy Ruse is an internationally recognized trauma teacher, trainer, and consultant who integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Somatic therapies with Polyvagal-informed approaches to create a holistic, inclusive model of healing.
As founder of Aglow Counseling, Stacy offers global training and consultation, drawing on her background as an IFS clinical consultant, EMDR consultant, and E-RYT-500 yoga teacher. Known for her warm, compassionate presence, she bridges neuroscience, embodied practice, and ancient wisdom to guide transformative healing journeys.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy for Trauma
A 3-Day Experiential Training Retreat with Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500
May 13-15, 2026
Join Live In-Person
Cheyenne Mountain Resort
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
- Breakfast and lunch included
- Earn up to 15.25 CE hours
- Network with peers from across the country
- 60-day recording archive access
$899.99
Join Virtually
Live stream from anywhere
- Earn up to 15.25 CE hours
- Live online Q&A
- 60-day recording archive access
$499.99
Click here for Credit details | Click
here for virtual CE credit details
Can't attend live on May 13-15, 2026?
Order the self-study version here!
Click here to register as the coordinator for the in-person event.
Click here for in-person cancellation policy details
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Can't attend live on May 13-15, 2026?
Order the self-study version here!
Click here to register as the coordinator for the in-person event.
Click here for in-person cancellation policy details
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this appropriate if I'm new to IFS?
Yes. This retreat is designed for both clinicians being introduced to IFS for the first time AND those wanting a meaningful, embodied refresher. Stacy's teaching meets you where you are.
What if I want the training but can't travel?
A livestream option is available. While we believe the in-person experience offers something the online format can't replicate, we want this training accessible to clinicians who can't make the trip.
What's included in the registration fee?
Your registration includes all training sessions, CE credits, training materials, breakfast, lunch, and coffee and tea service. Lodging is booked separately through Cheyenne Mountain Resort—we've secured a group rate of $249/night for attendees.
Who is this conference designed for?
This conference is designed for Counselors, Social workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychologists, Addiction Counselors, Nurse Practitioners, and Physicians.
What is the in-person cancellation policy?
From Purchase Date until April 13, 2026: Cancellation results in a full refund less a $100 administrative fee
From April 14, 2026: Cancellation results in a 50% penalty of the total purchase amount
Is this training affiliated with the IFS Institute?
This event is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification. What it does offer: rigorous, experiential IFS training with a master clinician that you can immediately apply in your practice.
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