Let Your Parts Have the Pen! How to Use Stream-of-Consciousness Drawing to Unblend in IFS!
A powerful course that enabled students to use stream-of-consciousness drawing / sketching / scribbling / doodling to externalize and unblend from parts in powerful and moving ways! The live course is over, but you can access it here in this recording!
Melissa Sandfort12 chapters · 28 lessons · 2-year access
$150.00 / one time · 2-year access
Course Details
The 2025 “Let Your Parts Move the Pen” was an amazing success and now you can access it in this recording!
Another name for this class is simply “parts doodling” or “scribbling.” You do NOT need to be artistic to take this class!
This is the main technique Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS, uses in all his introductory workshops. I invite you to try it!
The first class is a demonstration and discussion of his technique.
In the second class, we practice Richard Schwartz’ technique and discuss it.
In the third class, we build on the ‘map’ we created in the second class to go deeper with a variation on this technique; this time, working in more depth with ONE part.
In the fourth class, we explore a final variation — working with TWO parts in polarization.
In the extra class, we covered any questions left over from the first classes to deepen your understanding. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parts art / scribbling also has the benefit of appealing to exiles, who enjoy drawing and doodling. Their creativity helps relax managers as long as they can get over their self-criticism about needing to create perfect “art”, which this class is NOT about at all!
“Let Your Parts Move the Pen” is so simple, creative, fun and free-flowing, it lends itself to supporting IFS work in almost any situation, and therefore I believe it’s an essential, basic unblending tool for everyone to have in their IFS toolbox.
This course includes:
EIGHT videos! — “Let your parts move the pen” IFS session demonstrationsSEVEN workshop recordings with Q & A and session feedback
TWO step-by-step worksheets — to guide you through the technique
ONE extra worksheet — for added ideas about how to use art to work with parts
NEXT STEPS — including links to free resources for your IFS journey
If you’re looking for an easy, at-home IFS course that will enhance your capacity to work with yourself or your clients, I invite you to take “Let the Parts Move Your Pen!”
Course Content
12 chapters · 28 lessons
Let Your Parts Move the Pen! Melissa's demonstration video
- videoLet Your Parts Move the Pen! Video Example
- textSummary: "Let Your Parts Move the Pen" Through the Darkness — A Journey into Sleep and Fear
- textAction Steps for Practicing Parts Art / "Letting Your Parts Move the Pen"
1st Class: Sunday, April 27th
Stream of Consciousness Drawing Demo: Holding Anger, Inviting Calm
- video1st Class: Sunday, April 27th Video
- textSunday, April 27th Summary and Key Insights
- textSunday, April 27th Action steps for the Class
2nd Class Friday May 9th
Drawing What Arises: The Art of Stream-of-Consciousness Parts Work
- videoClass Friday May 9th Video
- textClass Friday May 9th Summary and Key Insights
- textClass Friday May 9th Action Steps
3rd Class Saturday May 10th
A moving live demo illustrates how staying with each part—without pressure or agenda—can lead to surprising clarity, compassion, and internal calm.
- videoClass May 10th Video
- textClass May 10th Summary and Key Insights
- textClass May 11th Action Steps
4th Class Sunday May 11 Recording
"Let Your Parts Move the Pen” — Longing, Nursery Rhymes & the Red Scooter
- videoSunday May 11 Recording
- text2nd Class Sunday May 11 Summary and Key Insights
- textSunday May 11th Action Steps for the Class
5th Class Sunday May 18 Recording
The Room Technique — Working with Polarized Parts
- videoSunday May 18th Recording
- textSunday May 18th Summary and Key Insights
- textSunday May 18th Action Steps for the Class
6th Class Sunday May 25 Recording
A beautiful demonstration of how allowing a part to express itself on paper can easily and effortlessly enable a protector to step back of its own accord to allow access to the exile beneath. Great Questions: What if you have a lot of parts that come up all at once, very quickly, in the stream-of-consciousness technique from the first class? When should you put all the parts on one page like a stream-of-consciousness map of the system, and when should you give them their own pages?
- videoSunday May 25 Recording
- textSunday May 25th Summary and Key Insights
- textSunday May 25th Action Steps for the Class
7th Class Recording Sun June 1
Another lovely demonstration of how to work with the inner scribbling techniques to deeply witness and listen to our parts!
- videoJune 1 class video
- textJune 1st Extra Class Summary and Key Insights
- textJune 1st Extra Class Action steps
How To "Let Your Parts Move the Pen" (Parts Art) Worksheet
A step-by-step guided worksheet for doing the parts art / 'let your parts move the pen' exercise that can be used with yourself or a partner / client.
- pdfParts Art Exercise
Next Steps
- textNext Steps
Extra Parts Art PDF
More ideas for using art to work with parts from other IFS teachers!
- pdfExtra Parts Art PDF
Next Steps
- textNext Steps