Anti-Oppression Commitment

All of us at the IFS Telehealth Collective are passionate about creating an organization that promotes and values inclusivity.  We recognize the Internal Family Systems approach as fundamentally anti-oppressive as it restores a sense of wholeness and balance on all levels of human relationships, and we embrace these principles wholeheartedly.  From our hiring process to how we work together to the ways we deliver our services - we welcome all parts of all people. We commit to establishing a culture where all persons feel valued, understood and respected.  

In terms of building and growing our team, we seek to attract people from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who differ by race, age, size, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and physical abilities. Our commitment to inclusion comes not only from our desire to counter the many ways that individuals and whole communities have been denied opportunities, but also from the knowledge that hiring people from a variety of backgrounds allows us to be a richer, more vibrant, and fundamentally better organization. 

In response to the many forms of marginalization in our country, we believe it’s important to grow intentionally in our understanding of and support for others. To this end, we embrace an anti-oppression framework by encouraging cultural awareness, competence, and humility.  The IFS model recognizes the personal and collective impact of cultural burdens in our broader society - for example, white privilege and oppressive policies that marginalize and hurt communities from the non-dominant culture.  IFS processes provide effective ways to heal parts wounded by oppression.  We lend our voice in support of anti-oppressive actions at the societal level and advocate on behalf of equal rights for all.

We affirm that the IFS Model not only serves as the primary therapeutic modality for our work with clients, but also as a framework that informs our relationships with one another. Just as IFS allows for exiled voices to be heard within one’s inner system, we recognize that our success as an organization depends on all members having a voice and being encouraged to contribute. It is incumbent upon those in positions of power to seek out voices that are less likely to be heard, so that all feel empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We recognize that establishing a culture that promotes open-mindedness, compassion and inclusivity requires continuous commitment to the healthy principles and practices we share as well as a personal commitment from each of us to do our own inner work.  To support this effort, we dedicate ourselves to creating on-going opportunities to educate ourselves about equity, inclusivity, and the forces of oppression on all systemic levels.  Further, we commit to developing and maintaining procedures and practices allowing us to assess our progress toward living our values.