Level 1 vs Level 2 IFS Training: What the Difference Means for Your Therapy
If you have been researching Internal Family Systems therapy and looking at practitioners in Sydney or across Australia, you may have noticed that some therapists list Level 1 IFS training and others list Level 2. The distinction is significant, and understanding what each level involves helps you make a more informed choice about who to work with.
I completed Level 2 IFS training through the IFS Institute in 2019 and have worked exclusively with this model for seven years. This post explains what each training level actually involves and what the difference means in practice.
How IFS Training Is Structured
The IFS Institute, the official training organisation founded by Dr Richard Schwartz, offers three levels of practitioner training. Each level builds on the previous one and involves a combination of didactic teaching, demonstration, practicum work, and supervised clinical practice. Completing any of the three levels is a substantial undertaking. They are not short courses or introductory workshops.
Level 1: The Foundation
Level 1 training introduces the IFS model in its entirety. Participants learn the core framework, the concept of parts, the distinction between managers, firefighters, and exiles, and the qualities of the Self. They practice applying the model with clients under supervision and develop a foundational ability to guide IFS sessions.
Level 1 is what most IFS-trained therapists in Australia have completed. It is a genuine and rigorous foundation that equips practitioners to work effectively with many presentations. For a significant number of clients, a Level 1 trained therapist will be the right fit.
Level 2: Advanced Clinical Training
Level 2 training goes substantially deeper. It builds on the foundations of Level 1 with advanced supervised clinical work, focusing specifically on more complex presentations including trauma, relational dynamics, and the kinds of internal systems where protective parts have become very deeply entrenched.
Level 2 involves more extensive practicum hours, peer consultation, and supervised practice than Level 1. Practitioners work at the level of unburdening with more precision, develop a deeper understanding of how the model applies when the system is stuck, and refine their capacity to hold the work with more complex trauma histories.
There are fewer than 30 Level 2 trained IFS practitioners across the whole of Australia. It is a genuinely advanced qualification within the IFS field.
Level 3: Specialist and Trainer Development
Level 3 training is designed for experienced practitioners who are moving toward becoming IFS programme assistants or trainers themselves. It is not a prerequisite for high-quality clinical practice and is a small step removed from direct client work. Most clients will never need to consider Level 3 when choosing a therapist.
What This Means in Practice
The difference between Level 1 and Level 2 training is not about one being good and the other being inadequate. Level 1 trained practitioners do important and effective work. The difference becomes most relevant in specific circumstances.
If you are working with significant trauma, a history of complex or relational wounding, or an internal system where protective parts have been very active for a long time, a Level 2 trained therapist will typically have a deeper toolkit and more supervised experience with exactly those presentations. The model can go further when the practitioner has trained further.
For clients with more straightforward goals, the difference may be less pronounced. The fit between client and therapist, the quality of presence, and the consistency of the therapeutic relationship all matter alongside training level.
How to Verify IFS Training
The IFS Institute maintains a public practitioner directory at ifs-institute.com where you can filter by country and training level. Any certified practitioner should appear there. If someone describes themselves as an IFS therapist but is not in the directory, they may have attended an introductory workshop rather than the full certification programme.
You can verify my Level 2 certification at my IFS Institute practitioner profile.
IFS Therapy in Sydney
If you are based in Sydney and looking for a Level 2 trained IFS therapist, I offer in-person and online sessions from my North Sydney practice. I am also PACFA-registered (number 16179) and have been in practice for seven years working exclusively with this model.
The easiest way to find out whether this is the right fit for you is through a free 15-minute intro call, which you can book at crawfweir.as.me.
