Who is Eligible:
To be eligible for IFSTC certification, the applicant must have earned a minimum of a master’s degree in their profession and hold a state or national license as listed below, with all training hours and supervision requirements completed to be licensed for independent practice in the state they are licensed.
- Psychologists
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Psychiatrists
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
- Licensed Psychoanalysts
By applying for certification, the applicant agrees to adhere to Evergreen Certifications’ Professional Code of Ethics
This certification is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Training Requirements:
A total minimum of 48 hours of continuing education specific to the integration of trauma and neuroscience within the IFS model.
Pre-approved, 3rd party trainings that meet the training requirements for IFSTC certification include:
Wondering if a course meets the requirements for IFSTC certification? If you did not complete a pre-approved Certification course listed above, you will need to obtain approval from Evergreen that the course you have taken meets the educational standards before reaching out to a consultant for consultation. Please submit a copy of or link to the course title, speaker, outline and learning objectives to info@evergreencertifications.com for review.
Please note that Evergreen Certifications does not offer continuing education, all training must be purchased directly through the accredited training organization. Training is not included in the certification fee.
Consultation:
The applicant must participate in a minimum of 12 sessions of IFS and trauma focused small group (8 or less participants) or individual consultation, with an Evergreen Certifications Approved Consultant*.
- Consultation sessions need to cover both protectors and exiles
- One of the applicant’s consultation sessions must be a live demonstration with a peer or recorded video that shows the applicant completing an unburdening
The consultation sessions must be completed within 2 years of completion of education hours.
Sample IFSTC Case Consultation Form can be found here
*If you are working with an IFS consultant that is not listed as an Evergreen Certifications Approved Consultant, please have the consultant send a copy of their professional license and CV for Evergreen to review for approval to consultant@evergreencertifications.com
Application Process:
For your initial 2-year certification, please complete the following steps.
- Complete a qualifying training
- Complete clinical consultation
- Upload the following documents to your account:
- A copy of the candidate’s professional license
- Evidence of completion of qualifying training, in the form of a CE or completion certificate
- Completed consultation form
- Remit your initial application payment of 199.00 USD online
Evergreen Certifications will certify applicants who meet the above requirements.
Please note: Certification does not imply endorsement of clinical competency. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession’s standards.
Renewal Process:
To maintain IFSTC certification, a renewal is required after your initial 2-year certification. A 2-year renewal requires 6 clock hours of IFS related continuing education and 6 hours of trauma focused continuing education.
Sample IFSTC renewal trainings include:
- The Ultimate IFS Therapy Crash Course: Over 12 Must-Have Techniques for Trauma, Anxiety, Grief and More by Psychotherapy Networker
- Mastering Internal Family Systems Therapy: A Revolutionary & Transformative Treatment for Permanent Healing from PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Substance Abuse and More! by Psychotherapy Networker
- The Complete Internal Family Systems Therapy Competency Course: A Start-to-Finish Instructional Series for Professionals by PESI
Renewal CE content cannot be the same content used for prior renewal or initial certification
Renewal Process
- Complete a qualifying training
- Remit your IFSTC renewal fee of 149.00 USD online
- Upload the following documents to your account:
- A copy of the candidate’s professional license
- Evidence of completion of qualifying training, in the form of a CE or completion certificate
Renewal training hours need to have been taken in the time since you were certified or last recertified.
Renewals are calculated from the date that your certification was issued. If you allow your certification to lapse for more than 2 years, you are no longer eligible to renew your certification and instead can reapply for certification
Frequently Asked Questions
Frank G. Anderson - MD
Frank Anderson, MD, is a world-renowned trauma expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist and global speaker. He is the co-author of the IFS Skills Training Manual (2017), acclaimed best-selling author of Transcending Trauma (2021) and newly released memoir, To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Trauma and Transformation (2024). Dr Anderson has a long affiliation with Bessel van der Kolk at the Trauma Research Foundation. He is passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with cutting edge models of therapy.
Dr. Anderson believes that traumatic events can have a lasting effect on the health and well-being of individuals and that addressing these events will help lead people down a path of love, connection and unity. He is the director and cofounder of the Trauma Institute (traumainstitute.com) and Trauma-Informed Media (trauma-informedmedia.com), organizations that provide educational resources and promote trauma awareness. As a result of his early childhood experiences and personal journey transformation, he is dedicated to bringing more trauma healing to the world. He splits his time between Boston and Los Angeles where he lives with his husband and two sons. Follow him at FrankAndersonMD.com and on Instagram at frank_andersonmd.
Daphne Fatter - Ph.D.
Daphne Fatter, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist, clinical consultant, author, and international speaker dedicated to providing education on integrative trauma-informed therapies. She is the author of “Integrating Internal Family Systems Interventions into EMDR Therapy” (in press). She has also written on integrating ancestral healing with IFS in Altogether Us: Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities, and Trends (2023). With nearly two decades of clinical experience providing trauma treatment, she provides engaging nuances on trauma treatment to international audiences from her seasoned clinical experience treating PTSD, complex trauma and complicated grief.
Dr. Fatter received a Master of Arts in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa University. She was then awarded a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Pennsylvania State University before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Psychology at The Trauma Center under the direct supervision of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, MD. She is the former Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator at the Fort Worth veteran affairs outpatient clinic. She provides training and consultation in her telehealth-based practice based in Dallas, Texas.