I’m starting a new segment on my blog called Therapy Book Club in where I read a new therapy / self-help book and give you my thoughts. This month, I’m reading No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz, PhD. 

This particular book I’m reading as an audiobook while I take my son on stroller walks (one of few ways I can consume my books these days). It’s one of those rare non-fiction books that have drawn me in so fast. Usually, I have to fight my way through finishing a non-fiction book, but I’m giddy to find I can’t wait to keep learning about this one. 

No Bad Parts is a book that introduces the theoretical model of IFS (Internal Family Systems). As therapists, we are encouraged to choose a theoretical model to practice therapy from and base our work out of–IFS is one of those models. While this book is helpful in introducing IFS to people working in therapy spaces, I believe clients can take away a whole lot of good from this book too. 

Dr. Schwartz challenges the idea of a “mono-mind,” or the concept that our mind is made up of just ‘one entity’ but rather we are made up of multiple sub-minds or “parts.”

“All of us are born with many sub-minds—or parts,” says Dr. Schwartz. “These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us—and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”

One of my favorite parts (lol) of this book were the invitations by the author to pause and interact with these parts of yourself and see what comes up. This was a bit challenging while on a stroller walk with a baby, but I tried my best. Once I became curious about my parts, there was one who wanted to interact with me immediately. It was my overachiever part. 

This is a part of me I struggle with because this part constantly wants to create and achieve and succeed and accomplish big things. But it’s like the Cookie Monster–it’s not satisfied with just one; there must be more! I sat (or walked, rather) with this part of me and was surprised with what I found. And this is only one part that I interacted with–there are so much more! 

My recommendation:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I highly recommend this book to both therapists and clients alike! This book was insightful, helpful, and approachable. It did not feel dry or like they were introducing hard-to-understand topics–as some therapy books can be. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about IFS and/or anyone who wants to learn more about understanding all parts of yourself—even the complicated parts of us. Sometimes we do, think, or feel in certain ways that difficult to understand and empathize with. I believe this book introduces a fresh perspective on how to approach those parts of us and what we do with them.

If you give it a read/listen, I’d love to know your thoughts!