This workshop will be presented by Kay gardner MS who has been a senior lead trainer for IFS for some thirty years. She will be presenting on IFS as a Spiritual and Energetic path.  Kay will integrate her experience with Hakomi therapy into the presentation due to her extensive experience as a Hakomi therapist and teacher.

Kay Gardner has over 45 years of clinical experience, 35 years of that in private practice and 30 years as a senior Lead Trainer for Internal Family Systems (IFS). She was involved in the development of IFS from the beginning and is considered one of the original mothers of the approach. She is a gifted, heartfelt and much sought after presenter and trainer who brings a body centered and spiritual approach to her work. She was an early developer of the notion of Legacy and Cultural Burdens in IFS. Prior to that she developed a IFS inspired approach to sculpting with couples in groups called Sacred Theater. Prior to her work with IFS, she was a therapist and a teacher of Hakomi Body Centered Psychotherapy.  She has also been a student of yoga and meditation for over 40 years. 

The culmination of her work is represented in her new book entitled “Calling Ourselves Back Home: The Spiritual and Energetic Lens of IFS,” published in 2026 by Tonic Books.

“As one of the early mothers of IFS, Kay Gardner has been influencing me to bring more focus on the body, heart, and spirit to the IFS movement. This book on legacy and cultural burdens is yet another important contribution and I'm so glad that she continues to use her voice to benefit us all.” — Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, Founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy