The Ideal Parent Figure Protocol is a protocol designed to be used with several other practices to heal attachment wounds created by Daniel Brown and David Elliott.
The basic idea is that in the first few years of life we develop an Internal Working Model of relationships that tells us how we are supposed to relate to other people.
This model tells us what we ought to expect from other people, and what is expected of us.
Perhaps in the first few years of life, after disappointments in bids for attention, you learned that your parents would never meet your needs.
In adulthood, you might still carry around this ingrained expectation that shapes how you interact with others.
Enter The Ideal Parent Figure Protocol.
During the IDF session, a client is asked to imagine having fictional, ideal parents while growing up.
He or she is guided through several scenes, imagining themselves as a child, where these ideal parents can provide all the things that make up a securely attached adult.
These imagined scenes involve the ideal parent providing safety, being attuned to the child, supporting, delighting, and soothing the child.
In this way, a new Internal Working Model is created that the client can bring into his relationships here and now.
By having these positive attachment experiences, new neural pathways are created and a new, secure attachment pattern is established deep in your mind and body.
The research shows that IPF leads to secure attachment in 40-150 sessions with a facilitator.
IPF has also been shown to “lead to fast and stable improvement for individuals with CPTSD and childhood trauma.”
If you’re interested in trying out the The Ideal Parent Figure Protocol you can schedule a meeting with me and we can try it out!
Below is Dan Brown showing the IPF method:
