Honoring Teen Parts with Ann-Katrin Bockmann, Kasra Mirzaie, and Robin Barre

In this week's episode I welcome three guests--Robin Barre, Ann-Katrin Bockmann, and Kasra Mirzaie--to talk about IFS and working with teenagers.

We explore how IFS often skips over this phase of life, both in how we work with clients and how we relate to our own inner adolescent parts. We tend to romanticize childhood or focus on early wounding, yet there’s a lot of cringing and avoiding when it comes to the teenage years. Adolescence is where so much transformation happens. It’s where meaning gets made. It’s when parts start to emerge with passion, intensity, and voice.

My guests are each doing beautiful work in the world to support teens. Our teens (and teen parts) need room to grow, roll their eyes, slam doors, and ask big existential questions. This episode makes space for and sense of it all.

We talk about normalizing rebellion, exploring identity, meaning making, and listening deeply to the parts of ourselves and our teens who are still figuring it all out. We also talk how IFS can overlook the developmental and cultural realities of adolescence.

This conversation left me feeling full of insight and hope. Speaking of hope, be sure to check out my extended interview with this trio over on The One Inside on Substack, where they each share what is giving them hope right now. 

In this episode, we explore:

• Why adolescence often gets skipped over in parts work

• What we miss when we pathologize normal adolescent development and behavior

• The meaning crisis and mental health crisis we are currently experiencing

• The difference between burdens and suffering that transforms

• Why validation is essential for connecting with teens

• How Self-Led parenting looks different during the teen years

Questions to carry with you:

• What would it be like to revisit your inner teenager with curiosity?

• Which of your parts “woke up” during adolescence?

• What did you need then, and how might you offer it now?

About my guests:

Ann-Katrin Bockmann, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and speech therapist, certified IFS and Somatic IFS therapist, IFS approved clinical consultant and Co Lead Trainer for the IFS Institute. She works at the Institute of Psychology at Hildesheim University (Germany) and in private practice.

Kasra Mirzaie is a licensed psychotherapist, research assistant, and teacher in Germany who works with people of all ages in diverse psychological, educational and medical contexts. 

Robin Barre is a Level 3 trained IFS psychotherapist and approved consultant. She also is a professional consultant for those who provide services for adolescents.

 

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Episode Sponsors:

IFS Demoz 

Curious what Internal Family Systems looks like in action? Join IFS Demoz, a live demonstration series led by IFS pioneer Mike Elkin. Each week, Mike takes on real-world challenges through one-on-one role play, modeling IFS techniques in real time. Whether you're new to IFS or a seasoned practitioner, these sessions offer powerful insights into how the model truly works. Each demo includes an open, inclusive Q&A—so bring your curiosity. Live sessions happen weekly on Zoom, and recordings are available to all registrants.

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