The IPF Protocol is a therapeutic approach that employs guided visualization to repair and remodel an individual's internal working model of attachment. This model reflects our patterns of connecting emotionally with others and is shaped during early childhood. The IPF seeks to cultivate secure attachment by introducing clients to imagined "ideal" parent figures that embody the nurturing qualities needed for emotional security and stability. #### Principle Central to the IPF is the understanding that early developmental experiences, particularly within the first two to three years of life, significantly impact our attachment styles and emotional well-being ([[Attachment Theory]]). Secure attachment is built on five key factors: safety, attunement, comfort, delight, and support for exploration. The IPF aims to provide these through a constructed relationship with idealized parent figures, which are not based on one's actual parents but on the embodiment of perfect nurturing qualities #### Process The IPF uses guided [[Meditation]] to allow individuals to engage with these ideal parent figures, fostering a secure attachment experience. This visualization process helps to heal the insecure attachment models and address various symptoms like affect dysregulation, fearfulness, and instability in relationships that often characterize adults with disorganized attachment #### Most useful for This framework is particularly beneficial for individuals with disorganized attachment styles or those who have experienced early developmental trauma. It addresses the root causes of attachment disturbances and has been shown to significantly decrease symptom severity and attachment traumatization, with improvements in quality of life. Moreover, these benefits were found to be stable over an eight-month follow-up, making it a promising approach for enduring change​. The IPF offers a stabilizing treatment for those suffering from complex posttraumatic stress disorder ([[CPTSD]]) related to childhood trauma, providing psychological resources to decrease debilitating symptoms and foster a sense of secure attachment. #### Resources - https://www.psychotherapy.net/blog/title/imagining-the-way-to-self-compassion-using-the-ideal-parent-figure-protocol - https://www.reddit.com/r/idealparentfigures/ - https://www.reddit.com/r/idealparentfigures/comments/vl27y9/introduction_to_the_ideal_parent_figure_method/ - https://adultattachmenthealing.com/ideal-parent-figure-ipf-therapy/ - https://twitter.com/metaLulie/status/1485641230239379463 by [[Lulie]] - https://twitter.com/tasshinfogleman/status/1507744045489131521 by [[Tasshin]] - https://twitter.com/danielbrottman/status/1658639872976994305 - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mxa-with-george-haas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAcUlVEbAtg - https://twitter.com/VividVoid_/status/1634282110734438402 - [[Attachment Repair]]