Inner Quality and IFS with Justin Wilford

Justin Wilford, PhD, is a Level 2 trained Internal Family Systems practitioner, writer, and community facilitator working with high-performing professionals and entrepreneurs ready to do deeper inner work. He holds two PhDs — from UCLA and UC Irvine — and spent the early part of his career translating cutting-edge mental health research into tools for patients facing serious medical crises.

After he and his wife cofounded a childhood cancer nonprofit following their son's brain tumor diagnosis in 2011, Justin's path shifted toward helping people access their core, authentic selves. He now coaches clients using Internal Family Systems (IFS), writes the “Self Energy” newsletter on Substack, and leads retreats and practice communities focused on presence, vulnerability, and showing up more fully in work and life.

In this episode, Willy and Justin explore the practice of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and how healing our inner “parts” transforms the outer quality of our relationships and work, weaving in the hermetic maxim “as within, so without.”

They trace Justin's path into IFS, unpack concepts like self-leadership, unblending, and the healing power of witnessing, and reflect on integrating psychedelic experience, verticality versus horizontality, and how becoming a better friend to oneself makes one a better friend to others.