Recent comments in /f/IAmA

ramasamymd OP t1_j8oz06k wrote

This is because sperm can remain in the semen and the reproductive system for several months following the procedure, and it can take up to 90 days or more for all the remaining sperm to clear out despite several ejaculations.

https://www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/vasectomy-guideline

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ramasamymd OP t1_j8oydot wrote

the success of a vasectomy reversal can vary based on various factors such as the experience of the surgeon, the technique used, and the specific circumstances of the patient. However, with proper surgical techniques, the success rate can be high. It is best to consult with a qualified medical professional for an individual assessment of your specific case. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21716894/

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TylerJWhit t1_j8oxt60 wrote

Do you have any idea the physical toll, that three vasectomies have on a person?

Serious note:

  1. In your experience, is there any significant misinformation as it pertains to vasectomies that you would like to clear up?

  2. Are there substantial health benefits to vasectomies beyond birth control? Risks?

  3. Do you notice a pervasive gender inequality as it pertains to contraceptive decision making and medical research?

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8ots5n wrote

Hi u/mikebookseller, thanks for the question.

I have to admit I feel sad reading this because I'm guessing you're asking from personal experience.

One of the biggest antidotes is building a live human connection with a caring, safe person. Therapy is one way to do this.

You can look for an IFS therapist or another therapist. The main important quality is that you feel deeply respected by them. That your inner compass says YES.

If you decide to look for a therapist, I'd recommend planning to interview several.

After meeting a potential therapist, you might like to pay attention to your dreams (if you remember them), for signs about whether it's a good fit.

I hope this helps.

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8ot5a2 wrote

Yes, u/bokurai. I found IFS as a young adult after a traumatic incident. The trauma therapist I saw began with EMDR - which was very helpful - then incorporated IFS into sessions.

When I first got into Self energy, I felt like I'd finally returned to who I really was. I became aware I'd forgotten who I was for so long that I didn't even know I'd lost "me."

It was such an incredible feeling that I was hooked. I immediately read all the IFS literature available at the time (only Dick Schwartz books back then!) and began adopting IFS into my worldview.

Years later, I had trouble finding an IFS therapist, and I got fed up of the frustration. I decided to sign up for an official IFS training - mainly to get the personal benefit, to be honest!

My book coming out in autumn 2023 goes into the FULL story 😉

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8osjny wrote

Hi u/nephilim80,

You ask about narcissism. Hot topic!

People who qualify for a diagnosis or narcissism will have been that way essentially since childhood. No amount of adult introspection will turn someone into a narcissist. Quite the opposite, in fact: Narcissists are not interested in actually seeing themselves, because at the core they feel they're worthless. Instead, they're interested in puffing up their persona.

That said, I do want to point out that there is a healthy degree of narcissism, if we're talking about concern for one's well-being and positive self-view. In fact, children have a "narcissistic" view of the world. It's developmentally appropriate.

Regarding social media and the ego: Our egos are perpetually in danger of becoming unbalanced and externalizing our sense of worth, which is a prime quality of narcissism.

About swiping in dating apps: There likely are such studies, you could search on Google Scholar. I'd tend to agree with your guess.

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8orjsf wrote

Hello u/profanitymanatee, thanks for your patience with my reply.

Have you experienced IFS therapy yourself, as a client?

This can be the most long-term rewarding investment of resources because your own inner explorations of the inner word will always be accessible to you, and won't be constrained by an outside curriculum.

You might know that the waitlist to get into an official IFS training is over 7,000 people long. It's a lottery, though, so you can join the waitlist and cross your fingers you get lucky.

I've had some therapists join my Soul-Led IFS Mastermind instead of waiting for the official training, so they can get direct experience themselves. If you want to learn more, you can check it out here: https://seekdeeply.com/mastermind

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8or0zy wrote

Sure! Some Jungians feel that we all have both an animus and anima.

Another way of viewing it is that the animus/anima is essentially the guide between our ego (the regular you, the person you feel you are, your consciousness) and the unconscious.

We all have that, and one view is whether we call it the animus or anima is somewhat irrelevant.

That said, there are some recognizable characteristics that are traditionally recognized to cluster around the animus and others around the anima. So an agender or nonbinary person might feel their inner guide more resembles the animus or the anima.

The anima and animus are really hard to understand. We can't truly pin them down. Kinda like you and I were just discussing with parts in IFS ...

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8opx6d wrote

Hi u/business_adultman, it's heart-filling to hear about the healing and flourishing you've found with the help of your IFS therapist. Thank you for sharing about with us all.

You ask about my perspective on responsible use of psychedelics with parts work.

To be completely open: I don't work with psychedelics in my practice nor have much interest in them. Why?

  1. I find the psyche immensely mystical without bringing in plant medicine. IFS would be an example of that. We can enter non-ordinary reality via parts work, no need for chemicals to be a part of that.
  2. While the psychedelics experiences can be immensely meaningful, my main interest is in helping people live their regular lives in a way that is deeply honoring of themselves. And I find that's achievable via long-term regular therapy - for my clients, at least. So I don't see the need for the psychedelics, and I think they can be a distraction. My bent is towards foundational change in daily life, not seeking peak experiences.

BUT I understand psychedelics can be immensely helpful for people. With - as you said - the proper support, context and integration resources. I know multiple people who feel psychedelics have provided critical turning points in their personal development.

Dick Schwartz, founder of IFS, has been very supportive of IFS and psychedelics for several years. If you google "Richard Schwartz psychedelics" there are several interviews with him where you can hear his view. He envisions IFS becoming the standard of care for psychedelic work.

Let me know if you have more questions.

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kabre t1_j8op5ff wrote

>From my view, it's critical to honor the mystery inside, that we can't
pin down everything, and that we have no right to, in fact. Our
unconscious has the right to exist, too.

I've got a part that gave a big grin and double thumbs up to this bit of what you said, ha!

I like this take, and it tracks a little with my own (admittedly untrained) theory. IFS is a particular tool for a particular job, and it's very good at that job, and at seeing parts who are in distress. I came to IFS with a working knowledge of a good handful of parts already, via creative work, and while some of those parts have slotted tidily into IFS roles there are others who don't. So this makes sense to me, but it's also good to hear it from someone trained in the modality as well.

A bit of a diversion, but, having not looked into Jungian stuff much but being passingly aware of the concept of anima/animus, I'm very curious about how you would look at the idea of the anima/animus when considering someone who identifies as agender or nonbinary.

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8onuk3 wrote

I'm glad this is helpful. I love The Body Keeps the Score. Author Bessel van der Kolk is originally from the Netherlands, in fact!

Yes, there are a lot of therapists combining IFS with such practices. A Google search for IFS + (any of these terms) will probably be fruitful.

I'm an art therapist myself and teach people how to integrate solo IFS and art therapy in my 9-month Soul-Led IFS mastermind which involves live 1-on-1 guidance from me in learning how to do IFS on yourself - https://seekdeeply.com/mastermind One of the important ritual steps involves the body, so that we can do IFS with wholeness rather than splitting off from our physical selves.

Susan McConnell has a well-received book all about IFS and somatics https://www.amazon.com/Practitioners-Guide-Somatic-IFS-Therapy/dp/1623174880

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8omwwl wrote

Hi u/Justarandom_Joe I don't personally. Googling "IFS therapy for RAD reactive attachment" shows several resources, but I'm sure you've already done that.

For RAD I do recommend the work and books of Dr. Karyn Purvis, if you don't already know her.

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8omaqt wrote

Hi u/cdank, interesting question.

Generally speaking, IFS is right for a very wide spectrum of people.

I'd say it's not right for someone whose intention with IFS is to force change or healing inside themselves. Because this would mean abusing the powerful tool of IFS.

At least, it's not right for someone who's blended with a Self-Like Part that's determined to force change. But an experienced IFS therapist would be able to see that person is blended with a part and help them unblend so they can approach IFS with an attitude of true healing.

You can learn about how to unblend from Self-Like Parts like these in my free workshop next week: https://seekdeeply.com/workshop-ifs-therapy/

Aside from that, if someone really doesn't resonate with IFS, it might not be the right modality for them. (Sure, we could say that's a part feeling that way, but that doesn't mean the part's wrong.)

It's all about trusting yourself. Asking: What does my inner compass say?

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LucilleAaronWayne OP t1_j8olpfv wrote

Hi u/Coliexsunshine, super connection you're making.

YES, absolutely parts can cause pain in the body. They can cause all sorts of physical symptoms. I've worked with many people with psychosomatic issues stemming from parts, and IFS can make a big difference.

Speaking personally, I developed an intolerance of gluten as an adult and later met the part that was causing this symptom. I learned why it was doing this, and negotiated over it agreeing to relieve the symptom. Today, I can tolerate gluten much better than before working with that part. (Scientific talk: I think of this particular example as the part turning on something I had a genetic predisposition to, aka using epigenetics to communicate with me)

Often these parts are frustrated we're not hearing them, and they're trying to communicate something to us.

It'd be much easier if they could directly tell us, wouldn't you agree? But we have to set the conditions to make that possible.

Which leads to your final question.

As a starting point, you could begin a session asking to meet the part(s) of you connected to the physical pain. You would then ask the part what it's job is, and what it's afraid would happen if it doesn't send you that pain.

This can be complex work and if you're in physical pain, really affecting your quality of life. You might want to consider finding an IFS therapist to guide this, if you can afford it. A good directory is here: https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners

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