Have you ever noticed the voices within – the ones that push you to get things done, or the ones that whisper words of doubt or shame? The parts of you that seem stuck in old patterns, or the ones that protect you from being hurt again? In Internal Family Systems (IFS), we call these inner voices “parts.” The soul-work of IFS invites us to slow down, turn inward, and listen with compassion. We learn to: • Connect with the parts that show up – even the ones we’d rather avoid. • Build trust by hearing their stories and understanding their roles. • Gently partner with them in healing and releasing the burdens they carry. As this work unfolds, we experience more freedom and harmony within, and more access to being led by Self – that centered, Spirit-connected place where qualities like curiosity, calm, confidence, compassion, creativity, clarity, courage, and connectedness naturally flow. Together, we’ll explore how IFS can deepen our spiritual lives. We’ll practice turning toward whatever feels unsettled inside – to be Jesus to our parts, offering presence and love instead of resistance or dismissal. What if this posture of compassion is the key to truly loving ourselves – and, in turn, loving God and our neighbors as ourselves? This intensive is open to adults at any level of familiarity with IFS. If you’d like to prepare, you might enjoy No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz or visit ifs-institute.com. Please bring a notepad or journal as we journey together toward inner renewal.

Each day, we’ll gather in an experiential space designed to help us embody the worship theme of the day – not just through thought, but through practice. Together, we will move beyond hearing and into being. Through meditation, journaling, sharing, deep listening, singing, and creative expression, we’ll allow the themes of worship to take root within our inner landscape. Guided by the Four Great Connections – with God, Self, Others, and Creation – we’ll explore how these relationships shape our daily experience. Beginning here at Lake Junaluska, we’ll cultivate a posture of noticing, naming, and nurturing what renews our spirits. In doing so, we honor the sacred gifts God has entrusted to each of us and open ourselves more fully to who we are created to be. This time together is meant to be a sacred pause – a moment to breathe, reflect, and attune to the gentle of the Spirit. As we journey through the week, we’ll listen for how God is meeting us in, around, and through our lives. What invitations are emerging? What memories are asking to be rekindled? What life-giving truths are ready to be carried forward as we return home? You are encouraged to bring a notebook for this experience. Come ready to listen deeply, to participate wholeheartedly, and to be renewed from the inside out.

Tracy DePue is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and Level 1 Internal Family Systems (IFS) Practitioner, based in Little Rock, AR. She leads the ministry InsideOut Spiritual Living, which provides individual spiritual direction, workshops, retreats, and courses to help people deepen their inner connection – with God, Self, others, and creation. Tracy earned her Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where she now serves in a faculty role co-teaching the final practicum focused on art, music, and group spiritual direction. Her work is rooted in compassionate listening and creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where people can tell their sacred stories, discern what is happening in their spiritual journey, and pay attention to God’s presence in the midst of life’s transitions. Her training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) complements her spiritual direction work. Tracy completed her Level 1 IFS training in January 2023 as a non-therapist practitioner. Through IFS, she helps people identify and build relationships with their “parts” – those inner voices, beliefs, and embodied sensations that often drive behavior – to help access their core Self, with qualities of calmness, compassion, courage, confidence, connectedness, curiosity, and creativity, and clarity. Tracy’s path to this work was shaped by her long service in church music ministry. For over 25 years, she served in full-time music roles in Presbyterian (PCUSA) and United Methodist congregations in Texas and Arkansas. Her experience in ministry sharpened her listening and relational skills. In 2017, she felt called to shift to a more inward-facing vocation beyond the walls of the church, one that focuses on spiritual formation and the often-hidden work of inner healing. Tracy DePue combines faithful spiritual companionship with deep psychological insight – guiding others toward greater self-awareness, healing, and wholeness through a spiritually grounded, IFS-informed lens.