What is IPF?

The Ideal Parent Figure (IPF) protocol is the first pillar of the Three Pillars Model to repairing attachment problems, as developed by Harvard psychologists Daniel P. Brown and David S. Elliott. Insecure attachment, formed during a person's first two years of life, creates the foundation for difficulties in mentalizing and regulating emotional states which can lead to poor self-esteem, anxiety, relationship instability, and higher risk of addiction and mental health issues. IPF uses the effective and transformative power of imagination to re-create childhood experiences to embed a new, secure internal working model. It is a facilitated and iterative process in which the client experiences an attachment relationship with ideal parent figures perfectly suited to their nature. In the experiential imagery, time is expanded, leaving the client with an experience that is markedly longer than actual time. The facilitator helps the client shape and re-shape their experiences based on factors known to support secure attachment and also helps to amplify and anchor positive experiences in the body. IPF also supports developing the capacity to track moment-to-moment states of mind, which is important in emotional regulation and collaborative communication.

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