The Syzygy Model™
A coherent model for therapists ready to move beyond stuck sessions.
What Makes the Syzygy Model™ Different
Developed by Bruce Hersey, the Syzygy Model™ integrates EMDR, IFS, and memory reconsolidation into a single, coherent clinical framework.
Most approaches to integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR are built by combining techniques—adding parts language here, inserting an intervention there, or toggling between models when things get stuck.
That can work.
Until it doesn’t.
Because when integration lives at the level of techniques, therapists are left managing the gaps:
When a protector takes over mid-processing
When sessions loop without movement
When clients become overwhelmed
When you’re unsure whether to stay in EMDR or shift into parts work
The Syzygy Model™ was built to solve that problem at its root.
A True Integration—Not a Patchwork
Instead of layering IFS onto EMDR (or switching between them), the Syzygy Model™ is built from a shared foundation across:
EMDR
Internal Family Systems
Memory Reconsolidation (Coherence Therapy)
This means you’re not choosing between models in the moment.
You’re working from a single, coherent framework that explains what’s happening and what to do next.
Most models still organize EMDR work around events and memories.
The Syzygy Model™ recognizes something more clinically accurate:
→ The “target” is always a part—an active, present-moment experience shaped by implicit learning.
A conscious, relational entity.
This shift changes everything:
You stop chasing the “right memory”
You start working directly with what’s alive in the room
Processing becomes more precise, efficient, and responsive
We Don’t Treat Events. We Treat What’s Actually Activated.
A Clear Way to Know When Processing Will Work.
“Dual attention” is often talked about—but the Syzygy Model™ defines it through an IFS lens:
→ Processing works when a part is activated and the client is in a genuine Self-to-part relationship.
Coined by Hersey, we call this Functional Dual Attention.
This gives you a clear clinical compass:
You can assess when to proceed
You can recognize when a protector is interfering
You can intervene before processing breaks down
Built for the Moments Therapists Actually Struggle With
We know that working with complex issues means it is not always easy to access Self and gain the trust of protectors.
The Syzygy Model™ assumes:
Clients are often blended (because that’s the normal human condition)
Protectors will show up early and strongly
“Stuck” moments are not problems—they’re information
And it gives you a structured way to work with that reality:
A clear approach to blended protectors called “Discovery.”
A method for identifying the most relevant part in real time (“the biggest part in the room”)
A bridge between preparation and processing when things aren’t ready to move forward
While other approaches may reference memory reconsolidation, the Syzygy Model™ is built around it.
That means:
You’re not trying to “fix” or override beliefs
You’re creating the exact conditions where change naturally occurs
You understand why a session is (or isn’t) working—not just what to try next
In practice, this feels different.
More clarity.
Less guessing.
Fewer stuck sessions.
And a deeper sense that the work is unfolding—rather than being forced.
Grounded in How Change Actually Happens
Find Your Pathway
Whether you're just beginning to explore parts work or you're already integrating IFS and EMDR, there’s a clear next step.
Choose the pathway that fits where you are and where you want to go.
EMDR TRAINED, IFS CURIOUS
New to parts work? → Step 1: Intro to IFS for EMDR Therapists
Two days of experiential IFS learning designed specifically for EMDR therapists.
IFS curious, non-EMDR therapists are also welcome!
Learn the fundamentals of IFS Therapy
Practice essential introductory skills of working with parts
Walk away with concepts you can use immediately in session
FORMALLY TRAINED IN BOTH MODELS
Already know IFS + EMDR? → Step 2: IFS-informed EMDR
Learn how to integrate both models in real time with the Syzygy Model™, a clear, repeatable clinical framework.
For therapists who have completed Step 1 or IFS Level 1 and want a clearer, more structured way to integrate the models.
Move beyond “blending concepts” into a cohesive framework
Strengthen assessment and targeting through a parts lens
Apply the Syzygy Model™ with precision and confidence
Not sure where to start?
→ Join us for Step 1. It’s where most therapists begin—and where things start to click.