From Parts to Presence: Internal Family Systems Healing & Global Awakening with Maurice Harvey-Hall
In this episode NTA Vodcast host Sally-Anne Kearns FNTP sits down again with Maurice Harvey-Hall – mindset architect, meditation teacher, spiritual mentor and mental health nurse – to explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS), polyvagal theory, and a spiritual lens on consciousness can help us make sense of the inner shifts so many are feeling right now.
Maurice shares how his path through Taoism, Buddhist psychology, CBT, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and now IFS has shaped the way he understands the “poly-mind” (many parts), the nervous system, and what people are calling a global awakening.
Whether you’re a health practitioner or trying to make sense of your own inner world, this conversation will give you a grounded, practical way to relate to your thoughts, emotions and triggers without shame.
About our guest, Maurice Harvey-Hall
Our guest is Maurice Harvey-Hall is a mindset architect, a meditation teacher and spiritual mentor. His life has been in search of truth and understanding of the nature and fabric of nature and life. His journey has taken him to many parts of the world seeking and finding knowledge. And many parts of the inner worlds of the mind and the spirit.
The joining of the inner and outer worlds has led Maurice to becoming a registered nurse specializing in mental health. He has studied various psychotherapies and has a great affiliation with the mindfulness-based therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy.
Maurice has also studied and Taoist philosophy and Buddhist psychology and has a passion for neuroscience. He has practised mediation over a 25 year period and has found the inner journey of meditation to be an awakening experience.
Maurice was also able to break the cycle of a 15 year cannabis addiction by integrating both eastern and western philosophies and therapies to gain a greater awareness of himself and the thoughts and behaviours that are aligned with higher spiritual purpose.
In this episode we explore:
Maurice’s journey from Buddhist practice and CBT into ACT, polyvagal theory and Internal Family Systems – and how East and West are really talking about the same inner processes in different languages.
The idea of the poly-mind: why we say “a part of me wants X, another part of me wants Y” – and how IFS sees these as real, distinct inner parts with their own stories, beliefs and body sensations.
No bad parts: how protective parts like anger, anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, jealousy or overwhelm are actually safety mechanisms trying to keep us from emotional pain – not character defects.
The difference between parts energy vs Self energy – and the 8 C’s of Self (calm, curiosity, compassion, courage, clarity, confidence, creativity, connection) as a practical way to notice when you’re regulated and present.
How polyvagal theory helps us track when we’re in fight, flight or dorsal shutdown – and why “I’m overwhelmed” is often the nervous system going outside its window of tolerance, not a moral failing.
A simple starting point if you’re in overwhelm: using what you don’t want (e.g. “I don’t want to feel this anxious/jealous/angry”) as a doorway to understand what that part is afraid of and trying to protect.
The power of witnessing – both in relationship and internally: “I see you, I hear you, and you matter” – and how this alone can radically soften anxious, angry or avoidant parts.
How our inner harmonising of parts and Self mirrors what’s happening on the collective level – and why Maurice feels we are in a time of “remembering” who we really are as consciousness having a human experience.
A reflection on manifestation, story and meaning-making – noticing how the mind constantly creates a story about the past and future, and how freedom comes from seeing that we are the ones giving events their meaning.
Key takeaways:
You don’t need to “kill your ego” – your parts formed when there wasn’t enough safety or Self energy available. They’re doing the best they can with the tools they had.
The work is not to get rid of parts, but to befriend and lead them from Self, with curiosity and compassion.
Tracking your body sensations (tight chest, solar plexus, lump in throat, shutdown, agitation) is one of the most direct ways to identify which part is up and what it’s trying to do for you.
Every time you come back to the present moment and drop the judgment-laden story, you’re contributing not just to your own healing, but to the wider collective nervous system.
You can also connect with Maurice here.
About NTA Vodcast Host Sally-Anne Kearns
Sally is a skilled FNTP and podcaster who has a passion for helping women who suffer from pain and inflammation reclaim their health and vitality. Sally uses targeted nutrition and lifestyle practices to help women thrive again.
Connect with Sally Anne via her amazing 40 day health reset