IFS for communities
The PAUSE modelâ„¢ brings the IFS principles into a collective context - e.g. in schools, institutions and companies.
Joanna Curry-Sartori
The PAUSE model:
Self-leadership practiced in communities
The PAUSE model supports people in being conscious, connected, and self-led in their relationships. It translates the core principles of IFS into five clearly defined steps that are practically applicable – in schools, teams, and other communities.
A heartfelt desire gives rise to PAUSE
The model originated from the founder Joanna Curry-Sartori's desire to make self-leadership a tangible experience not only individually, but also collectively.
With over 25 years of experience working with groups in educational and community settings, Joanna focused on fostering respectful interaction – particularly in schools, organizations, and teams. With Internal Family Systems (IFS), she found a powerful and transformative model that enables both individual development and connecting, sustainable relationships within a group context.
From a school in Connecticut out into the world
What began with a small number of schools in the US state of Connecticut has since developed into a globally established practice: The PAUSE model is now successfully used by educational and community leaders as well as professionals in several countries. Joanna's work has given rise to a growing international movement – and PAUSE is now also finding increasing resonance and acceptance in German-speaking countries.
Together with her team at the Self-Leadership Collaborative, she trains more people in this approach every day.
PAUSE for Business
The "PAUSE for Business" training empowers participants to apply the principles of PAUSE for Self-Leadership™ effectively in organizational contexts – in companies, teams, and leadership systems. Participants learn to navigate emotionally challenging situations with clarity and presence, manage conflicts constructively, and foster self-leadership-oriented processes that strengthen connection and accountability.
For organizations, this translates into a noticeable improvement in communication culture, greater emotional maturity within teams, and increased resilience in dealing with stress and change. Employees experience greater psychological safety, appreciative collaboration, and a constructive feedback culture, which contributes to increased engagement, higher productivity, and a sustainable, people-centered work culture.
PAUSE thus creates a link between individual self-leadership and collective effectiveness – and supports organizations in developing sustainable and healthy relationship structures.
The book about PAUSE
An IFS-inspired guide for
relaxed and powerful learning communities
The book "The Self-Led Educator" by Joanna Curry-Santori is an inspiring companion for all those who understand education as a relational process and want to create a powerful, sustainable learning culture from within.
Education born of inner conviction
Many people choose a career in education out of a deep inner drive – the desire to guide and empower young people and make a meaningful contribution. Education is far more than a profession: it requires emotional presence, interpersonal skills, and a high degree of self-regulation.
When exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed, and a sense of being disconnected from one's mission increase, this inevitably has an impact – both on educators and learners. Connections are lost, relationships become more fragile, and the space for genuine learning shrinks.
An IFS-inspired approach for schools
Joanna Curry-Sartori's *The Self-Led Educator* demonstrates how the tools of Internal Family Systems (IFS) can be effectively used in everyday school life. The focus is on working with one's own inner parts as a foundation for greater clarity, presence, and compassion—both in interactions with students and in the collaborative work of the teaching staff.
Acting in a self-directed manner means acting from one's inner self – rather than from reactive patterns, defense mechanisms, or the need to meet expectations. The book reveals how the deeper causes of stress, relationship dynamics, and conflicts can be identified and transformed into healing developmental processes.
This book invites readers to rethink school as a space for connection, safety, and development. It supports the creation of resilient, compassionate, and connected learning communities – grounded in clarity, calm, and inner stability.
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