Medication Can Silence the Parts That Are Trying to Save You

In this engaging and heartfelt episode of In Conversation with Janina Fisher: Wisdom Between Colleagues—Insights for Us All, Janina Fisher, PhD, is joined by psychiatrist, author, and trauma specialist Frank Anderson, MD for a wide-ranging conversation that is both clinically insightful and deeply personal.

With over three decades in the field of trauma and dissociation, Frank reflects on his evolution from a young Harvard-trained psychiatrist to a pioneering voice in Integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS), neuroscience, and psychopharmacology. Now, with multiple bestselling books, a production company, and a growing public platform, Frank is on a mission to bring trauma healing beyond the therapy office—to the wider world.

Together, Janina and Frank explore:

• How to prescribe medication with respect for parts and without re-enacting power dynamics

• Why trauma-informed psychopharmacology must be collaborative, consensual, and education-focused

• The healing power of internal consensus—“all parts must agree” before a script is written

• The myth that antidepressants “fix” depression—and how they actually work to widen the window of tolerance

• Why therapy that only targets memory, but not blended parts, misses the heart of complex trauma

• Frank’s concept of medications as unblending agents, helping clients step out of reliving and into relationship with their experience

• Stories of early trauma treatment missteps—and the lessons we’ve learned from them

• The shift from regressive parts mapping to strategic, systems-informed integration

• Frank also shares highlights from his books:

• To Be Loved — a memoir and upcoming feature film exploring truth, trauma, and transformation

• Transcending Trauma — a guide to treating complex PTSD with IFS and neuroscience

• IFS Skills Training Manual — a practical workbook that became a foundational tool for clinicians

The episode also includes a moving discussion about Frank’s production company, Trauma-Informed Media, and their work developing a docuseries adaptation of The Body Keeps the Score in collaboration with Bessel van der Kolk. Frank speaks passionately about reaching trauma survivors around the globe who may never access therapy—and about the urgent need for accessible, accurate information at scale.

Throughout, Janina and Frank reflect on their 30-year friendship, their complementary clinical philosophies, and their shared reputation for helping the clients others fear to touch. Their chemistry is warm, funny, and real—and their insights speak directly to clinicians navigating the complex intersections of parts, trauma, and pharmacology.

This episode is for:

• Therapists curious about how medication fits in trauma treatment

• Clinicians working with blended, suicidal, or highly dysregulated clients

• Survivors looking to understand the why behind their healing journey

• Anyone seeking hope, humility, and clarity in the chaos of complex trauma

As Frank says:

“I educate. You decide. And no medication happens until all parts are on board.”

Whether you’re a therapist, survivor, educator, or just trauma-curious, this conversation offers validation, vision, and a gentle challenge: How can we take what we know—and share it with the world?

Frank Anderson, MD, is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and psychotherapist, specializing in trauma and dissociation. He is a lead trainer for the IFS Institute and has a long-standing affiliation with Bessel van der Kolk’s Trauma Center. He also serves as an advisor to the International Association of Trauma Professionals. His most recent books include To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Trauma, and Transformation, a memoir about his personal journey, and Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems.

https://www.frankandersonmd.com/

Program with Janina: https://www.frankandersonmd.com/trauma-beyond-the-story