Voices of Trauma Therapists:

Different Perspectives/Different Experiences

 Past Lectures

Like a Moth to a Flame: Sex Addiction and EMDR by Lalita Salins (Oct 29, 2007)

The various manifestations of sex addiction have morphed into new and tougher strains since the advent of the world wide web.  This lecture will present an overview of the current state of sex addiction treatment.  What makes for effective treatment?  How much does PTSD and/or attachment trauma need to be resolved for therapy to be effective?  How can we best address the negative and shame-based beliefs that often trigger addictive behaviours?  How important is it to address the therapeutic relationship and the dynamics of sexual attraction between client and therapist?  When and how do we involve the partner/spouse?  EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the recommended treatments for PTSD by the American Psychiatric Association.  This lecture will provide a brief overview of EMDR and how it can be incorporated into treatment planning for recovery from sexual addiction.

Relational Healing: Using Transference and Countertransference in the Treatment of Trauma  by Brenda Saxe (Sep 24 2007)

Although trauma survivors suffer from a multitude of wounds, one of the most distressing is their inability to trust and to attach to others in helpful and healthy ways. This lecture will look at the subjective space between client and therapist and how the transference and countertransference can be used to facilitate a more authentic and trusting relationship. All relationships are subject to disconnections and impasses; it is the reparative work between therapist and client that enables the growth of trust and authenticity which can then be used by the trauma survivor in relating to others. Indeed, relational healing is one of the most significant factors to facilitate growth and healing for the trauma survivor.
 

Basics of Psychotropic Medication by Brenda Saxe (May 28, 2007)

This lecture will provide mental health professionals with a basic understanding of psychopharmacology to assist in providing effective treatment to clients who have experienced trauma.  It will consist of a review of the biological functioning of the brain as it relates to mood and behaviour.  A brief overview of the major psychiatric disorders will then be presented, including a discussion of when and why medication should be considered.  The goal is to provide up-to-date knowledge that is immediately useful and relevant to health care professionals when dealing with the medical needs of trauma clients.

Trauma and Intimate Relationships by Jan de Crespigny (April 30, 2007)

A defining feature of trauma is the way in which it overwhelms the capacity to protect and to take care of oneself.  This occurs at a fundamental level and can leave a residue of self-doubt and self-loathing, as well as an enduring reluctance to trust that one will ever be cherished and cared for by another. When these feelings play themselves out in intimate relationships, they can create fault lines and debilitating patterns of interaction for a couple.  This lecture aims to identify some frequently manifested interactional patterns and to present ways to help couples negotiate them so as to understand and find compassion for each other.  The goal is to help them develop safe, sustaining and more secure bonds of attachment.

Embracing the Emptiness Within by Mary Hogan-Finlay (March 26 2007)

This lecture will provide a snapshot of the clinical relationship when the connection between the therapist and client has strengthened and layers of experience unfold to reveal an underbelly of shame and emptiness.  As it is now safe for the core of the narcissistic injuries to be recognized, the healing process can begin.  The emptiness is welcomed and embraced to allow creativity and being to emerge.   The clinical narrative and intervention styles that guide this process will also be elucidated.

Treating Addictions while Treating Trauma: The Perilous Balance by Janice Fraser (Feb 26 2007)

                 Treating trauma survivors who have issues with alcohol or drug use, compulsive behaviours (e.g. eating, gambling, shopping, sexual addiction) or other self-harming behaviours can present a significant challenge. This lecture will discuss how to treat trauma while attending to these destructive and frequently life-threatening behaviours.  Topics will include:  assessing the severity and nature of the addiction, total abstinence vs. harm reduction, the function of the addiction, the issue of safety, the “Canoe Model” (i.e. balancing both recoveries), and the use of supports.

Integrating Models of Ego State Functioning by Susan Oke  (Jan 29 2007)

The work of Carl Jung has been overlooked by most trauma theorists.  While it is true that Jung wrote little directly about trauma, he certainly understood dissociation.  This lecture will explore ways in which Jung’s ideas are pertinent to trauma therapists and how his conception of the individuation process can be integrated into Ego-State Therapy.  The term “Ego-State Therapy” was coined by John and Helen Watkins to describe therapy which addresses the dissociated aspects of the personality. 

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©2006