Challenges in Phase-Oriented Treatment For Patients with Dissociative Symptoms – Central Time – Solomon and Boon – CLOSED

Course Description

Already skilled in treating complex trauma? Then register for Saturday & Sunday's workshop (14 CEs). If you'd like to refresh your skills in complex trauma, be sure to register for Friday's workshop (7 CEs) -- with or without the 2-day workshop on Saturday & Sunday. Please note that when registering, these 2 workshops are being offered separately.

It is important that EMDR therapists be knowledgeable about dissociative symptoms and the clinical phenomena that accompanies such disorders. Challenging treatment issues can arise with clients with complex trauma and dissociative symptoms that impede treatment. This workshop will focus on assessment of complex trauma / dissociative symptoms and treatment of the complications that can occur. Friday's workshop is intended for participants with little or no background in complex trauma and EMDR, which will help participants get the most out of Saturday and Sunday involving assessment and treatment.

Friday, Dr. Solomon will present the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality and integration of EMDR therapy. This background information will enable participants with little background in dissociation (or who want a review) to get the most for Saturday and Sunday focusing on assessment and dealing with therapeutic challenges.

For therapists who have some background/experience on dissociation and complex trauma, Saturday will focus on assessment and differential diagnosis and Sunday will focus on dealing with treatment challenges and how EMDR therapy can be integrated within an overall treatment plan. Teaching points will be illustrated by videos of client sessions.

REVIEW OF COMPLEX TRAUMA & DISSOCIATION

Severe trauma (abuse and neglect) may result in a division of the personality into dissociative parts. Each part has its own sense of self. One (or more) parts mainly operate in everyday living (Apparently Normal Part or ANP). Other parts live in “trauma time” and are stuck in the unbearable threat experienced during the trauma (Emotional Parts or EP). Often there exists a phobic avoidance between the daily living part (ANP), and the emotional parts (EP) that hold the traumatic memories. Treatment needs to proceed according to a Phase Oriented approach of Stabilization, Memory Work, and Personality (re)Integration. EMDR therapy integrates within a phase-oriented approach. The Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality, working with parts, and utilization of EMDR therapy (including modifications specific to this population) will be reviewed.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Participants will be able to:

• Discuss the criteria for dissociative disorder and be able to explain possible complications in the therapeutic relationship
• Make a distinction between more general alterations of consciousness and symptoms indicating a division of the personality
• Make a distinction between alterations of consciousness that do not indicate a division of the personality
• Explain the spectrum of dissociative symptoms
• Describe the conceptual difference between ego states, modes, and dissociative parts
• Describe the levels of structural dissociation of the personality
• Describe the three phases of phase-oriented treatment
• Describe when to work on stabilization of the client
• Describe the pitfalls in therapy with patients with complex dissociative symptoms
• Implement treatment strategies for working with perpetrator imitating parts
• Recognize contraindications to memory work
• Identify strategies for working with shame