A model of brief therapy incorporating current developments in psychodynamic, interpersonal, attachment, experiential, and systems approaches will be presented. This approach is designed to be of help with the so-called difficult client who has chronically dysfunctional ways of relating to others. Videotaped segments of actual sessions will illustrate formulation and intervention strategies.
Participants will learn how to incorporate sensory, psychological, mythic, spiritual and unitive states to bring personal potential to social change at a community, professional and cultural level.
This course will use theory, clinical examples, techniques, PowerPoint illustrations, quotations and experiential metaphorical fantasy to display how compassionately playful client-therapist interactions can serve to encourage transcendence from suffering, solution expansion and professionally appropriate intimacy while also discouraging states of maladaptive isolation.
The "Pointing Out Patterns" approach is a three-phase, nine-step process, which addresses the negative patterns of thinking and behavior that cause clients intrapsychic and interpersonal stress. The clinician rapidly observes and reveals these negative patterns, e.g., entitlement, intimidation, people-pleasing, etc., to the client, in a caring, supportive and straightforward manner, and assists the client in quickly diminishing, or eradicating negative patterns of thought and behavior.
"Common factors" or "specific techniques" - what really creates lasting change in brief therapy? This course presents ways of using both components together in a flexible solution-focused approach. Through collaborative conversation, tailored to client preferences, this approach creates positive expectancy, inviting amplification of what works and changing what does not. When more is needed - in the spirit of - "if it doesn't work, do something different" - specific techniques are seamlessly introduced and integrated into solution-focused conversations.
Stop-Breathe-Focus (SBF) diffuses volatile situations, interrupts addictive/compulsive behaviors, resolves conflicts, facilitates healthy decisions and changes problematic behavior. SBF is useful to make changes quickly, to autopsy previous behaviors and to create a plan for behavior change; all in a simple, easy-to-use package.
Excessive anxiety in childhood is a significant predictor of eventual comorbid depression and other conditions. This presentation will identify the cognitive processes and coping strategies that help create a cycle of anxiety, psychosocial isolation, and depression in anxious children and families. Attention will be given to the development of specific, empirically supported Ericksonian strategies which can help shift the anxious individual and family toward malleability, creativity and adaptability.