Between 2003 and 2006 Dr. Terr collected 48 vignettes form 34 child and adolescent psychiatrists describing turning points in young people's therapies. Before the turning point, the child patient had been making progress, at a standstill, or doing poorly. Afterward, he or she changed dramatically for the better. This keynote will present four aspects of these dramatic changes that therapists can easily keep in mind: the therapist's persona; the therapeutic atmosphere; the therapist's correct "read" of the child; and the therapeutic reaction. Many of these moments come with careful planning. But, just as many - or more - develop in a "blink."
This short course will approach therapist sculpting as an experiential tool based on the idea that dynamic experiences precede dynamic understandings. The presenter will offer an integrative approach to problems that is brief, experiential, phenomenological and effective. Therapist sculpting allows the therapist to empathize with the client; helps the client to disengage from the problem and focus on what is important; and helps the client discover new possibilities.
Often, "oh, no!" is the first response to loss, be it a wallet, loved one, or dream. Something is gone. What happens next? One could get mired in cultural expectations that there must be denial, anger, depression - or, one can flow through the natural grief sequence to understanding, having appropriate emotions and being proactive. Learn how to get back into balance processing grief with nature's intention - having loving and healthy connections.
Patients enter therapy trapped in games far too complicated to solve by themselves. The therapist offers insights by simplifying the double and triple roles in the Drama Triangle, and offers clear choices by simplifying the possible escape routes to use. An experiential exercise is included.
The language a therapist uses to conceptualize and treat a problem determines whether or not that problem can be resolved effectively. Plato's story of the cave, where the inhabitants see only shadows, is a useful metaphor for how the language of therapy can generate either confusion or clarity. This workshop will teach a method of effectively treating severe problems of children and adolescents, using an invariant opening question, strategic dialogue and metaphorical techniques.
With the increase in weight loss surgery, both physical and psychological recovery is an important concern and struggle for patients. The focus of this short course will be on both body and "emotional dysmorphic disorder," that is not "seeing" oneself as others do. We will address how brief how brief, effective mind-body approaches can aid in resolving these conditions and enhance lasting recovery. Methods will include counseling, social support, massage, yoga, martial arts, acupuncture and exercise.
This presentation poses a substance abuse treatment which acknowledges and accommodates the personal needs being addressed by substance use, bypasses perceived resistance and employs idiosyncratic psycho-biological learning to achieve a body-mind Gestalt complementary to the client's sobriety. Client self-empowerment and relapse prevention are built into the intervention. This method develops a safe framework for addressing any subsequent mental health themes directly or indirectly related to substance misuse. A simple form of bodymind communication, known as ideomotor questioning, is employed in this procedure. Because this is a new strategy, fundamental information applicable to all levels of professional experience, will be provided.
Fuzzy Focus is a method that therapists can use to bring about quick and effective results. Fuzzy Focus is a process whereby unconscious resources are accessed by disrupting existing mind-sets, which are keeping alternative frames of reference unavailable. To use Fuzzy Focus effectively, therapists must be grounded with a coherent understanding of human nature and human consciousness. This workshop teaches the participant Fuzzy Focus as well as the theoretical framework needed to use Fuzzy Focus.
Competent supervision is necessary for producing skilled clinicians, for resolving difficult situations in the supervisory relationship, and in helping clinicians resolve difficult situations with clients. Several key vignettes will be addressed that involve scenarios that challenge the supervisor-supervisee relationship, create opportunities for building supervisee's clinical competence, and/or involve stuck cases that need to be resolved.
Disturbed sleep painfully contributes to depression. Paradoxically, client's symptoms become pathways that disarms suffering, yielding to the solace of sound sleep. Clients then pace healing to the rhythms of restorative sleep, without excess alarm. Ericksonian-based trance language directly addressing disturbed sleep first, and indirectly addressing depression will be offered.