Helping People Re-engage with Life after Traumatic Experiences

A significant number of people requesting the help of mental health professionals have experienced traumatic events in their lifetime.  Some seek help immediately after a disturbing event, some many years later, not always realizing the ties between present-time suffering and past events. Working with people who have faced traumatic experiences involves consideration of complex dimensions such as the nature and length of the event, intensity of the threat, self-protective attempts, relationships, experiences of self and others, physiological reactions, neural wiring of the experience, and outcome.  Therapeutic work with traumatic experiences requires a skillful balance between re-visiting without re-traumatizing, re-living resiliency without the powerlessness, re-connecting with the body without slipping into fight, flight or freeze. This balance can be better achieved with therapeutic knowledges and conversation maps, understandings of the socio-cultural factors shaping the meaning of the event, and the brain-body ramifications of having been faced with a threatening incident. New findings in Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB), mindfulness, and the fields of embodiment offer rich possibilities of expanding our usual clinical work in ways that can empower clients in more effective and sustainable ways. When the many complex facets of work with traumatic events are integrated, we can thoughtfully help clients of all ages re-engage with their dreams, purposes, hopes and intentions for their lives. We can invigorate their shift from the crippling shadow of the traumatic event into the rich possibilities of living the preferred and purposeful version of themselves. 

This inspiring workshop will offer concrete ways of handling powerful transitions in therapeutic encounters. The transformative practices presented will be exemplified by transcripts, examples, exercises, and videos of clinical conversations, and be applicable in many work settings, including work with children and adults.

This is the last workshop in the Narrative Practice & Emotions series, with Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin and Gerald Monk. Register for the entire series or this single event. 13 Aliant CEs are approved for the entire series.