A Therapist’s Guide to the Psychopharmacology of Trauma and Dissociation

CPD

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Faculty

Frank Anderson, MD Related seminars and products

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Frank Anderson, MD, completed his residency and was a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is both a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He specializes in the treatment of trauma and dissociation and is passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with the IFS model of therapy.

Dr. Anderson is a lead trainer at the IFS Institute with Richard Schwartz and maintains a long affiliation with, and trains for, Bessel van der Kolk’s Trauma Center. He serves as an advisor to the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP) and was the former chair and director of the Foundation for Self-Leadership.

Dr. Anderson has lectured extensively on the Neurobiology of PTSD and Dissociation and wrote the chapter “Who’s Taking What” Connecting Neuroscience, Psychopharmacology and Internal Family Systems for Trauma in Internal Family Systems Therapy – New Dimensions. He co-authored a chapter on What IFS Brings to Trauma Treatment in Innovations and Elaborations in Internal Family Systems Therapy, and recently co-authored Internal Family Systems Skills Training Manual.

His most recent book, entitled Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems was released on May 19, 2021.

His memoir, To Be Loved, was released on May 7, 2024.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Frank Anderson maintains a private practice. He is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Self Leadership and has employment relationships with The Trauma Center and The Center for Self Leadership. Dr. Anderson receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Frank Anderson is a member of the New England Society Studying Trauma and Dissociation and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.

Objectives

1. Integrate psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of trauma and dissociation.
2. Determine the positive and potentially negative effects of psychoactive medication interventions related to trauma treatment.
3. Prepare clients effectively for the implementation of psychopharmacological adjuncts to psychotherapy.
4. Analyze the neurobiological effects of trauma to the dysregulation of neurotransmitters and the use of mitigating medications.
5. Assess therapeutic indications for appropriate medication referrals.

Outline

• Effectively approaching traumatized clients with medication supports
• Classification of the different types of trauma
  • Normative responses
  • Iatrogenic risks of rapid psychopharmacological treatment
• Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)
  • Working with “parts of self” and medication interventions
  • Primary types of parts
• Therapists’ role in medications – facilitating compliance
  • Indications for medication referrals
  • Integrating IFS with medication management
  • Video case example – securing parts agreement and clarifying expectations
• Neuroscience and the neurobiology of PTSD 
  • Neural networks and neural integration
  • Fear response circuitry – normal and disrupted function
• Neurotransmitters and medications
  • Specific effects of most commonly used medication interventions
• Treating Acute Trauma
  • Current psychopharmacological research and new directions
  • Negative effects of benzodiazepine use
• Treating PTSD
  • Indicated medications and common side effects
• Psychedelic assisted psychotherapy
  • Enhancing self-compassion and reducing defences
  • Limitations of current research
• Hormones and PTSD
• Polyvagal theory and Dissociation
  • Differentiating ventral and dorsal parasympathetic function  
• Treating Dissociation – applications of atypical antipsychotics
  • Medications new to the market
• Psychosis, Bipolar Disorder and Trauma - Co-morbidities and Trauma 
  • Use of PRN medications and scheduling
  • Discriminating between biological and emotional symptoms
• Sleep disturbances
  • Psychotropics used – effects and side effects
• Attention Deficit Disorder – overlap and medication interaction with PTSD
• Substance abuse and indicated medications
• Depression and co-morbid PTSD
  • Star-D study results
  • Polypharmacy for PTSD symptomology
• OCD  
• Alternative treatments for Trauma

Target Audience

• Addiction Counselors
• Case Managers
• Counselors
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Other Mental Health Professionals