Don Meichenbaum, Ph.D. Presents: Intensive Workshop: Treating Trauma Through the Integration of CBT and Constructive Narrative Therapy

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Donald Meichenbaum, PhD Related seminars and products

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Don Meichenbaum, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor Emeritus from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada from which he took early retirement 20 years ago. He is presently Research Director of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention in Miami (Please see www.melissainstitute.org). He is one of the founders of Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

In a survey of clinicians reported in the American Psychologist he was voted “one of the ten most influential psychotherapists of the 20th century.” He has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Clinical Division of the American Psychological Association and was Honorary President of the Canadian Psychological Association.

He has presented in all 50 U.S. states and internationally. He has published extensively and most recently published Roadmap to Resilience: A Guide for Military Trauma Victims and Their Families (visit www.roadmaptoresilience.com). His other books include Treatment of Individuals with Anger Control Problems and Aggressive Behavior; Stress Inoculation Training; Facilitating Treatment Adherence; and The Unconscious Reconsidered.

He has consulted for various populations including veterans’ hospitals, the National Guard, psychiatric treatment centers for children, adolescents and adults, treatment center for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, torture victims, Native populations, deaf populations and school boards. See papers by Dr. Meichenbaum on www.melissainstitute.org (go to home page and click on Author’s Index and scroll to Meichenbaum). 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Donald Meichenbaum is Research Director of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment. He is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus for the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Meichenbaum receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Donald Meichenbaum has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclose.

Objectives

1. Articulate the Constructive Narrative Perspective (CNP) of psychotherapy as it relates to case conceptualization and treatment planning.
2. Integrate the core tasks of psychotherapy into your clinical practice, including development of the therapeutic alliance and collaborative goal setting.
3. Integrate Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Constructive Therapy approaches for treating clients with a variety of co-occurring disorders such as PTSD, Substance abuse, prolonged and complicated grief, Borderline Personality Disorder, anger control problems and traumatic brain injuries.
4. Consider the clinical implications of the research related to trauma and resiliency with clients.
5. Utilize clinical strategies to integrate the client’s spirituality into psychotherapy to help improve clinical outcomes.
6. Implement strategies to increase client resilience in six domains (physical, interpersonal, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and spiritual) to decrease symptomology and improve level of functioning.
7. Utilize “deliberate practice activities” to further clinical expertise and competency in a therapeutic setting.
8. Evaluate the nature and neurobiology of trauma and resilience as it relates to treatment considerations.
9. Employ a Case Conceptualization Model of risk and protective factors that informs assessment and treatment planning.
10. Conduct evidence-based cognitive-behavioral techniques including exposure-based interventions, self-monitoring, therapeutic homework assignments and cognitive restructuring to assist clients in reducing problematic symptoms.
11. Teach clients intra- and interpersonal coping skills in order to reduce symptoms of PTSD and related mental health disorders.
12. Ascertain the clinical considerations for treating specific client populations such as adolescents diagnosed with PTSD, prolonged/complicated grief, Borderline Personality Disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Outline

• By way of introduction: Changing conceptions of cognition
• We are the stories we tell
• Psychotherapy as “narrative repair”
• Help clients build new “possible selves”
• Build resilience and adaptive coping skills
• Techniques that integrate CNP with CBT:
  • Emotional processing, restorative retelling, adaptive disclosure, imagery re-scripting, cognitive restructuring, Gestalt empty chair procedures, stress inoculation training, journaling, spirituality

• Controversies in the field of PTSD and Complex PTSD: “State of the Art”
• What distinguishes the 75% of individuals who evidence resilience VERSUS the 25% who develop persistent PTSD and related co-occurring disorders and adjustment difficulties
• The nature and neurobiology of trauma and resilience: Implications for assessment and treatment
• What resilient individuals DO and do NOT do

• The “state of the art” of psychotherapy
• Case Conceptualization Model to inform treatment decision making
• How to develop, maintain and monitor the quality of the therapeutic alliance
• Use of treatment-informed feedback
• Engaging clients in treatment – Use of Motivational Interviewing procedures
• Handling “ruptures” in the therapeutic alliance
• Assessment: Comorbidity, risk to self/others, client strengths and resilience
• Cultural, gender and developmental considerations
• Psychoeducation: Use the art of questioning, CLOCK metaphor, time lines, identify strengths
• Promote self-monitoring and “homework” assignments
• Teach intra- and interpersonal coping skills
• How to achieve “lasting changes”: Generalization guidelines
• Address the needs of health care providers: Ways to bolster “vicarious resilience” in psychotherapists
• Bolster the client’s resilience in six domains: physical, interpersonal, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and spiritual
• Integrate spirituality and psychotherapy

• Treatment for individuals who experience:
  • Complicated and prolonged grief and traumatic bereavement
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Anger control problems and aggressive behavior
  • Traumatic brain injuries
• Bolster resilience across the lifespan: High risk children and families, LGBTQ adolescents, adults and older adults

• Integrated treatment for alcohol and opioid abuse
• Motivational Interviewing procedures
• CBT and Constructive Narrative coping skills training exercises:
  • Mindfulness training
  • Relapse prevention
  • Network interventions
• Take home checklists: Patient treatment, 12 Step AA, SMART Recovery, Recovery Strategies
  • Consumer guidelines to critically evaluate residential treatment centers
  • Take home Deliberate Practice TOOLKIT

Target Audience

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