Trauma & Attachment: Effective Treatment Strategies for Helping Challenging Clients

CPD

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Faculty

Terry Levy, PhD, DAPA Related seminars and products

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TERRY M. LEVY, PhD, DAPA, has been a psychotherapist, trainer, supervisor and consultant for over 40 years. Dr. Levy is the director of the Evergreen Psychotherapy Center and the Attachment Treatment and Training Institute in Evergreen, Colorado. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Colorado and Florida, a Board Certified Forensic Examiner and a Diplomate and Master Therapist of the American Psychotherapy Association. He is co-author of the best-seller Attachment, Trauma & Healing (2nd edition, 2014, Jessica Kingsley Publisher, London), editor of Handbook of Attachment Interventions (2000, Elsevier Press) and co-author of Healing Parents: Helping Wounded Children Learn to Trust and Love (2006, Child Welfare League of America).

Dr. Levy was the founder and previous director of the Family Life Center (Florida) and the Miami Psychotherapy Institute, which offered family systems treatment and training. He was co-founder and past-president of the board of directors of the Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children (ATTACh), an international organization dedicated to attachment and its critical importance to human development.

 

Speaker Disclosure:

Financial: Terry Levy is in private practice. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Terry Levy is a member of the American Psychological Association; American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy; American Family Therapy Association; and Colorado and Florida Psychological Associations. He does not receive compensation.

Objectives

1. Determine the psychological, social, cognitive, and biological aspects of trauma and attachment disorders as it relates to clinical treatment.
2. Develop an assessment plan to effectively identify your client’s history for trauma and attachment wounds.
3. Provide techniques to improve your client’s emotional regulation skills, reframe core beliefs and improve interpersonal skills.
4. Utilize communication-based methods for conflict management and to promote secure attachment for your clients.
5. Develop strategies to help your clients achieve posttraumatic growth including the creation of positive personal and relationship goals.
6. Teach your clients, in-session, how to achieve secure and fulfilling relationships by facilitating attachment security.

Outline

Part I: Assessment

• Symptoms of trauma
• Symptoms of attachment disorder
• Traumatized brain and biochemistry
• Core beliefs and expectations
• 4 attachment styles
• Life script: Psychosocial history and relationship patterns

Part II: Treatment Interventions Structure of the Healing Process

• 30-hour Intensive Outpatient Psychotherapy model
• 3-step treatment process: revisit, revise, revitalize
• Integrative approach: mind-body-spirit

Experiential and Skill-Based Interventions Shown through Video Demos

• Facilitate emotional and neurobiological connections
• Foster trust and secure attachments
• Heal interpersonal trauma to self-acceptance
• Confront traumatic events: move from victim to survivor
• Change negative beliefs and narratives
• Resolve anger, fear, shame and loss
• Exposure Therapy to alleviate trauma and PTSD symptoms
• Forgiveness to let go and move on

Posttraumatic Growth: Recovery and Resilience

• Positive psychology
• Instil optimism and hope
• Gratitude and positive emotions
• A sense of meaning and purpose
• Use signature strengths
• Enhance relationships and social support
• Self-esteem and self-efficacy
• Volunteering and giving

Improving Relationships

• Strengthen the hardwired need for a safe emotional bond
• Change attachment patterns: withdraw-cling, blame-distance, criticize-defend
• Attachment Communication Training: Constructive communication, problem-solving and conflict-management skills
• Limbic resonance and fulfilment of attachment needs

Therapeutic Goals

• Develop positive core beliefs
• Resolve loss and grief
• Promote safe and secure attachments
• Alleviate anxiety, depression, shame, and “victim mindset”
• Reduce biochemistry of trauma
• Stress management skills
• Constructive parenting skills
• Supportive and fulfilling family relationships
• Mitigate defensiveness, enhance motivation and cooperation

Target Audience

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