A key idea in Milton Erickson's work was that a person's problematic experiences and behaviors can be skillfully accepted and utilized as the basis for therapeutic change. Self-relations psychotherapy develops this idea further, emphasizing symptoms as indicating the death of an old identity and the impending birth of a new identity. Thus, we don't try to "get rid of" depression, anxiety, or "acting out/acting in" expressions, but instead invite them into a human relationship of "sponsorship", where their healing and helpful nature may be realized. We will see how a therapist can generate a ritual space where symptoms and other disturbing experiences can be "midwifed" into new identities.
The Basic Foot Print is a process model of change in therapy that represents and identifies Erickson's method for change. It is a general umbrella under which we should be able to place any step of change or intervention. Encounters that follow the Basic Foot Print create change and any therapy that steps through these stages reflects Dr. Erickson's approach and echoes his legacy. The steps are: matching/connecting, blending, utilizing, introducing ambiguity (disrupting stasis), reframing and co-creating outcomes. An in-depth understanding of steps within the Basic Footprint will be taught, demonstrated and practiced.
Supervisors often find themselves in the role of "supervisor" because they have been identified as good clinicians, but typically have little formal training in supervision. While clinical skills are essential, the application of those skills in supervision can be quite unique. This workshop will focus on the application of Ericksonian principles to the practice of supervision at various levels of clinical development. Practical and ethical aspects of supervision also will be discussed.
Fundamental methods of Ericksonian hypnosis and psychotherapy will be presented and demonstrated. Experiential exercises will help attendees master essential concepts, that can be applied by clinicians of any persuasion to empower treatment goals.
Erickson's hand levitation and pantomime techniques have evolved into simple, easy to learn, activity-dependent approaches to therapeutic hypnosis, and are consistent with the theory and research of the current neuroscience on brain plasticity and the molecular genomic level of psychotherapy. Demonstrations with volunteers from the audience will illustrate.
Covered in this workshop will be an overview of issues in sex counseling; demographic information; issues in assessment; a phenomenological model; Ericksonian assumptions; and couples exercises for enhancing intimacy.
Continuing from the morning program, covered in this workshop are principles for using hypnosis; advantages of hypnosis in sex counseling; experiential methods; induction approaches for hypnosis and sex therapy; and Erickson cases.