During this presentation, the development of chronic pain syndromes and some practical interventions will be discussed. Specifically, assessing patient's current functioning within a "whole-person approach" will allow clinicians better information about where to begin assisting with change. While using the "evidence-based treatments" as a starting point, finding ways to tailor the intervention to the individual will be reviewed. We will honor the long-history of hypnosis being used to treat chronic pain. Finally, we will review outcome research indicating what seems to make the most effect for patients with pain.
Effective therapy, or coaching, is touching and moving clients. As professionals, we are providing an emotional service because all of our clients’ problems have to do with emotional self-regulation. Therefore, to make therapy effective the impact must be affective!
Chronic pain is frequently encountered by healthcare professionals. The current treatment is primarily pharmaceutical intervention with Opioids or NSAIDS that create new problems and address a limited part of the pain. Pain, whether physical or mental/emotional, tends to be experienced as one. Anticipated pain and memories of past painful incidents also contribute to the experience of pain.
The first factor that is of central importance is developing a strong therapeutic alliance with the client, mainly through empathically relating to him/her. Second, it will be shown how to guide adolescents and younger children to identify the specific Activating Event (AE) that is bringing about their unhealthy negative emotions through triggering self-defeating cognition(s).
It has become increasingly documented that the vast majority of patients with adult pathology, reported experiences of severe childhood trauma. Early appropriate therapeutic intervention can relieve symptoms and prevent adjustment difficulties and pathology.
A theoretical overview of the effect of trauma will explain the process of dissociation as a coping mechanism to deal with overwhelming experiences. The child dissociates from feelings and memories associated with trauma in order to survive emotionally. The dissociation is initially helpful and enables the individual to cope, however eventually it can result in pathology and become destructive.
This short course will present the systemic, dialectic, multilevel, multifocal, model of group therapy utilized at the Institute of Anthropos in Athens, Greece. The approach is influenced by Ericksonian methods and additional techniques from other perspectives have been added.
Chronic anxiety and depression present significant challenges for those affected by these conditions. A behavioral treatment which accesses deep levels of mind-body functioning facilitates remission of these debilitating conditions. This treatment, conceptualized as essential neurobiological communication (ENBC), incorporates a form of body language known as ideomotor signaling.
This workshop will teach participants skills in using metaphors and stories to help patients experience a deep contact with themselves so that they can survive and even thrive following life-changing surgery. The material will focus on Ericksonian approaches that help patients heal, experience comfort, and restore body homeostasis. Clinical examples from patients undergoing transplantation – including face transplantation – will be presented. Face transplants are extremely complex and relatively rare. They usually require many months and even years of preparation.
According to research (Rashidian et al. 2015), Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder ‘Vaginismus’, causes significant sexual challenges for groups of sub-population women in the US. This workshop provides raw data and statistical analysis, supporting the hypothesis that these women experienced sexual pain as a manifestation of biopsychosocial conditions, resulting from cultural orientations. These include the cultural do’s and don’ts that shapes sub-population women’s sexual beliefs and attitudes, as a result of their life experiences within their cultures, impacting emotional and physical sexual experiences negatively.
Most descriptions of hypnotherapy come from clinicians. We talk about the ideas and techniques informing what we did with a case, and then we share what we observed and understood our client’s response to be. This workshop takes a different approach. The presenters—Drs. Eric Greenleaf and Jimena Castro—explore the creative synergy of Ericksonian hypnosis through the mutual participation and perspective of both therapist and patient.