Psychotherapy did not start with Freud. Although largely forgotten, its origins can be directly traced to traditional healing practices (e.g., mesmerism, mind curers, the occult). In the age of science, healing has been reduced to prescriptions for changing people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, emotions, or brain chemistry. Lost in translation are the many ways clients’ cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices can, according to research, improve engagement and outcomes.
Post-traumatic stress disorder consists of a complex of symptoms including hyper arousal, social withdrawal and intrusions. The panelists will describe commonalities and differences in their approach to PTSD.
Research indicates the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions, but some psychotherapists constantly achieve better treatment outcomes and lasting changes. What do these “expert” therapists do and not do to achieve these positive results?
Racial, gender, and LGBTQ micro aggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights to targets. They are often reflections of implicit bias that are outside the level of conscious awareness of well-intentioned individuals. Nevertheless, they have been found to cause lowered subjective well-being in the lives of marginalized group members and may lead to mental health problems. Research indicates that clinicians and supervisors are often perpetrators of micro aggressions.
Educational Objectives:
1) To describe how therapists can connect clients to a calm, centering inner state.
2) To describe how connection to the inner self can allow new resources and solutions to develop.