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Events

Complex Trauma (Dubbo)

People who have a history of significant abuse and neglect often have recurrent issues relating to their identity, the way they manage emotions, their ability to develop and maintain relationships, and the way they relate to the world around them (including difficulties complying with social and behavioural expectations). This ‘complex trauma’ presentation can lead to a range of challenges for those trying to engage with and support them, as well as conflict with social, employment, education and legal systems. Supporting, and ‘making a difference’ for, someone with complex trauma is a long, slow and at times tumultuous process requiring a solid foundation of therapeutic relationships. This course provides participants with an understanding of the issues associated with complex trauma, and practical approaches to ‘making a difference’.

Day 1: Understanding the Issues

Day 1 of the Complex Trauma Training defines what trauma is as well as what role, factors and impact are associated with the trauma, the individual and the social response, including the development of specific trauma symptoms including depression, anxiety and PTSD. Day 1 also differentiates trauma from complex (or developmental) trauma:

Emerging in the Psychological Literature in the early 1990’s complex trauma aims to understand and explain the presenting behaviour of people who have experienced severe, repeated, prolonged trauma almost always within the context of an interpersonal relationship (van der Kolk).

Due to the interrelationship between the Ecology (including multiple traumas) and Biology (including possible factors associated with disability, acquired brain injury, etc), via the process of attachment and the influence on neurological development, young people and adults with a complex trauma presentation, present both with specific trauma symptoms and underlying chronic difficulties and lifestyle issues.

In order to understand attachment, participants are introduced to the four style classification system of attachment as well as the role that attachment plays in the development of the secure base phenomenon, the development of a blueprint for all future relationships and the link between people and pleasure and the development of emotion regulation, affiliation, attunement (and empathy), tolerance and respect.

In order to understand the link between neurological development, trauma and offending behaviour, participants are introduced to the brain in terms of increasing complexity from the bottom up and from the inside out. The role of the hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain are discussed in developmental terms. The role of the amygdala is highlighted in relation to mediating the stress / arousal response and the impact of chronic and unpredictable stress on the developing brain is discussed and the impact this has on a child and young persons behaviour.

Underlying chronic difficulties cluster in three primary areas relating to self, emotion regulation and interpersonal relatedness. A description of the primary difficulties associated with these three areas is then provided via a case illustration.

The first day of the training will include audience interaction, activities and case scenarios.

Day 2: Making a difference

Day 2 focuses on the notion that “damage occurred within the context of relationships therefore it makes sense that repair is most likely in the context of relationships”.

Participants are introduced to the concept of “THE BOX” and the equating of this with the window of tolerance or optimum arousal.

The critical components of intervention are detailed including:

• Creating a therapeutic environment
•Creating and maintaining therapeutic relationships by Providing Acceptance, Validation and Empathy.
• The role of medication in treating specific trauma symptoms and in mediating hyper-arousal where indicated • The role of therapy
• Responding to difficult incidents while maintaining the therapeutic context
• Addressing the underlying chronic difficulties and problematic lifestyle issues.

Intervention aims to create a layering of skill development in the brain from the lower level (hindbrain / mid brain) or foundation skills, to the middle level (mid brain) or intermediate skills, to the upper level (forebrain) or advanced / cognitive skills.

The final section of the day aims to highlight and address some of the common issues noted in teams. The day will include audience interaction, activities and role play.

Details

Presenter: Katrina Halpin, Portfolio Manager – Therapy & NMT Services / Psychologist

Date(s): Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 March 2018

Time: 9am for 9:30am start to 4:30pm

Location: Languages Room, Western Plains Cultural Centre, 73 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo NSW 2830

Please click here for flyer and registration form

Register for this event

Call us on 1300 851 795 or use the form below to register for Complex Trauma (Dubbo).