Janina Fisher – 2-Day Intensive Workshop: Treating Trauma in Intimate Relationships – Healing the Trauma Legacy in Couples Therapy

Outline

Day 1 ProgramDay 1 Program

The Effects of Early Relational Trauma: Emotional, Physiological, RelationalThe Effects of Early Relational Trauma: Emotional, Physiological, Relational

• What is a ‘trauma’?What is a ‘trauma’?
• Single events versus enduring conditionsSingle events versus enduring conditions
• Remembering with our emotions and our bodiesRemembering with our emotions and our bodies
• Procedural or conditioned learningProcedural or conditioned learning
• Effects on brain and bodyEffects on brain and body

Habitually-Learned Survival Responses Recreate the Sense of ThreatHabitually-Learned Survival Responses Recreate the Sense of Threat

• Triggers and Triggering: stay prepared for dangerTriggers and Triggering: stay prepared for danger
• Animal defense survival responses in human beingsAnimal defense survival responses in human beings
• Effects of traumatic adaptation on relationshipsEffects of traumatic adaptation on relationships

The Danger of Closeness and the Threat of DistanceThe Danger of Closeness and the Threat of Distance

• How trauma-related patterns affect the capacity for intimacyHow trauma-related patterns affect the capacity for intimacy
• Body and emotional memories re-create the sense of dangerBody and emotional memories re-create the sense of danger
• Chronic conflict as activation of animal defensesChronic conflict as activation of animal defenses
• Why couples cannot process conflicts or tolerate empathyWhy couples cannot process conflicts or tolerate empathy

Strategies for Working with Couples in Chronic ConflictStrategies for Working with Couples in Chronic Conflict

• Create neutral space in therapy sessionsCreate neutral space in therapy sessions
• Provide psychoeducation about traumaProvide psychoeducation about trauma
• Inhibit destructive patterns in the therapy sessionInhibit destructive patterns in the therapy session
• Practice of new patterns as ‘experiments’Practice of new patterns as ‘experiments’

Mindfulness-Based Techniques for Decreasing Conflict and Changing Trauma-Related Mindfulness-Based Techniques for Decreasing Conflict and Changing Trauma-Related PatternsPatterns

• Mindfulness-based awareness of the ‘play-by-play’Mindfulness-based awareness of the ‘play-by-play’
• Notice the effects of their actions on partner reactionsNotice the effects of their actions on partner reactions
• Observe with curiosity: “Am I getting what I want this way? Is this working?”Observe with curiosity: “Am I getting what I want this way? Is this working?”

Day 2 ProgramDay 2 Program

Shift from “Processing” Issues to Changing Patterns of ResponseShift from “Processing” Issues to Changing Patterns of Response

• A repair model for psychotherapy in place of an insight modelA repair model for psychotherapy in place of an insight model
• The therapist as referee rather than empathic listenerThe therapist as referee rather than empathic listener
• Limits and boundaries on conflict in the therapyLimits and boundaries on conflict in the therapy
• Limitations of the research and potential risksLimitations of the research and potential risks

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Techniques for Getting to the Emotions Beyond WordsSensorimotor Psychotherapy Techniques for Getting to the Emotions Beyond Words

• Brief introduction to sensorimotor psychotherapyBrief introduction to sensorimotor psychotherapy
• Teach couples somatic awareness and dialogue techniquesTeach couples somatic awareness and dialogue techniques
• Work with the body to decrease tension and ‘charge’ in the relationshipWork with the body to decrease tension and ‘charge’ in the relationship
• Use movement and gesture as vehicles for communicationUse movement and gesture as vehicles for communication

Externalizing Techniques for Increasing PerspectiveExternalizing Techniques for Increasing Perspective

• Externalizing techniques deter conflictual verbal exchangeExternalizing techniques deter conflictual verbal exchange
• Diagram patterns of conflictDiagram patterns of conflict
• Use diagramming to help couples take responsibility for their actions and reactionsUse diagramming to help couples take responsibility for their actions and reactions
• Connect to the wounded child in each partnerConnect to the wounded child in each partner
• Acknowledge the role of child selves in their conflictsAcknowledge the role of child selves in their conflicts
• Sooth and protect the hurt child selfSooth and protect the hurt child self
• Increase self-compassion and compassion toward partnerIncrease self-compassion and compassion toward partner