Trauma and Attachment – Part 3
Having safe and secure emotional attachments as a child with parents and caregivers, and with our adult partners, is a basic human need. Attachment styles developed in childhood stay with us for a lifetime, and influence our emotional security, the personal meaning we give to experiences, and our ability to create and maintain closeness, trust, safety, and stability in intimate relationships.
Early attachment experiences wire brain circuits, create core beliefs (i.e. internal working models), and form the template for future relationships. Disrupted, anxious and disorganized attachment often results in depression, anxiety disorders, shame, aggressive and self destructive behaviors, toxic relationships, and physical illness.
You will learn the theory and clinical skills necessary to facilitate positive change and healing with clients who have experienced trauma and attachment wounds. You will learn effective assessment and therapeutic techniques to help children, adults, couples and families, based on the latest research and clinical advancements in trauma and attachment therapy, family systems therapy, neurobiology, and post-traumatic growth.Clinical videos will illustrate the process of change regarding: negative core beliefs and attitudes; developing attachment security in children and adults; trauma-based emotions, behaviors, coping strategies, and somatic reactions; self-regulation; communication, family dynamics and resilience; and helping controlling, defiant, angry and resistant clients. Via PowerPoint presentation, video case studies, and discussion, you will learn how to help clients achieve symptom reduction, healing from trauma, meaningful friendships, and fulfilling lives.
Educational Objectives
This course will teach the participant to
- Apply Attachment Communication Training to foster effective communication, conflict-management and secure attachment.
- Explain how traumatized and resistant individuals can achieve positive personal and relationship goals, including posttraumatic growth.
- Create secure and fulfilling relationships by facilitating limbic resonance and attachment security.
- Identify skill-based and experiential techniques to improve emotional dysregulation, core beliefs, brain wiring and biochemistry, PTSD symptoms and relationship patterns.
Syllabus
- Posttraumatic Growth: Recovery and Resilience
- Positive psychology
- Instill optimism and hope
- Gratitude and positive emotions
- A sense of meaning and purpose
- Use signature strengths
- Enhance relationships and social support
- Self-esteem and self-efficacy
- Volunteering and giving
- Improving Relationships
- Strengthen the hardwired need for a safe emotional bonds
- The language of attachment
- Change attachment patterns: withdraw-cling, blame-distance, criticize-defend
- Attachment Communication Training: Constructive communication, problem-solving and conflict-management skills
- Limbic resonance and fulfillment of attachment needs
- Therapeutic Goals
- Develop positive core beliefs
- Resolve loss and grief
- Promote safe and secure attachments
- Alleviate anxiety, depression, shame, and “victim mindset”
- Reduce biochemistry of trauma
- Learn stress management skills
- Practice constructive parenting skills
- Create supportive and fulfilling family relationships
- Mitigate defensiveness; enhance motivation and cooperation
