Workshop Summary:
This half-day workshop will be a highly interactive opportunity to delve more deeply into
challenging cases. In small groups, participants will present cases and get feedback from peers to help break what can seem like an impasse in the treatment. It may also be helpful in situations when the therapist notices being activated themselves by the case. The treatment approaches discussed will encompass and combine all the neuroplastic treatments: PRT, EAET, ISTDP, PSRT, Sarno-informed therapy, etc.
The session will open with a brief presentation providing an outline for guidance in treating
challenging cases. The majority of time in this workshop will be dedicated to in-depth
presentation of cases by the participants. Depending on the number of people present, these may be done in the large group or in small break-out groups. The structure of Balint Groups will be introduced and used as a method to help keep the discussions on track and psychologically safe for the case presenters.
Following case presentations, the small groups will report out the important factors discovered
and shared about how to treat challenging cases. Even if you do not present your own case, there will be ample opportunities to learn from the discussion about others’ cases that will be
applicable to your own work.
This session is geared towards mental health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage and family counselors, mental health counselors, etc. These professionals generally see their patients weekly or more often. Mental health training is assumed.
Learning Objectives:
- At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to identify psychosocial issues that are often unrecognized by the client that impair their progress in treatment.
- At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to apply techniques to help the client recognize the problems that are impeding their progress.
- At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to recognize techniques that can help the client overcome the stresses, traumas, or emotions that lead to persistence of neuroplastic pain or illness.
- At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to assess how their own patience helps their patients get messages of safety.
- At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to identify and use transference phenomena in their treatment of patients.
