Short Course: Transforming the Negative Sense of Self after Childhood Trauma ~ Mar 3, 2023

A profound legacy of early trauma is often a shame-ridden sense of self. Clients blame themselves for their abuse, neglect and helplessness. Such a negative view of self is a defensive strategy for young trauma survivors and adaptive to protect their attachment relationships. However, the distorted meaning they draw from their experience interferes with their adult functioning because it is oriented to the past.

This course will present a method therapists can use to guide such clients to update their traumatic memories. We can tap into a client’s unconscious internal resources to facilitate spontaneous visualizations of what needed to happen to support the helpless child. This does not change the actual memory, but does affect the meaning about the self. An earned secure attachment to the self can also emerge. Further, the experience of therapy for patient and therapist becomes more playful (cf. Winnicott). Both can take pleasure in witnessing the client’s creativity, empowerment and resulting relief, pride and hope. Case examples will illustrate the method and its effectiveness.

A neurobiological explanation for these clinical breakthroughs will be discussed. Research findings about a recently discovered innate updating process, memory reconsolidation, show how the brain can build new patterns of synaptic connection. As therapists we can take advantage of this process to help our clients transform the meaning of their disturbing memories.

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the floatback method of revising traumatic memories to update a distorted, negative sense of self.
2. Describe a method of working with inner parts to develop an earned secure attachment to the self.
3. Describe memory reconsolidation, an innate neurobiological process of updating the brain.

This program is appropriate for clinicians at all levels of experience and offers 3.0 CEs.

You will receive the instructions for connecting to Zoom a week before the event.

 About our Speaker:

Cynthia Margolies, PhD is a clinical psychologist who has treated adults in DC for 40 years. She is a graduate psychoanalyst and has also trained in EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, Ego State Therapy, Mindfulness and Imagery. Dr. Margolies has served on the faculties of the Center for Healing and Imagery, the CAPP program of ICP+P, the Washington School of Psychiatry, and the Howard University Psychiatric Residency program. Her passion is teaching and supervising clinicians about ways to integrate trauma treatment methods and neuroscience research into traditional psychotherapy. She has given many presentations on this topic, and also led monthly “Trauma Treatment” groups of therapists for 20 years.

References:

Fisher, J. (2017). Trauma-informed stabilization treatment: A new approach to treating unsafe behavior. Australian Clinical Psychologist, 3, 55-62. https://janinafisher.com/pdfs/2017-tist-australian-psychologist.pdf

Hall, S.S. (2013). Repairing bad memories. MIT Technology Review, 116, 48-54. https://www.technologyreview.com/2013/06/17/177763/repairing-bad-memories/

Faranda, F. (2016). Image and imagination: Deepening our experience of the mind. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 36, 603-612.

Cost and Registration:

$75    ICP+P Members
$35    ICP+P 1st +2nd Year Members, Emerging Professionals, MITs and Graduate Student Members, and Fellows
$35    Unaffiliated Students and Fellows
$90    Non-Members
$60   International Attendees (Outside US)

A refund for cancellation is available up to 10 days before the start date.

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

Continuing education credit:  3.0 CE credits available for full attendance. The Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis (ICP+P) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. ICP+P maintains responsibility for this program and its content. ICP+P is approved by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners to offer Category I continuing education credit. As our CE program receives oversight from a licensed social worker, the CE credits we award are highly likely to be recognized by licensing boards in Virginia and the District of Columbia. These continuing education credits meet the ANCC standards for nurses. Marriage and family therapists licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia may submit these CE credits to their licensing boards. (Marriage and family therapists in other jurisdictions and licensed counselors should inquire with their local Boards regarding continuing education credit.) Attendees from the above professional groups will earn 3.0 CE credits for attending the CE activity. Full attendance is required to receive the designated CE credit. ICP+P is accredited by MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. ICP+P designates this educational activity for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

* Cynthia Margolies, PhD and the planners have informed us that they do not have a conflict of interest and have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests pertaining to this educational activity. Any references to “off-label” (non-FDA approved) use of medication, products or devices will be explicitly disclosed in the presentation.

CE Credit is granted to participants with documented attendance at the short course. Credit will not be granted to registrants who are more than 15 minutes late or depart more than 15 minutes early from a session.