Lois Ehrmann – 2-Day Trauma and Attachment Certification Course

Lois Ehrmann – 2-Day Trauma and Attachment Certification Course

Attachment Theory and Attachment Therapy

• Recent influences in attachment theory and therapy
• Attachment importance in the development of the healthy individual
• Attachment styles vs. disorganized attachment
• Neuroscience supporting bottom up therapeutic strategies
• DSM-5®: Classification of trauma and stressor-related disorders

Neurological Impact of Trauma and Attachment

• How the research informs treatment
• Trauma is stored/stuck in the right hemisphere
• Chronic activation of the fight/flight/freeze response (Amygdala issues)
• The reason for the stuckness
• Cortisol and its impact on cognitive impairment

Indicators of Trauma and Attachment Disruption

• Common diagnostic mistakes
• Characteristics of the children and adults
• View attachment as a continuum

Assessments for Trauma and Attachment Wounds Case Studies and Video Sessions

• Protocol to assess the strength and health of the parental/caregiver system
• Most effective scales, measures and instruments
• Methods to explain the Internal Working Model of the child to the parent/caregiver
• Diagnostic considerations/Differential diagnosis
  • Complex Trauma, Complex PTSD, Developmental Trauma, Disorganized Attachment, Reactive Attachment Disorder

Translate Trauma and Attachment Goals into SMART Objectives

• Core treatment goals
  • Relational factors between client/therapist and child/ parent/caregiver
  • Dismantling the individual’s unhealthy negative internal working model
  • Increase the level of affective mastery
  • Reduce distancing defenses Increase attachment within healthy relationships and for adults with their own children
  • Containment of rage anger and pain so that resolution can occur
• How to operationalize goals into measurable objectives

The Integrated Attachment and Trauma Timeline Strategy (IATTS): Help Children and Families Unpack their History

• A guide to move from assessment to treatment
• Techniques to clarify and construct the client’s cohesive narrative
• Methods to “chunk” overwhelming and disorganized historical material
• Integrates with evidence-base treatment modalities
  • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)
  • Attachment Focused Family Therapy
  • Bibliotherapy Expressive Therapies and Somatic Psychotherapy

BOTTOM UP TECHNIQUES: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER WITH PRACTICE TIME!

A Child Who Had No Safety: Case Study

• A view of Attachment Focused Family Therapy
• Healthy vs. disrupted attachment/bonding cycle
• Intersubjectivity and Attunement: What being in sync does/does not look like
• PACE: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy
• Co-regulation of affect and co-creation of experiences

When Traumatized Children are Broken into Many Parts: Case Study

• Secure vs. anxious and avoidant attachment styles
• Disorganized attachment: Recognize the signs
• How attachment impacts parent-child dyads
• Integrate IFS into Attachment Focused Family Therapy
• Parts work through sand tray, art strategies and puppetry

Repair the Fracture with Adoptive Parents: Case Study

• Clarify the trauma and negative internal working model
• Parts mapping: Teach parts concepts to children and parents
• Integrate Bibliotherapy into IFS
• Assist parents how to engage in self-led parenting

Protecting Sibling and Self In Foster Care: Case Study

• Protector parts activity/worksheet
• Teach children to use their inner imagination to work with their part
• Transform terror into trust

The Rage that Comes from Physical Abuse: Case Study

• When children reenact the trauma of abuse
• See the positive intention in all parts
• Teach compassion, curiosity, calmness and connectedness through
• Expressive therapies

Parts that Children Wall Off: Case Study

• Terrified of being terrified
• The freeze of the Fight Flight Freeze Trauma Response
• Help children understand their own thoughts, feelings, behaviors and experiences

When Parents and Children Both Have Activated Parts: Case Study

• Activation Parts Map: Z-Process
• Naming and witnessing the activated parts
• Helping the parts understand each other

Full of Rage with No Where to Go: Case Study

• Integrate EMDR into Attachment Focused Family Therapy
• Teach parents and children resource tapping and positive self-talk
• Use tapping as part of imaginal nurturing
• Calming and self-regulating strategies from EFT Naming feelings with bilateral drumming

Other Trauma Specific Evidence-base Treatment Modalities

• What they are used for and why clients seem to respond well
• Sensorimotor psychotherapy
• Mindfulness-based approaches including breath work and imagery
• Biofeedback and EEG Biofeedback
• Limitations of the related research and risks of each approach

Get Lois Ehrmann – 2-Day Trauma and Attachment Certification Course at tenco.pro