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psychology conferences

A Day on Trauma

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Giselle Genillard

Somatic Experiencing & Trauma

Giselle Genillard
Deb Dana

Polyvagal Theory and Trauma

Deb Dana
Richard Schwartz

Internal Family Systems & Trauma

Dr Richard Schwartz, PhD
A Day on Trauma - The Weekend University

A full day of talks exploring mind, body and brain approaches to healing from trauma.

Trauma is at the root cause of many of the mental health problems we face today.

Research from The University of Liverpool has found that traumatic life events are the single biggest cause of anxiety and depression.

And with one in three adults in the UK reporting experiencing a traumatic event at least once in their lifetime, it’s a lot more widespread than we commonly think.

Until recently, our understanding of psychological trauma was limited.

We thought it was something we could ‘get over’ and eventually move on from.

But new developments in the fields of neuroscience, developmental psychopathology, and interpersonal neurobiology have revealed that trauma causes actual physiological changes in the brain and body. It alters the brain’s alarm system and increases stress hormone activity, causing physical and emotional problems long after the event has taken place.

The good news is – advances in our knowledge about the basic processes that underlie trauma, have led to the development of innovative treatments that can help us heal, and move on with our lives. There are several different treatments out there to help those experiencing trauma and you can find out how to pay for them by claiming on your insurance here. One of these treatment methods that is gaining a lot of traction in recent times is different products derived from the cannabis plant, whether these are concentrated CBD (Cannabidiol) products, the likes of this thc distillate Canada and other locations have to offer to those suffering from early trauma’s or PTSD. These cannabinoids, and others, have been hailed by medical and scientific professionals as the potential new route to take when looking to change the neurobiology of a patient for the benefit of their health and wellbeing.

Content

In this series of talks, we’ll explore three of these approaches, including:

  • Somatic Experiencing and Trauma; how this body-orientated approach can address the root causes of traumatic symptoms, release traumatic shock, transform PTSD, and heal the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma – Giselle Genillard
  • Polyvagal Theory and Trauma; how traumatic experiences get ‘trapped’ in the nervous system, triggering negative emotions and unwanted behaviours long after the event has taken place, and how a polyvagal approach can offer a powerful solution – Deb Dana
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Trauma; why traumas (particularly in early life) cause us to ‘exile’ and cut off from parts of our personality, how this creates toxic internal conflict, and how IFS can help us heal and reintegrate these parts, so we can enjoy more wellbeing in day to day life – Dr Richard Schwartz, PhD

You’ll learn how these unique insights can benefit your own life, but also your ability to help others too.

Event Schedule:

  • 10:00am – 12:00pm: Somatic Experiencing & Trauma – Giselle Genillard
  • 12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch break
  • 1:00pm – 3:00pm: Polyvagal Theory & Trauma – Deb Dana
  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon break
  • 3:30pm – 5:00pm: Internal Family Systems & Trauma – Dr Richard Schwartz, PhD

Lectures & Speakers

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Somatic Experiencing & Trauma

Trauma is an internal straitjacket created when a devastating moment is frozen in time. It stifles the unfolding of being, strangling our attempts to move forward with our lives. It disconnects us from our selves, others, nature and spirit. When people are overwhelmed by threat, we are frozen in fear. It is as if our instinctive survival energies are “all dressed up with no place to go.”

Somatic Experiencing offers a new and hopeful vision of trauma. It views the human animal as a unique being, endowed with an instinctual capacity to heal. It asks and answers an intriguing question: why are animals in the wild, though threatened routinely, rarely traumatised? By understanding the dynamics that make wild animals virtually “immune” to traumatic symptoms, the mystery of human trauma is revealed.

Although humans possess regulatory mechanisms identical to those in animals, the function of these systems is often overridden by the rational mind. This restraint leads to the formation of a constellation of symptoms, including physical pain, emotional reactivity, cognitive dysfunction, depression and dissociation. Through the focal awareness of bodily sensation individuals are able to access the disconnected physiological action patterns, allowing the highly aroused survival energies to be safely and gradually re-regulated.

In this short introduction, Giselle will offer experiential exercises and some simple tools that can be used immediately in times of distress.

Giselle Genillard
Giselle Genillard

Somatic Experiencing & Trauma

Giselle Genillard, founder and director of “SOS INTERNATIONALE”, is a Licensed Midwife, a member of the European Association of Body Psychotherapy (EABP), a Somatic Experiencing (SE) Practitioner,, a Touch-in-Parenting Instructor and founding Secretary of the Board of EASE, the European Association for Somatic Experiencing.

Giselle combines her training as a somatic therapist with the art of midwifery, the core principles of SE, and her widespread cross-cultural experiences. She works internationally, is multilingual, and was a member of trauma outreach teams in South-East India post-tsunami, New Orleans post-Katrina and post-colonial South Africa post-independence. Giselle brought Peter Levine’s (“Waking the Tiger”) SE trainings to England and France and teaches workshops related to traumatic stress worldwide. Giselle specializes in working with PTSD in early childhood disorders, adolescents, combat and high-stress situations, and international disasters.

Reading Recommendations:

  • Waking the Tiger – Peter Levine
  • Healing Trauma – Peter Levine
  • In an Unspoken Voice – Peter Levine
  • The Stress of Life – Hans Selye

Polyvagal Theory and Trauma

The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully shaping experiences of safety and influencing the capacity for connection. Polyvagal Theory, through the organizing principles of hierarchy, neuroception, and co-regulation, has revolutionized our understanding of how this system works. We now know that trauma interrupts the development of autonomic regulation and shapes the system away from connection into patterns of protection. For many clients, states of fight, flight, and collapse are frequent, intense, and prolonged while the state of safety and connection is elusive. Their autonomic nervous systems now respond in characteristic post-traumatic patterns of hyperarousal, hypervigilance, disconnection, and numbing.

A Polyvagal approach uses an updated map of the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs so clinicians can reliably lead their clients out of adaptive survival responses into the autonomically regulated state of safety that is necessary for successful treatment. Polyvagal Theory gives clinicians a guide to help clients safely tune into their autonomic states, reshape their nervous systems, and rewrite the trauma stories that are carried in their autonomic pathways.

Deb Dana
Deb Dana

Polyvagal Theory and Trauma

Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma. She is a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute, Clinical Advisor to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways Polyvagal Theory informs work with trauma survivors. Deb is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices, co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies, and creator of the Polyvagal Flip Chart. For more information, please see: rhythmofregulation.com

Reading Recommendations:

  • How to Help Our Nervous Systems During a Pandemic
  • The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy
  • Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection
  • Befriending Your Nervous System

Internal Family Systems & Trauma

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model was developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., over the past 30 years as he learned to set aside his trained assumptions and truly listen to his clients. It is a highly efficient and effective way of guiding clients to a state of inner clarity and compassion, the Self, from which they know how to heal themselves. From the Self, clients are able to calm and transform their troubling inner voices, the critical and anxious chatter, the compulsive distractions, their feelings of vulnerability, inadequacy, and overwhelm. These parts of the psyche are surprisingly responsive and resilient when addressed with respect and patience. They readily forsake their inner battles, and take on valuable inner roles once they are accepted and witnessed.

This application of family systems principles and techniques to inner systems is now widely used internationally in the treatment of trauma and severe diagnoses, as well as in non-clinical applications such as business consulting and meditation practice.

The healing and reorienting of their “inner families” in an environment of genuine acceptance, translates into concrete behavioral change, plus improved ability to relate well to people. IFS is a gentle, yet powerful, healing delivery system that releases the therapist from the need to be clever because it trusts and empowers the clients’ Self.

This presentation will introduce the basic principles and techniques of IFS, and how they can be applied in the treatment of trauma.

Richard Schwartz
Dr Richard Schwartz, PhD

Internal Family Systems & Trauma

Richard Schwartz, PhD., began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. He focused on the relationships among these parts and noticed that there were systemic patterns to the way they were organized across clients. He also found that when the clients’ parts felt safe and were allowed to relax, the clients would experience spontaneously the qualities of confidence, openness, and compassion that Dr. Schwartz came to call the Self. He found that when in that state of Self, clients would know how to heal their parts.

A featured speaker for national professional organizations, Dr. Schwartz has published many books and over fifty articles about IFS. Learn more at: https://ifs-institute.com/

Reading Recommendations:

  • Introduction to The Internal Family Systems Model
  • Internal Family Systems Therapy – 2nd Edition
  • You are the One You’ve Been Waiting For
  • Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts

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attendee testimonals

What TWU students are saying

The Weekend University is amazing! They recently hosted the Holistic Change Summit where such great minds were brought together to discuss a wide variety of topics relevant to change, growth and living a meaningful life. The facilitator, Niall, asked excellent questions which really gave the speaker the chance to discuss ideas that many of us wonder about. It was brilliant and I loved it.
Kiden Shae
Summit Attendee
Extremely stimulating events! It brings together great professionals who share their experience in their respective fields to pass their knowledge in a way accessible to the general public and other professionals alike. It is a great way to bring motivated people in the same place! Also, Niall is extremely thoughtful, considerate and driven person. His personal approach and professionalism in making those events happen does not go unnoticed!
Nikolay Petrov
Event Attendee
This event is nourishment for my mind! The kind of subjects usually reserved for academics is now open to us all and the information is delivered in a way that anyone can understand. The audience was filled with interesting people, hungry to learn and engage in fascinating conversations. We had all day to connect, to learn and to share. Just like a delicious cool drink on a very hot day, my mind felt quenched! Thank you, Niall, for creating this. I will be back!
David Saville
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Absolutely excellent day with The Weekend University last Saturday on Attachment and Psychotherapy. Superb speaker who was totally engaging, really useful practical insights, and great organisation. Thank you!
Helen Jane
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I attended an Existential Coaching seminar out of curiosity and ended up being supermotivated and serious to get more into this subject! The event was really went organised, the venue was central and easy to find and the organisers and facilitator were amazing. Totally recomend!
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My first time at the Weekend University on their day of Wellbeing a fantastic event. Excellent venue, thought provoking speakers, interesting topics, really well organised, communication, support material a 5 star rating.
Viryapushpa Nolan
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I attended 'A Day on Sleep and Dreams’ and it was fantastic - excellent speakers and thought provoking content. The Weekend University has been a great discovery and I will defiantly be attending more lectures. The event was really well organised by Niall - informative emails, follow ups etc. I recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to go, you won’t be disappointed!
Hannah Durhager
Event Attendee
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Date and time

30/08/2020

09:30 – 17:00 BST

Location

Online Conference

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