
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.
In this series of talks, we’ll explore three of these approaches, including:
You’ll learn how these unique insights can benefit your own life, but also your ability to help others too.
For 15 years, the transpersonal psychologist Steve Taylor has been researching cases of ‘transformation through turmoil,’ or spontaneous spiritual awakening caused by suffering. In times of bereavement, serious illness, addiction, deep depression and intense stress, a miraculous transformation can occur: the death of an old identity and the birth of a new, spiritually awakened self.
In this session based on his upcoming book Extraordinary Awakenings, Steve shares some cases from his research, and explains the reasons why intense suffering can lead to transformation. Then he explains what we can learn from the phenomenon, with principles that we can apply to our own spiritual development. He also explains the global and evolutionary aspects of the phenomenon, in relation to the crises we face as a species. Steve will also lead meditations and exercises to show how we can harness the transformational power of crises and turmoil in our lives.
Steve Taylor, PhD, is the author of Extraordinary Awakenings and many other bestselling books including The Leap and Spiritual Science. He is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society.
Steve’s articles and essays have been published in over 100 academic journals, magazines, and newspapers and he blogs for Scientific American and Psychology Today. Eckhart Tolle has described his work as ‘an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.’ Steve lives in Manchester, England, with his wife and three young children. Visit him online at www.stevenmtaylor.com.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) is a late-stage trauma resolution modality that currently has more scientific research as a treatment for trauma than any other non-pharmaceutical intervention. Based on empirical evidence, as well as thousands of client and clinician testimonials, EMDR has proven an efficacious and rapid method of reprocessing traumatic material. It appears to assist in processing of traumatic information, resulting in enhanced integration and a more adaptive perspective of the traumatic material.
Through live and video presentation, this talk will define, discuss and demonstrate the trauma processing modality, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR).
Linda A. Curran, BCPC, LPC, CAADC, CCDP International speaker on the treatment of trauma, author of both Trauma Competency: A Clinicians Guide and 101 Trauma-Informed Interventions. Linda has developed, produced, and presents multi-media workshops on all aspects of psychological trauma.
With advanced degrees in both clinical psychology and public health, Linda is a Board Certified, Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Addiction Counselor Diplomate, Certified Co-Occurring Professional Diplomate, Certified Gestalt Therapist, Certified Neurofeedback Practitioner, Certified Hypnotherapist, and Level II EMDR practitioner. You can learn more about Linda’s work at: https://trauma101.com
The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully shaping our experiences of safety and influencing our capacity for connection. What begins with our biology becomes the story that shapes our days.
Polyvagal Theory provides a guide to the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs, and an understanding of the body to brain pathways that give birth to our personal stories of safety and survival.
When we learn the language of the nervous system, we can safely tune in, turn toward our inner experience, and begin to reshape our autonomic pathways. In this presentation, we’ll explore how to answer the essential question, “What does the nervous system need in this moment to find safety in connection?
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 Befriending Your Nervous System, 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 on Deb’s work, please see: www.rhythmofregulation.com
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This event is sponsored by The Trauma Therapist Newsletter from Dr Guy MacPherson.
This an online monthly resource for therapists interested in keeping up to date with the latest developments in the field, including:
And a whole lot more!
If you’re interested, please click here for more information.