Increasingly, the powerful psychotherapeutic domains of expressive modalities and parts work are being channelled by psychotherapists and counsellors to achieve such integration.

At this highly interactive workshop which builds upon a variety of clinical examples, globally renowned speaker Lisa Ferentz, employs illustrative video examples to first illustrate the profound reverberating impact of dismissive, ambivalent and disorganised attachment patterns. Lisa then brings together expressive therapeutic skills including the use of Somatic Resourcing, Safe place collages, Mandalas, Breathwork strategies, Art prompts, therapeutic Art as well as ‘Remembered Resources’ to explain to us, as therapists, how we cannot just access and comfort our clients’ inner critic but also help them to access their wisest, ‘most compassionate’ parts. Videos and multiple case examples will be presented along with clients’ artwork.

Specifically, we will consider:

• Explore the intricacies of attachment patterns that create either secure or traumatic experiences for our clients, ultimately impacting their Affect
• Explain how Affect dysregulation and attachment patterns are effectively connected in both adolescents and adults
• Look critically at the Still Face experiment to appreciate the profound impact of insecure attachment
• Differentiate between internal and external safety and describe strategies to enhance both in traumatized clients
• Implement at least two breathing exercises designed to calm and soothe traumatized clients
• Delve deeper into the concept of somatic resourcing and implement at least three strategies to enhance grounding and soothing
• Identify at least three protective functions of the “Inner Critic”
• Identify the 8 C’s of Self as conceptualized by the Internal Family Systems model
• Explain the power of self-talk and implement a strategy to increase positive affirmations
• Explain and apply the concept of “remembered resource” as a means to increase self-compassion and resourcing
• Mirror neurons and how these can be used in session to promote soothing
• Effectively utilise the concept of anchoring and identify at least five anchors that clients can use in and out of session
• Describe and implement an art strategy that helps clients illustrate and process emotions
• Identify and implement two strategies to promote emotional containment

Workshop Schedule

Module 1:

• Attachment and affect regulation
• Understanding the four attachment patterns
• Manifestations of disorganized attachment
• Videos- demonstrating attachment styles
• Video- a baby’s dysregulated physiology
• Co-regulation and auto-regulation- video

Module 2:

• Understanding the “window of arousal”
• The Still Face experiment- video
• Establishing safety: the challenges with trauma survivors
• Creating external safety in the therapy session
• Using the safe place collage
• Using mirror neurons
• Breathwork strategies for soothing and calming

Module 3:

• Introducing somatic resourcing for affect regulation
• Using anchoring for re-grounding
• Incorporating the “parts” perspective
• Working with the “Inner Critic” and “protective intentions”

Module 4:

• Processing the IFS concept of Self- clients’ artwork
• Art prompt to illustrate emotions
• Strategies for containment
• Using mandalas
• The power of self-talk
• Addressing flashbacks
• Using “remembered resource”

Information will be disseminated through power-point slide presentation and lecture, videos, clients’ artwork, and question and answer periods.

REFERENCES:

• Beerse, M., Van Lith, T and Stanwood, G. (2020) Therapeutic psychological and biological responses to mindfulness-based art therapy. Journal of Stress and Health. 36(4) 419-432
• Brown, L., Belli, G., et al (2019) A review of the role of negative cognitions about oneself, others, and the world in the treatment of PTSD. J of Cognitive Therapy Research. 43(1) 143-173
• Buckley, T., Punkanen, M and Ogden, P. (2018) The role of the body in fostering resilience; a sensorimotor psychotherapy perspective. Journal of Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy. 13 (4) 225-233
• Horner, Gail (2019) Attachment Disorders. Journal of Pediatric Health Care 33(5), 612-622
• Masson, Elsevier (2018) The Role of Adult Attachment Problems, Dissociation, and Affect Dysregulation in the Relationship of Childhood Trauma to BPD Symptoms. European Journal of Trauma and Dissociation 2(2) 91-99
• Solarska, D. (2020) The Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy. Journal of Applied Arts and Health. 11(3) 354-357

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