This video resource pack contains two complete workshops (CPD hours: 5 / CE credits: N/A) that cover:

Part 1: Ending the Flood of Shaming Self-Talk: How to effectively face up to the inner critic (Linda Graham)

Self-blame, negative self-talk, endless pummelling by the inner critic and the relentless self-shaming that can go on in the minds of our clients can effectively thwart their trust in themselves and derail their capacity to cope and to bounce back from stress and trauma. As therapists, we are tasked with helping our clients recover their inner secure base of resilience and well-being. If we are equipped with the right therapeutic tools – we can help our clients re-wire the neural circuitry of self-shaming mental patterns and empower them to retire the inner critic to the role of internal advisor.

This practical seminar which will be useful for psychotherapists, counsellors and psychologists across modalities, will provide us with the neuroscientific background that explains the seeming intractability of negative, shaming-blaming messages and beliefs, even when clients are trying extremely hard to modify or even re-wire them. We will look at practical therapeutic tools that can help our clients cultivate the self-awareness, self-empathy, self-compassion and self-acceptance that allows for revision and re-wiring of such negative beliefs.

The seminar shows how we can use the brain’s neuroplasticity to modify coping behaviours, even when these appear to be seemingly ‘stuck’ or intractable. Linda helps us identify empirically-validated therapeutic techniques that can be applied across modalities. Specifically, we consider how we can help our clients to learn:

• The ABC model of working with disruptive emotions and beliefs (aware, allow, accept, be with, be-friend, compassion and curiosity)
• Experiential exercises to strengthen self-awareness, self-compassion, self-empathy, self-forgiveness and self-acceptance in reliable, measurable ways
• Practices and protocols for healing toxic shame
• Tools for memory deconsolidation-reconsolidation (the juxtaposition of opposites) to rewire seemingly intractable patterns and shift from negativity to positivity
• Guided visualisations for the creation of inner resources – Wiser Self, Compassionate Friend, Inner Protector – to support and companion the healing process
• Mindful awareness practices that allow clients to see their repetitive mental patterns clearly and discern options
• The Wiser Self-Inner Critic dialogue that will allow the inner critic to retire to a new role of inner advisor
• Tools of guided imagination, inner parts dialogue, written reflection and why each is more effective at different stages of learning and growth

Part 2: Post-Traumatic Growth: Mind-Body Tools to Foster Resilience and Help Clients Awaken to their Potential (Dr Arielle Schwartz)

Resilience and post-traumatic growth rely upon the opportunity to work through difficult life experiences. The deep, inner work of healing from trauma can eventually help clients to realize that they are stronger than they previously believed. In turn, they are more likely to accept themselves as they are, have an increased appreciation of life, develop new interests or passions, or discover new spiritual frameworks for their lives.

Traumatic memories are maintained by neural networks, or group of neurons that fire together. According to Hebb’s law, neurons that fire together will wire together. Most importantly, these neural networks are malleable and when clients recall traumatic memories in a safe context, they can change how these memories are stored in the brain.

As therapists, we foster post traumatic growth when we invite clients to take personal responsibility for the narrative that defines their lives. If their voices are full of disappointment and resignation, we can assist them to revisit their stories until they arrive at satisfactory conclusions that support growth after trauma. This does not mean that they can change what happened in the past. However, they can work through the pain of the past until they find resolutions in the here and now. Healing from trauma does not only involve changes in your brain. It is equally important to attend to the impact of traumatic events on the body. Trauma resolution involves attending to somatic experiences, integrating new movement resources, and releasing traumatic activation from your body.

At this engaging and practical seminar, Dr Arielle Schwartz discusses how therapists can help their clients reclaim their lives – using practical tools that facilitate a strength-based approach to trauma recovery and increased resilience. Specifically, we discuss:

• The role of neuroplasticity in healing trauma
• Identification of resilience and protective factors that can work against the development of PTSD
• How mutual regulation serves as a precursor to self-regulation
• A comprehensive approach to repairing interpersonal trauma
• Description of a 5-stage model for embodiment in trauma treatment
• Recognizing the 6 pillars of resilience and post-traumatic growth