PODS Open Meeting

‘Partners of Dissociative Survivors’

Are you the partner of someone who is a dissociative survivor of physical or sexual childhood abuse?  This would include people with a dissociative disorder, primarily Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Would you like to get together with other partners?

PODS exists to share information and support one another, by:

• learning more about dissociation, its causes and its effective treatment
• learning how best to care for our partners
• learning how best to care for ourselves and avoid burn-out
• sharing information about UK and internet-based support
• promoting awareness and understanding of dissociative distress

The Open Meeting will be led by a trainer counsellor whose partner has Dissociative Identity Disorder.  There will be one or more short talks and lots of opportunity to share your story, talk to others and find out more.  Both male and female partners are welcome as well as friends, family members and ‘supporters’ of people with DID/DDNOS.

Date: Saturday 3 July 2010, 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Venue: Cambridgeshire near A1/A14 — details on request

Cost: Free

For more details and to book a place at the Open Meeting, please click here for a flyer or email rob@pods-online.org.uk or go to www.pods-online.org.uk

Mental Health Issues in Counselling - Deep Release

Trainers: Dr Maureen Wilkinson FRCPsych & Dr Chris Andrew MRCPsych

Suitable for Counsellors and Clients

An excellent day giving easily understandable information regarding mental health disorders,  the use of medication and the effectiveness (or otherwise) of different counselling approaches.  Includes depression, schizophrenia and psychosis.

Saturday 3 July 2010 - 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

The Sion Community, Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex  CM15 9BX

£69.00 including lunch.

Go to www.deeprelease.org.uk for more details and to book

Understanding Personality Disorders - Deep Release

Trainers: Dr Maureen Wilkinson FRCPsych & Dr Chris Andrew MRCPsych

Suitable for Counsellors and Clients

What are personality disorders, how do we recognise them and can counselling help?  With stories of personal experience, including living with a Narcissist, Borderline Personality Disorder, and how to recognise Paranoid and Antisocial PDs, this enlightening day is an excellent follow-up to the Mental Health day.

Sunday 4 July 2010 - 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

The Sion Community, Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex  CM15 9BX

£69.00 including lunch.

Go to www.deeprelease.org.uk for more details and to book

Trauma Skills Summer School

CONFER

The aim of this 5-day programme is to present some of the most recent developments in the treatment of trauma related disorders. The 10 seminars, taught by several of the UK's leading specialists in the field, are designed for mental health practitioners interested in the following areas:

• Diagnosis of trauma related disorders
• Assessment of the patient's capacity for specific treatment approaches
• Assessing the best theoretical model for treatment in particular cases
• Distinguishing between different types of trauma, such as interpersonal abuse or critical incident
• Understanding the range of effective therapeutic interventions for the treatment of post traumatic symptoms and disorders, for example sensorimotor, psychodynamic, body-based and mindfulness psychotherapies
• Assimilating an understanding of the neurobiology of trauma into psychotherapeutic treatments, including the structure and chemistry of the brain, autonomic nervous and neuroendocrinal systems
• Assessment of developmental issues in the patient's history and pacing treatment with sensitivity to these
• Resourcing the patient

The programme will offer participants:

• A working knowledge of the spectrum of trauma-related disorders
• An introduction to the technical skills involved in each modality covered in the programme
• An understanding of the psychobiological effects of single and multiple exposures to traumatic events
• Skill in recognising signs of traumatic experience, assessment and diagnosis
• Increased awareness of the range of therapeutic treatments available

Monday 5 July 2010 - Friday 10 July 2010

9.30 am to 5.00 pm each day.

25 hours’ CPD

Cost: £750 (organisationally funded) / £520 (self-funded) for whole course or £200/£150 for single days

Monday 5 July am - Dr Felicity de Zulueta: “Childhood, developmental and attachment trauma”

Monday 5 July pm - Alexandra Richman: “Differentiating developmental/complex trauma from incident trauma”

Tuesday 6 July am - Dr Nuri Gene-Cos: “Psychobiological states: the traumatised patient’s body”

Tuesday 6 July pm - Morit Heitzler: “Relational boy psychotherapy - an integrative approach to trauma work”

Wednesday 7 July am - Henry Whitfield: “Mindfulness and cognitive-based therapies in treatment of trauma”

Wednesday 7 July pm - Dr Nuri Gene-Cos: “Applying neuroscience to the treatment strategy of a traumatised patient”

Thursday 8 July am - Tony Buckley: “Sensorimotor psychotherapy as an effective treatment of single incident and sudden impact trauma in the otherwise resilient adult”

Thursday 8 July pm - Dr Liz Hall: “Sensorimotor psychotherapy as an effective treatment for the repeatedly traumatised client with complex childhood trauma”

Friday 9 July am - Adah Sachs: “The roots of trauma in Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)”

Friday 9 July pm - Valerie Sinason: “Psychoanalytic approaches to the treatment of trauma”

For more information click here to go to website or email info@confer.uk.com.

Touch and the role of the body in recovery

John Silverstone and The Willows Counselling Service

John Silverstone is an osteopath with over twenty years practice experience.  He has particular interest in paediatric osteopathy and contributes to the training events. John and his wife, Hazel, have five children and met whilst training at the British School of Osteopathy, especially through the Christian Union.  

Osteopathy uses palpation skills as part of a conventional medical model of diagnosis and treatment.  However, many who employ palpation find that patient’s tissues are capable of conveying a range of information beyond that which is conventionally sought, relating to the personality or long standing, “memories”, of physical and metabolic injuries.

Saturday 10 July 2010, 10.00 am to 4.30 pm

The Harnhill Centre of Christian Healing, Harnhill, Gloucestershire, GL7 5PX

Workshop is £25.00 and will include buffet lunch and refreshments.

For more information click here for a booking form or email willows@willowscounselling.org.uk or telephone 01793 426650

Understanding child sexual abusers

Alice Newman, Lucy Faithfull Foundation

A foundation course for professionals

Our one-day workshop provides an overview of child sexual abuse and abusers.  It will be of particular relevance to offender managers, social workers, public protection police officers and other professionals concerned with protecting children from sexual harm.

This training course provides a broad and informative overview of child sexual abuse.  It explores different ways of understanding sexual offending and how these can be applied to the decisions you make in your work with offenders, victims and families.

Based on experience, research and current practice, the course offers a clear foundation upon which to build your knowledge and skills, covering:

• The models used to understand the behaviour
• The process of sexually abusive behaviour in a variety of contexts
• The impact of child sexual abuse
• How sex offenders are assessed and managed in the criminal justice and child protection systems
• Defensible decision-making

The course will be of interest to all child protection professionals, and those new to a role that involves the assessment or treatment of abusers in particular.  It will also be of benefit to those working with child victims of sexual abuse or other family members.

With a specialist background in child protection, our course facilitators will explore:

• The scale of the problem: How many victims? Who are the abusers? What are we doing about it?
• Models for understanding and assessing this behaviour
• The differences between contact and internet offending and offenders
• How child sexual abuse affects primary and secondary victims
• Risk assessment methods and offender management and treatment

Throughout the day, you will be given the opportunity to explore the issues through individual case studies and to discuss your own case examples.

Date: 13 July 2010

Venue: Bristol

Cost: £155 including VAT & lunch

For further information please click here for a brochure, go to www.lucyfaithfull.org or phone Nicola Wathen on 01527 591922

New Solutions in the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation

Dr Janina Fisher and the 2gether NHS Foundation Trust for Gloucestershire

Treating the legacy of childhood trauma and neglect is not simple even for the most experienced clinician.  The work is frequently complicated by dissociation-related challenges including shifting states of consciousness, paradoxical responses to treatment, autonomic dysregulation and impulsivity, problems with memory and continuity, shame and self-sabotage, and crises in the therapeutic alliance.

This workshop will offer a conceptual model for treating the effects of trauma and dissociation and present techniques to engage clients who are resistant, overwhelmed, impulsive, preoccupied with internal stimuli and unable to effectively process verbal input.

These verbal and somatic approaches emphasise present moment experience and help clients to better integrate the therapeutic work by fostering internal coherence and mindfulness and strengthening capacities to deal with the challenges of daily life.  Because they are inherently stabilising they are appropriate for clients presenting with any trauma-related diagnosis, including Borderline Personality Disorder and bipolar disorder as well as Dissociative Identity Disorder and other Dissociative Disorders.

It is hoped that the workshop will enable participants to:

• Develop their understanding of dissociative phenomena, including the differences between ‘state’ versus ‘trait’ dissociative symptoms
• Utilise mindfulness techniques to counteract dissociation-related symptoms and impulsivity
• Employ cognitive and body-centered techniques that decrease regression and resistance in therapy

Dr Janina Fisher is an Instructor and Senior Supervisor at The Trauma Center, an outpatient clinic founded and directed by Bessel van der Kolk, and maintains a private practice in psychotherapy and consultation in the Boston area.  Dr Fisher lectures and teaches nationally and internationally on topics related to trauma, dissociation, and the integration of the neurobiological research into clinical practice.

Venue: Dowty Sports and Social Club, Down Hatherley Lane, Down Hatherley, Gloucester, GL2 9QD

Date: Wednesday 14 July 2010

Time: 9.45 am - 5.00 pm including buffet lunch

Cost: £95 plus VAT if booked before 1 May / £105 plus VAT if booked after 1 May

For more details please click here for flyer and booking form or telephone Rebecca Hall on 01452 509018

Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) - Deep Release

Trainer: Pauline Andrew

Suitable for Counsellors and (some) Clients

A specialist workshop for those working with extreme trauma where we look at how the mind and body cope by dissociation.  Includes testimonies from survivors, with a theoretical framework and current neuroscience research to help us understand how Dissociative Identity Disorder is an amazing way to survive extreme abuse.

(NB: some material may be triggering)

Thursday 15 July 2010 - 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

The Sion Community, Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex  CM15 9BX

£69.00 including lunch.

Go to www.deeprelease.org.uk for more details and to book

Women who sexually abuse children: challenging perceptions and awareness training

Sherry Ashfield, Lucy Faithfull Foundation

Our one-day course draws on lessons learnt from research and practice to increase knowledge about female sexual abuse and to develop skills for engaging with these women in  a gender responsive way.  It will be of interest to practitioners from health and social care, education and criminal justice.

This training course will be suitable for practitioners needing to develop their understanding of the wider implications of female sexual abuse.  It will also assist professionals to approach situations where female sexual abuse may have occurred with increased confidence and knowledge.

Drawing on research and our experience within the child protection and criminal justice systems, the course begins by looking at the difficulties encountered in identification of female sexual abuse.  We consider:

Challenges female abusers present to commonly held preceptions of female behaviour

Implications for victims of our inability to 'hear' their disclosures

This is followed by exploration of messages from research and practice regarding:

Prevalence of female sexual abuse of children

Similarities and differences identified between male and female sexual abusers

Impact issues for victims of female abusers

Characteristics of female abusers

Common typologies and abuse patterns

Skills which may assist in engaging the women in assessment or intervention interviews

Delivery will include information, anonymised case examples, discussion and group exercises.

Date: 15 July 2010

Venue: Bristol

Cost: £155 including VAT & lunch

For further information please click here for a brochure, go to www.lucyfaithfull.org or phone Nicola Wathen on 01527 591922

Gestalt and Body Work for Counsellors - Deep Release

Trainer: Pauline Andrew

Suitable for Counsellors and (some) Clients

This day focuses on what to do when counselling gets ’stuck’.  Includes how to work with unfinished business held in the unconscious but revealed through our dreams and our bodies.  A lively, practical workshop including chairwork, boundaries, guided imagery, mindfulness and creative tools.

Friday 16 July 2010 - 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

The Sion Community, Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex  CM15 9BX

£69.00 including lunch.

Go to www.deeprelease.org.uk for more details and to book

Anger Workshop - Deep Release

Trainer: Julie Timm

Suitable for Counsellors and Clients

This workshop looks at:

• how anger gets blocked, often causing sickness and depression
• how emotions can be repressed in childhood
• releasing angry feelings safely
• spiritual dynamics
• exercises and demonstrations.

Tuesday 20 July 2010 - 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Shipham Village Hall, Shipham, Somerset BS25

For more details and to book, email timmjulie@yahoo.co.uk or phone 01934 844721

Bridge Pastoral Foundation Conference

“Forgiveness” with Julie Nicholson and Fr Edmund Power OSB

The conference is open to all, whether members of BPF or not, clergy or lay, professionals working in the ‘talking’ professions or those engaged in pastoral visiting within their local church or community.  If you are seeking space for reflection and personal growth in an ethos of Christian spirituality, then this is the conference for you.

The work of the conference will take place within evening plenaries, daily small personal growth groups, afternoon workshops, morning and evening worship and social occasions.

Julie Nicholson is an ordained priest in the Church of England.  Her career has spanned nursing, teaching and, more recently, writing and broadcasting.  Julie is a devotee of the arts and has had extensive experience working with communities in the field of theatre arts.  Until 2005 Julie was Priest in Charge of an East Bristol parish.  Following the death of her eldest daughter Jennifer , in what became known as the 7/7 London Bombings, Julie stepped aside from parish ministry and is currently working as Theatre Arts Director in the Diocese of Bristol.  This work provides creative space for people to meet with others and to engage with questions of life, death, fall and redemption, love and betrayal.  In 2008 she co-authored and presented a programme for Radio 4, “In Search of Forgiveness”, which explored the meaning of forgiveness from varying perspectives, ranging from the theological to the psychological to the sociological.  The programme also engaged with people who have faced the challenge of forgiveness in their personal lives.

Fr Edmund Power OSB, born in 1952, entered Douai Abbey and gained degrees in philosophy and theology as well as a PhD in theology.  In 1978-89, he was involved in teaching and pastoral work at Douai School and from then until 1991 his ministry was in youth work in the Catholic diocese of Portsmouth.  From 1991-93 Fr Edmund taught monastic theology and was active in monastic formation at the international Benedictine university of Sant’ Anselmo in Rome.  1993-1997 saw him as headmaster of Douai School and in 1997 he became prior of Sant’ Anselmo, where he remained until 2004.  From 2005 to date, he has been Abbot of St Paul’s outside the Walls in Rome.

Date: 26-30 July 2010

Venue: The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire

Cost: See brochure

For further details please click here for a brochure or email admin@bridgepastoral.org.uk.