Our CPD Advanced skills Workshops
All of our workshops are experiential. Experiential learning is powerful because collaboration and personal learning from each other accelerates learning and ownership of the subject matter. Many of our previous participants have remarked on how powerful, but gentle, this approach is and how much it has helped them in their own lives.
Our Annual Members get 25% - 70% discount (workshops, conferences and other events)
Priority places will be given to participants joining our Certified Complex Trauma Practitioner Course
At present we run two-day courses via ZOOM on the following subjects:
Stage 1
The Stage 1 course is the base for the majority of our other courses. We advise you attend this course first if you are interested in other courses. Please be aware that our Stage 1 workshop also covers an introduction to Stage 3 interventions.
1. Stage 1. Safety & Stabilisation (Zoom)- Complex Trauma Work during the 1st phase of trauma recovery (Single, Multiple & Childhood Trauma) (from 9:30 to 16:00)
* (Sold out ) Fri- Sat - 10/11th February 2023 - Zoom workshop
* (Sold out ) Fri- Sat - 19/20th May 23 - Zoom workshop
* (Sold out ) Fri- Sat - 7/8th July 23 - Zoom workshop (4 places left)
* Fri- Sat - 22/23rd Sep 23 - Zoom workshop (3 places left)
* Fri- Sat - 12/13th Jan 24 - Zoom workshop
* Fri- Sat - 9/10th Feb 24 - Zoom workshop
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2. Healing Touch in C-PTSD Therapy for all professionals who support traumatised individuals and are integrating or interested in integrating body-focused interventions.
2.Dealing with Secondary Trauma impact, Vicarious Traumatisation and Burnout (for professionals supporting trauma survivors):
*Only Available as Inhouse Training - find out more.
Please contact us
3.Working with Children: Helping Children Cope with Trauma
*Only Available as Inhouse Training
Stage 2
We advise anyone who is interested in joining this group to attend our Stage 1 course first. Please note that that Herman’s Staged model is not a linear model in reality. Each of our Stage 2 workshops also covers Stage 1 and Stage 3 interventions.
1. Stage 2 - Working with Intrusive Memory Experiences (Flashbacks) - Trauma Work during the 2nd stage of trauma recovery - (Single & Multiple Trauma, from 9:30 to 16:00):
* (Fri- Sat) 17th/18th March 23 (Sold out)
* (Fri- Sat) 20th/21st Oct 23
* Fri- Sat - 8/9th March 24
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2. Stage 2 - Working with shame and guilt - Complex Trauma Work with Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma during the 2nd Stage of trauma recovery (from 9:30 to 16:00):
* (Sold out ) (Fri-Sat) 21st /22nd April 23 ( waiting list)
* (Fri- Sat) 1st/2nd December 23
* Fri- Sat - 19/20th April 24 - Zoom workshop
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3. Stage 2 - Working with Dreams & Nightmares (during the 2nd Stage of Trauma Recovery)(from 9:30 to 16:00)
* (Sold out ) (Fri-Sat) 16/17th June 23 ( 1 place left)
* (Fri- Sat) 10th/11th November 23
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Stage 3
We advise anyone who is interested in joining Fear & Attachment please attend our Stage 1 course first.- However, please feel free to book Fear & the Therapist at any time.
1. Stage 3. Fear and the Therapist (An online weekend workshop to help therapists recognise and regulate their Fear System responses in their work with clients)(from 9:30 to 12:30)
2. Stage 3. Fear and Attachment (An online weekend workshop exploring the impact of our fear system responses on our ability to give and seek care in our personal lives and in our work as therapists)(from 9:30 to 12:30)
Other
Workshops suitable for non-mental health professionals
1. Healing Touch in C-PTSD Therapy for all professionals who support traumatised individuals and are integrating or interested in integrating body-focused interventions. Read more & Book here
2. Introduction to Psychological First Aid - in-house workshop (only)
3. Dealing with Secondary Trauma impact, Vicarious Traumatisation and Burnout (for any professionals supporting trauma survivors) - in-house workshop (only).
*Only Available as In house Training
Please contact us
About ZOOM Workshops:
We use 'Zoom' as our online platform to deliver webinars and workshops. In order to join our ‘Zoom’ workshop you will need a computer (not a mobile phone please) and 2 choices to join:
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Following registration to the webinar, you will receive a link to join our workshop. You will then need to choose the option ‘Join without installing Zoom programme’)
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Or you can install the ‘Zoom’ software onto your computer. Once installed, log into your account. Following registration to the webinar, you will receive an email with a link to join our workshop. If you click on the link, it will automatically open the online workshop on ‘Zoom’. (We recommend this option).
You can find further information and video tutorials on how to join ‘Zoom’ on their website: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us?_ga=2.222197848.177099323.1588582231-437356779.1588582231
Please be aware that:
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This will be a workshop and is not a webinar. Meaning that your camera and audio will be enabled (please check if your camera and microphone work in advance).
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You will need to update your operational system manually before joining our workshop so you would not be interrupted by your own computer.
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Preferably you will need to connect your computer to the internet by cable (wired connection), unless you have a good wi-fi
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It’s an experiential workshop, so you will be invited to participate in many exercises as a group and in small groups (‘Zoom’ allows us to split in small groups)
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Ideally we need you to be alone in your room as you will be asked to use the whole room for our exercises.
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The number of workshop participants is limited to 12.
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We will send you some of the exercise instructions via email and you will need to open the documents we send you. When we ask you to split into small groups you can read these exercises.
Stage 1 - Safety & Stabilisation - Complex Trauma Work during the 1st phase of trauma recovery - (Single, Multiple & Childhood Trauma)
This workshop mainly focuses on how to support trauma survivors of Single, Multiple & CPTSD who are at the beginning of their recovery where their main goal is Stabilisation & Establishment of Safety. This workshop is suitable for beginner practitioners working with trauma as it focusses on the first phase of trauma recovery where the body focused approach is most suitable to create safety and emotional stability. At the same, professionals with extensive experience in working with trauma often attend our workshops as we all know the learning process never stops in our field. These professionals will certainly expand their set of tools by enhancing creative techniques and will have an opportunity to learn much needed self-care techniques to prevent secondary trauma impact.
All of our courses are built around Herman’s Three Stage Model of Trauma Recovery; with the first stage, Safety and Stabilisation, being the most important one. Very often trauma victims suffer from symptoms ranging from hypervigilance, anger, and extreme emotion to pain, depression and immobility. We look at ways to build up resources for trauma sufferers, both external and internal safety, including coping strategies for dealing with their symptoms. This course gives and suggests creative ways/techniques to bring clients into the “window of tolerance” because it is impossible to work with someone who is suffering the after-effects of trauma without first making them feel safe and helping them to find resources within themselves to help them manage their emotions.
This work involves creating emotional stability (learning how to avoid being overcome with emotions) which brings the client into the “window of tolerance” where further trauma processing work can be done.
We advise anyone who is interested in joining other groups to attend this workshop as a Stage 1 course is the base for majority of our other courses.
Trauma Work during the 2nd stage of trauma recovery - Stage 2, (Single & Multiple Trauma - Working with Intrusive Memory Experiences)
We advise anyone who is interested in joining this group to attend our Stage 1 course first.
This module focusses on how to further support trauma recovery when trauma survivors of Single or Multiple trauma are ready for Trauma Processing of Intrusive Memory Experiences. This programme helps you to develop additional techniques and strategies essential to healing traumatic life situations presented by many clients. This is based on Phase 2 of Herman’s model, where safety and internal resources are in place so that work on the actual trauma can be done by using Systemic , Experiential, Embodied approaches. This is a stage where we support safe re-integration of traumatic experiences.
Trauma is a “stuck” process in the body and we utilise embodied, experiential and systemic techniques to resolve blocks so that traumatic memory can be integrated into our normal memory system. We use indirect imaginal exposure processing which avoids re-triggering clients (e.g. narrative is the one of the main triggers) so that they are more likely to stay within the therapeutic window of tolerance (Briere and Scott, 2006).
We are always keeping in mind the fact that CPD workshops are an extended part of our participants’ support system. All of our workshops incorporate a self-care dimension and, it is also worth saying that, all of our workshops are experiential. This means that our participants learn through reflecting on the experiences they get from doing different exercises.
Stage 2 - Working with Dreams & Nightmares
Complex Trauma Work (Single, Multiple & Childhood) during the second stage of Trauma Recovery
We advise anyone who is interested in joining this group to attend our Stage 1 course first.
Nightmares are a classic symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and this course provides a simple, step-by-step approach to working with nightmares that minimises the danger of re-traumatisation. We also introduce participants to the work with ordinary dreams.
Finding a way to avoid re-traumatisation is an essential part of working with people suffering from trauma. Trauma is a “blocked” process that needs processing so that it can be stored and remembered the same way as normal memories. Contemporary research has shown that nightmares and other sleep disturbances can be “stuck” patterns. Some approaches to working with trauma suggest that nightmares can be alleviated if the person can change the ending (e.g. Gehrman and Harb, 2010). However, if this is done by consciously rehearsing the narrative of the nightmare, it can lead to re-traumatisation, distress, and drop-out from therapy.
Based on systemic, embodied and trauma recovery approaches we support trauma clients to stay within the therapeutic window by beginning the therapy session with safety and stabilization. Working with nightmares involves re-visiting the trauma (in some way) and it is not always possible for sufferers to do this until they are stable and have the resources to calm themselves if they become triggered by the work. Using our framework, as the client processes the content of the trauma, they are able to stay in the present, aware of bodily sensations, and not become flooded by emotion. As a result of this work, the negative elements of the nightmare are transformed, allowing the client to move on from the “stuck” process.
Working with embodied experiences connected to trauma is a much more gentle exposure than working with the traumatic narrative. Because narrative can be a powerful trigger, we use indirect imaginal exposure processing so that clients are more likely to stay within the therapeutic window (Briere and Scott, 2006).
In this workshop, our participants learn through reflecting on the experiences they get from doing different exercises. As a result of this training, participants will learn:
(1) how the nightmare can be broken into its various components which can be processed individually, and how nightmares can be re-processed without rehearsing the painful narratives which can re-traumatise clients;
(2) how ordinary dreams can be broken into their various components to help the client process the whole dream;
(3) how nightmare and dream re-processing can be incorporated into counselling or psychotherapy sessions.
Through this training, participants are introduced to systemic, experiential and embodied techniques in nightmare and dream re-processing.
For the purposes of training and research, we are collaborating with Tom Stoneham (a philosophy professor) and several researchers at the University of York. Tom has developed a Cultural–Social Model of dreams, which provides an alternative theoretical foundation for working with dreams and nightmares. The theory postulates that our dream content is largely determined by external social and cultural factors whereas most theories heavily rely on internal psychological processes.
To read some of our most recent feedback please click on this link
Stage 2 - Working with Shame & Guilt (Intrusive Thoughts), Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma
Complex Trauma Work during the second stage of Trauma Recovery
It is necessary to attend Complex trauma work (Stage 1)- the 1st phase of trauma recovery course before signing up for this one.
The main focus of this workshop will be on how safely approach Intrusive Thoughts (e.g. related to childhood trauma) and how to manage & support integration of self as a whole. We will introduce Phase-Oriented approach to post-trauma treatment of intrusive thoughts with a focus on working with shame and guilt.
Childhood Trauma, especially imposed by people in positions of affection and authority, create long term difficulties with trust, intimacy, and dependency. This traumatization causes profound vulnerability and vigilance which continue affecting adults in their late lives. They are often left to deal with overwhelming experiences that are normally held in their bodies. These overwhelming experiences become the reason why these adults disconnect from being present and it greatly impacts on the way they connect with other people. Adult survivors often cannot get body senses as their past memories are very painful physically and psychologically. Therefore they ‘dissociate’ from their feelings and body experiences which is a protective process simply helping them to survive.
This two-day workshop will be experiential and you will learn about effective Systemic , Experiential, Embodied techniques when working with trauma. These techniques will add an important link between the body's stored knowledge of the impacts of the past difficult life of past difficult life situations and their impacts. We examine the embodied approach to the trauma which has been “stuck” since childhood. In this course we are working with the “Inner Traumatised Child” (the traumatised part metaphor) that has become “stuck” and is unable to develop and move on. We first establish safety & internal resources for the client, before going on to approach those “parts” that are stuck and enable them to be processed and integrated. We also work with negative self talk - ‘Inner critical voice’ metaphor which are a feature of childhood trauma.
Outcomes:
As a result of this training, participants will:
1. Continue developing their understanding of working with trauma within the therapeutic window (stabilization stage followed by trauma processing)
2. Develop further understanding of re-establishing clients’ safety during the trauma recovery process (working with triggers during trauma processing), Identify & Manage Intrusive thoughts
3. Develop further understanding on how to build internal resources while beginning to replace unhealthy/maladaptive strategies/behaviours with adaptive strategies/behaviours
4. Learn how to support clients with negative self-talk (inner critic metaphor), continue replacing maladaptive strategies with adaptive strategies
5. Learn how to integrate shameful traumatic memories, emotional flashbacks and supporting completion of actions or impulses
6. Develop ideas of how to integrate Embodied & Trauma Oriented perspectives to your existing therapeutic work (and therapeutic modalities)
To read some of our most recent feedback please click on this link
Stage 3 - Working with Fear & Attachemnet
Complex Trauma Work during the third stage of Trauma Recovery
“No productive work is going to take place between the caregiver and careseeker until the therapist (the caregiver) can recognize the activation of his or her own fear system, and how it infiltrates the organization of his or her self.” (Una McCluskey 2011[1])
When we work with complex trauma, we are working first and foremost with the biological fear system which has become dysregulated and cannot de-activate. When we work with our clients’ fear responses, our own fear responses are powerfully activated. We cannot work effectively with complex trauma unless we become really familiar with our own fear system and the defensive “default settings” we have developed over our lifetime. Michael Guilding’s workshop “Fear and the Therapist” conducted over two half-days is focused on helping therapists to recognise the activation of their own fear system responses and explore ways of regulating these responses more effectively. This provides an important foundation for Stage 1 trauma work, a framework within which to conduct Stage 2 work, and introduces a way of working ideally suited for Stage 3 trauma work.
Michael’s second workshop “Fear and Attachment” moves on to explore the second requirement in the quotation above – recognising how our fear system responses infiltrate the organisation of the self. What this means is that the fear system profoundly affects our patterns of attachment – changing the way we relate to others and to our self. This workshop introduces a framework for understanding this impact, focusing on two key attachment systems which are critical for therapeutic work – caregiving and careseeking. We explore how these systems are operating in our personal lives and in our work and look at changes we might make to caregive and careseek less defensively and more effectively, in the process reconnecting ourselves with the world and with others. This gives a theoretical understanding and also personal insight into Stage 3 of trauma work.
[1] McCluskey, U. (2011). The Therapist as a fear free caregiver supporting change in the dynamic organisation of the self, Association for University and College Counselling (AUCC) Journal, May 2011, 12-17.
Working with Children: Helping Children Cope with Trauma
To read some of our most recent feedback please click on this link
Introduction to Psychological First Aid
For field workers and professionals including range of helping work contexts on how to support survivors of trauma, crisis and disasterSupporting others,supporting ourselves (for field workers and professionals including range of helping work contexts on how to support survivors of trauma, crisis and disaster).
We offer in-house workshops
Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Aim
To develop an understanding of how to support trauma survivors (families, adults and children) in distress/mental health issues and also understanding of how to make a referral to an appropriate service.
Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will:
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Develop an understanding of psychological and emotional behaviours of trauma survivors resulting from significant single or complex traumas (6 automatic distress reactions + main needs of trauma survivors clients that help to spot early signs of mental health issues)
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Develop an understanding of how mental health professionals support traumatised clients, why some of the services can only support trauma survivors who at the beginning of trauma recovery (new arrivals) and other services unable to offer this mental health support . Subsequently, it will help to - understand how to make appropriate referrals.
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Develop an understanding of how to support trauma survivors at the beginning of trauma recovery (e.g. new arrivals) by learning the main components and steps of Psychological First Aid (designed for non-mental health professionals and adapted for the multiple needs of trauma survivors ).
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Be introduced to the basic skills of managing emotional distress (simple tools that prevent further deterioration - group exercises will be offered).
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Be introduced to secondary trauma impact and why self-care skills are important when supporting trauma survivors .