NEUROPSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH
TO PSYCHIC TRAUMA & POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH

DESCRIPTION:

What is psychological trauma? It is when our life assumptions are crushed. These assumptions, the scaffolding of our well-being, are: 1) the world is benevolent; 2) the world is meaningful, controllable, predictable, and just (and we are invulnerable); and 3) we are worthy, decent, and “good” people who deserve the “good” happening to us.  (Stephen Joseph)

What is post-traumatic growth (PTG)? In her 3-minute 2010 TED talk, “The best gift I ever survived”, Stacey Kramer, brain cancer survivor, said: “So next time you’re faced with something that’s unexpected, unwanted and uncertain, consider that it just may be a gift.” In Psycho-Neuro-Bio language, it is PTG.

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This seminar will introduce the participants to the integrative neuropsychoanalytic approach of dealing with traumatic situations and traumatic stress, as well as the two main psychological outcomes of trauma – PTSD and PTG. The participants will learn or advance their knowledge of the Functional Psycho-Neuro-Biology Tools® as these are applied to working in trauma-sensitive practice, as well as becoming the Expert Companions in fostering resilience and PTG in those affected by trauma.

Which are the Functional Psycho-Neuro-Biology Tools® that we will explore during this training?

First, we will review the main Brain-Mind processes – neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, neurointegration, synaptic connections & synaptic pruning, neuronetworking/ connectomes, mirror neuron networking, and the electrochemical conduction of information.

Second, we will review the main Brain-Mind phenomena – of brain laterality, “don’t use it – lose it,” “what fires together – wires together,” “regions connected together – grow up together,” and others. We will discuss the Brain-Mind dyad, using Paul MacLean’s Triune Brain theoretical framework, and attachment, stress responses, self-regulation, and epigenetics as these apply to understanding and treating trauma, mental health disorders, as well as various conditions involving the internal organs and systems.

Third, we will look at all these Brain-Mind mechanisms as the functional system (rather than offering the neuroanatomical models), allowing one to explain the “Whys” of our behaviors, predispositions to trauma and various mental and body/organs’ disorders, and what to do with these practically.

In this seminar, we will also explore how to become the Expert Companion to one’s patients, clients, friends, and family, who are affected by traumatic stress or psychological trauma, to nurture their resilience and PTG process.

Case examples will be offered. Participants’ case examples or/and life situations will also be discussed.

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To build an integrative approach, three main steps are highlighted.

(1) To identify and acknowledge paradoxes and ambiguities in psychoanalytic concepts. This constitutes a relevant issue as clinical work is based on hypothetical concepts. If a concept is obscure or entails a theoretical paradox, then its application to clinical work is just as vague or imprecise as the concept.

(2) To integrate knowledge from different fields and perspectives into psychoanalytic theory can contribute to inform psychoanalytic topics and potentially help solve some of the conceptual and clinical problems described before.

(3) To benefit from the already existent integrative attempts in neuropsychoanalysis, both theoretical and clinical. As simple as it may seem, once neuropsychoanalytic knowledge has been developed, the next challenge is to know how to apply it in the clinical situation.

Psychoanalytic theory can benefit from detailed revisions to facilitate more testing of concepts (Kandel, 1999) and an ongoing clarification of how the mind works that in turn may promote more quality in clinical approaches. To that end, Govrin (2006) used Ryle’s concept of “thick descriptions” to convey the need for complex theories of the mind in psychoanalysis. By expressing his concern about not generating new knowledge in psychoanalysis, Govrin highlights the need for the creation of new grand theories of the mind that may explain empirical problems that bring about hypotheses to be tested.

(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8458959/)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this educational activity, its participants will be able to:

• Discuss and differentiate the concepts of trauma, traumatic situation/event, and traumatic stress.
• Discuss and differentiate the psychological outcomes of trauma, such as PTSD/ CPTSD (complex PTSD), coping, resilience, and PTG.
• Discuss and analyze the brain-mind paradigm shift in trauma-sensitive practice.
• Discuss and analyze the main Brain-Mind processes – neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, neurointegration, synaptic connections & synaptic pruning, neuronetworking/ connectomes, mirror neuron networking, and the electrochemical conduction of information.
• Discuss and analyze the main Brain-Mind phenomena – of brain laterality, “don’t use it – lose it,” “what fires together – wires together,” “regions connected together – grow up together,” and others.
• Discuss and analyze Paul MacLean’s Triune Brain theoretical framework, as it applies to the world of trauma.
• Discuss and analyze theoretical and practical applications of the fields of attachment, self-regulation, and epigenetics, as these apply to the world of trauma.
• Discuss and utilize the concept of becoming the Expert Companion to one’s patients, clients, friends, and family, who are affected by trauma, to nurture their PTG process.

BIOGRAPHY:

REGISTRATION AND FEES:

This event is free to attend.

If the CEs are requested — there is a $25 fee to process the CE certificate.