Full Course Description


Introduction | Welcome to Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy integrates cognitive and somatic interventions in the treatment of trauma and relational strife, emphasizing body awareness, practicing new actions and building somatic resources. In this webinar, the intelligence of the body is be explored and key components of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy’s approach to both the legacy of trauma and of attachment and relationships are addressed.   

Topics related to trauma include the nature of trauma, somatic resources to regulate arousal, the role of mindfulness, processing traumatic memories, the five instinctive defensive responses, dissociative parts of the self, and the role of the body in integration.  The legacy of attachment, relationships, and sociocultural elements, including oppression, including the effect of this legacy on the body are addressed.  Proximity seeking actions, such as reaching out, is explained and illustrated, and the role of expanding movement vocabulary to create hope for the future is also be clarified.  

The six philosophical/ spiritual principles of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy that guide practice and create a therapeutic context within which the possibility for healing and growth is optimized are described as well. 

A special feature of this course is the illustration of the method through the use of videotapes of actors portraying clients suffering from the effects of trauma and attachment wounds, in which the presenter is the therapist.  

The videotapes show how to help clients discover and describe the effects of past traumatic and relational experiences on their current bodily experience, actions, emotions and beliefs. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy interventions are demonstrated that help to change the meaning of traumatic event(s), regulate arousal, process memory, and work to resolve current relational issues and past attachment failures.

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Theorize how the “somatic narrative” informs trauma treatment strategies.
  2. Employ four (4) somatic resources to promote regulating dysregulated arousal.
  3. Analyze why reaching out can be helpful to improve treatment outcomes when clients have relationship problems.
  4. Practice three (3) skills the therapist uses to help clients become mindful and improve level of functioning.

Outline

  • Welcome to Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
  • Introduction to the Body’s Intelligence
  • Trauma and Somatic Resources
  • Regulating Arousal/ Case Illustration
  • Paradigm Shift: From conversation to mindfulness
  • Resourcing to Processing
  • Instinctive Defensive Responses
  • Immobilizing Defenses (and case illustration)
  • Dissociative Parts and the Body
  • Attachment, Relationship and Sociocultural Considerations
  • Attachment and Proximity Seeking Actions
  • Hope and Movement Vocabulary
  • Principles that Guide Practice

Target Audience

  • Counselors
  • Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Social Workers
  • Psychologists
  • Psychotherapists
  • Physicians
  • Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 1 | Introduction to the Body’s Intelligence

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 2 | Trauma and Somatic Resources

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 3 | Regulating Arousal/Case Illustration

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 4 |Paradigm Shift: From Conversation to Mindfulness

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 5 | Resourcing to Processing

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 6 | Instinctive Defensive Responses

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 7 | Immobilizing Defenses (and Case Illustration)

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 8 | Dissociative Parts and the Body

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 9 | Attachment, Relationship and Sociocultural Considerations

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 10 | Attachment and Proximity Seeking Actions

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 11 | Hope and Movement Vocabulary

Copyright : 11/01/2021

Module 12 | Principles that Guide Practice

Copyright : 11/01/2021