Conceptualising Dissociation Across Disorders

This is an online workshop. You will join the current cohort on the Postgraduate Certificate in Psychological Trauma and Personality Development course.

Dissociation is a common, pan-diagnostic psychological phenomenon that can present in diverse ways, sometimes mundane and often vital. Dissociative responses range from brief “blanking” in sessions through to the presentation of Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D) and they can involve intense “tuning in” as in flashbacks or intense “tuning out” as is detachment disorders. Clearly, there is a wide range of presenting symptoms and therapists need to be able to recognise them, share a psychological understanding of them, manage them or realise when to refer on. With that in mind, this workshop aims to:

• The cognitive model of mental contamination in OCD
• Demonstrate the range and presentations of dissociative symptoms and states (including flashbacks) within a simple unifying framework.
• Clarify the basic psychology and neuropsychology of trauma and dissociation
• Explore the links between traumatic or stressful experiences and dissociation
• Explore the impact of trauma and dissociation on the development of self
• Provide a sound basis for recognising and formulating difficulties arising from trauma –related memories and dissociation
• Use formulations and CBT “first principles” to explore relevant CBT interventions to give relief from distressing dissociative experiences.

The presentation will demystify working with dissociative presentations and equip the clinician to formulate them and to use formulations to guide treatment.

Helen has worked with forms of dissociation for over thirty years, developing simple ways of communicating the phenomenon to patients and using familiar CBT interventions to help patients cope.

Helen is co-editor of “Cognitive Behavioural Approaches to the understanding and treatment of Dissociation” (Kennedy, Kennerley & Pearson, 2013) and she published one of the first CBT therapist guides to working with dissociative symptoms: Kennerley, H. (1996). Cognitive therapy of dissociative symptoms associated with trauma. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 35(3), 325-340.

Certificate of Attendance

A digital certificate that states the hours of live participation in the workshop will be emailed to you after the training event. You must attend the workshop live to receive a certificate.

Workshop recording is now available to attendees

By attending this workshop I understand I am giving my consent for the workshop to be video recorded and for this video recording to be available to people attending the workshop live and for it to be sold separately, for the amount of time determined by OCTC and outlined in the purchase agreement. My name, if displayed onscreen, and my image will make up part of this recording. Recordings are the property of OCTC and making copies of these recordings or sharing login details is not permitted. Please do not reveal details which may compromise the anonymity of clients.

The recording will be available to view for a period of twelve months.