For many clients, the effects of trauma can impact almost every relationship they have – from casual to the most intimate.So how can we address the relational side of trauma while also helping clients process traumatic events? In the video below, Terry Real, MSW, LICSW shares a case example to help illustrate how you might […]
Working with Trauma-Induced Shame – with Bessel van der Kolk, MD
When we begin to work through a client’s trauma history, shame can sometimes bring the therapeutic process to a standstill. So, how do we help clients begin to unpack deep layers of shame without halting their progress? In the clip below, Bessel van der Kolk, MD gets into a parts approach for working with trauma-induced […]
[Infographic] 4 Signs of the Attach/Cry-for-Help Response
When people are in distress, seeking out the support and comfort of others can be a natural response. But for clients who’ve experienced trauma, this response can sometimes signal something more. Their persistent attempts to elicit help from others may indicate that they’re stuck in the attach/cry-for-help response. So how can we better recognize this […]
How to work with Shutdown vs. Freeze – with Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD
In the face of a traumatic experience, some clients become unable to move. This can sometimes indicate that a client is experiencing either a freeze response or a shutdown response to trauma. And according to Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD, there are key neurological differences that can help us distinguish between the two . . . […]
2 Strategies for Working with the Freeze Response
As therapists, we may sometimes feel unsure about what to do when a client enters a freeze response and loses their ability to speak. What’s more, it can be difficult to gauge a client’s sense of safety when they’re unable to talk to us. So in the video below, Janina Fisher, PhD walks us through […]
Stephen Porges, PhD on Helping Clients Regulate Distressing Emotions
For many clients, stress can feel like a natural byproduct of having a family, holding down a job, pursuing an advanced degree, or keeping up with the hectic pace of life in general. The problem is, when stress becomes chronic it can impact their brain, body, and virtually every aspect of their life. So how […]
A Mindfulness Exercise To Ease Patterns of Blame – with Zindel Segal, PhD
For some clients, their go-to response to hurt or disappointment may be to find something (or more often someone) to blame it on. And when that blame is accompanied by anger and harsh criticism, it can wreak havoc on their relationships. So how can we help clients begin to manage distressing emotions, instead of jumping […]
One Impact of Abandonment Trauma (and How to Work with It)
A history of abandonment can cause even the most successful clients to question virtually every social interaction. So how can we help these clients move forward with confidence – both in their relationships and within themselves? In the video below, Joan Borysenko, PhD shares the strategy she used to help one client overcome patterns of […]
A 3-Step Approach to Help Heal Attachment Wounds – with Frank Anderson, MD
As practitioners, we know how important the role of attachment can be in a client’s healing process. That’s why addressing early attachment wounds is often a key part of trauma therapy. So in the video below, Frank Anderson, MD will walk us through a 3-step process to help clients let go of pain they’ve carried […]
Thema Bryant, PhD on Post-Traumatic Growth
When clients begin to heal from the pain of trauma, safety is often their priority. But continually seeking safety can limit a client’s opportunities for growth and keep them stuck in survival mode. So in the video below, Thema Bryant, PhD shares how she helps clients invite more fun and freedom into their lives – […]