Complex Trauma, Dissociation & Flashbacks 2025

Complex Trauma, Dissociation & Flashbacks is organized by PTSD Trauma Workshops and will be held from May 08 - 09, 2025.

Description:
An Online intermediate-Advanced level workshop focused on the most challenging aspects of Complex trauma. All workshops cover Face-2-Face and Online Therapy.

• Dissociation
• Somatic-body intrusions
• Overwhelming affect & sensory Images
• Re-experiencing 
• Perceptual distortions (trauma-related pseudo-hallucinations)
• Shame & Self-Loathing

Grounded in the current research. A Relational CBT approach - underpinned by client-centred values. We look at the myths of trauma-focused treatment and discuss the common pitfalls and missteps of therapy. Offering Compassionate, safe and effective ways forward.

We will cover:
How does Developmental Trauma affect the Nervous System, Brain & Body?
Why does this matter in therapy?

• Why age of trauma occurrence impacts development
• How neglect may be more detrimental than abuse
• How does this differ from single-event adult trauma
• What are Medically Unexplained Symptoms - how are they connected to Complex Trauma
• What are the hormonal & Inflammatory biomarkers correlations with Complex Trauma
• How does Interpersonal Neurobiology helps us understand Trust and Shame reactions in Complex Trauma

Is Dissociation a single concept or multiple phenomena?
Why does this matter in therapy?

• Why flashbacks feel like present experience, not past memory
• How the links in the brain become distorted during dissociation
• Depersonalisation & Derealisation - what is the difference and what to do in therapy
• Dissociation and memory fragmentation - how to help our clients make sense of experiences
• Hallucinations or pseudo hallucinations in  Complex Trauma
• Numbing and disconnection
• Strategies for using the body to bring clients out of dissociation and back in the driving seat

Other responses - beyond the fight, flight freeze model
Why does this matter in therapy?

• The common confusion between the Freeze response and Tonic Immobility
• How to help when trauma traps the body in a specific response
• Overwhelming affect and sensory images - what to do to bring long-term relief
• When a client's Social Engagement System goes offline - how to help 
• How to help unpick the stuckness of Shame

Processing Multiple Traumas With Safety & Compassion

• Knowledge and skills to integrate the safe and effective use of narrative exposure-based practices 
• Specific focus on intrusive images/ re-experiencing / somatic intrusions
• Activating clients resources
• How to build habits that create resilience

'Live Observation’ of the therapy process as it unfolds
Most clinicians struggle to make recent research updates relevant to everyday practice. We use ‘hands-on’ empirically driven, relational CBT.

With the help of a professional actor attending our therapy session as a live 'client,'  We will work with high levels of dissociation and self-harm. We will dive into real work complexities and discuss therapy pitfalls & the need for difficult balanced decisions.