Complex Trauma & Dissociation: EMDR Enhanced Psychodynamic Treatment

Sandy Shuleshko, M. Ed., LMHC, NCC, CAP, CEDS

Sunday, October, 18, 2020

10:00 am - 1:30 pm

9:50 am - Online Check-In

3 CE CREDITS OFFERED

PRESENTATION:

Complex trauma symptoms differ from those of classic Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Judith Herman (1992) defines the key complex trauma symptoms as alterations in affect regulation, consciousness, self-perception, perception of the perpetrator, relationships to others, and in systems of meaning.  Complex psychological trauma in childhood develops from prolonged, chronic exposure to interpersonal traumatic experiences – physical, sexual and emotional torture. The perpetrator controls and manipulates the victim for their narcissistic pleasure, using denial to place the blame onto the child, and in turn creating long-lasting shame. Complex trauma causes the development of the personality to shift to one that has disorganized attachment as a foundation.

Effective treatment approaches combine the use of psychodynamic psychotherapy with ego state therapy and EMDR. John G. Watkins, the originator of ego state therapy, defines it as “a psychodynamic approach in which techniques of group and family therapy are employed to resolve conflicts between various ego states that constitute a family of self within a single individual” (1993). Francine Shapiro, the originator of EMDR, found that memories of traumatic events are stored in the limbic system of the brain. The bilateral processing with EMDR helps to release them so that they can be reprocessed and desensitized. The clinical case presentations illustrate this approach during treatment.

PRESENTER:

Sandra Shuleshko is a licensed mental health counselor located in Port St. Lucie FL.  She comes to psychotherapy as a second profession following 22 years working in research and development in the aerospace industry.  She found that working alongside engineers prepared her to work with complex clients. She is a nationally certified counselor (NCC), a certified addictions professional (CAP), and a certified eating disorders specialist (CEDS) through the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals. She completed EMDR training in 2005 through the International Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Institute, Inc. She is a member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and specializes in the treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder and the dissociative disorders .  Her experience includes Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Dissociative Amnesia caused by ritual abuse and mind control organized abuse.  She also treats addictions and eating disorders.

1. Explain how EMDR adds to the psychotherapeutic treatment of complex trauma and dissociative states.
2. Describe the difficulties and challenges clinician's face when treating complex trauma and dissociation.
3. Discuss how the patient is helped to integrate self-states successfully.