Trauma and PTSD Relief Therapy - Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Training Program Northern California

Presented by Bessel A. van der Kolk M.D.

Presenter Bio

Bessel A. van der Kolk M.D. is a pioneer clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of posttraumatic stress. His work uniquely integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic, somatic and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

His #1 New York Times Science best seller, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including body work, psychodrama, mindfulness techniques, parts work, yoga, and neurofeedback, Dr. van der Kolk and his various collaborators have published extensively on the impact of trauma on development, such as dissociative problems, borderline personality and self-mutilation, cognitive development, memory, and the psychobiology of trauma. He has published over 150 peer reviewed scientific articles on such diverse topics as neuroimaging, self-injury, memory, neurofeedback, Developmental Trauma, yoga, theater and EMDR.

He is founder of the Trauma Center (now the Trauma Research Foundation) in Boston, MA; past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He regularly teaches at universities and hospitals around the world.

Trauma is ubiquitous in all of our clinical practices – from accidents and domestic violence to the aftereffects of early childhood abuse, instability and neglect (Developmental Trauma). Trauma changes people’s orientation to their self-worth and efficacy, their capacity to deal with conflict and intimacy, as well as emotion regulation and long-term planning. Trauma at different developmental levels changes brain circuitry differently, and thus: perception, self-regulation and reciprocity.

This updated course will present the most recent findings of the brain science of traumatic stress and demonstrate a wide range of treatment approaches appropriate to each individuals’ specific difficulties, including the therapeutic relationship, affect regulation techniques, including yoga, breath work, acupressure, singing and movement; EMDR, neurofeedback, psychodrama and the legitimate use of psychedelic agents.

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain how traumatized people process information
Distinguish between the impact of trauma (i.e. a specific overwhelming experience) and disruptions of attachment, as in neglect and abuse
Describe how somatic processing can alleviate traumatic re-experiencing
Express how trauma, abuse and neglect affects the therapeutic relationship
Describe the range of adaptations to trauma early in the life cycle
Explain the role of self–leadership
Describe how early attachment trauma leads to fragmentation and development of distinct parts. The more trauma the less internal communication

Instructional Level

Advanced

Licensed mental health professionals employed through Kaiser Permanente and psychological assistants performing under supervision of a licensed psychologist.

This CE program is free to Kaiser Permanente employees.

Instructional Methodology

Lecture
Audio/Visual
On-line Presentation

Continuing Education Information

Kaiser Permanente Northern California Mental Health Training Program is approved by the California Psychological Association to provide continuing professional education for psychologists. The Kaiser Permanente Northern California Mental Health Training Program maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Refund and Attendance Policy

All programs offered on KP Learn for CE credit through the KP Northern California Mental Health Training website are free of charge to Kaiser Permanente Staff and trainees. Once a course is selected in the KP NCAL MH Training Website, the registration process begins, and it will appear in the individuals KP Learn profile for completion within 90 days.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Those who attend the program in full and complete the appropriate evaluation form will receive CE credits. Please note that credit will only be granted to those who attend the entire program. An attestation of attendance will be given once the individual has completed viewing the program, which will then initiate the final steps of completing the evaluation forms to receive a certificate of completion.