Shame is one of the most corrosive and immobilizing emotions. It underlies many issues of addiction and so-called impulse control, certain anxiety states, and other “behavioral” problems. Shame is like a cancer, a tumor that grows from the injury of trauma and the wound of betrayal. This interpersonal trauma becomes deeply lodged in the body-mind, and then “metastasizes,” infecting all aspects of a person’s life. They include a loss of connection with our authentic, spontaneous Self, as well as with our basic sense of “rightness” and belonging in the world. In therapy, it can be difficult to work with shame, as bringing it up often results in more shame and reactive avoidance maneuvers. In addition, when clients begin to access shame, their therapists (because of similar unresolved issues) may subtly deflect or inhibit this exploration. This is likely to result in an intensification of the impulse to hide and deny. However, when we understand the neurobiological, developmental, and evolutionary underpinnings of shame and trauma, we can better help our clients (as well as ourselves) move out of shame and restore a core sense of dignity, goodness and self-compassion.
Program Focus
This International Conference on Trauma and Addiction brings together world-renowned researchers, authors, clinicians and trainers to review and discuss the interaction between trauma, chemical and behavioral addictions, and psychiatric illnesses. In a series of of plenary sessions, along with focused in-depth workshops, this gathering of health professionals —- hosted by Meadows Behavioral Healthcare in Scottsdale, Arizona — will focus on the interaction of attachments, neurobiology, and the developmental aspects of trauma’s effects on people. Experts will review what have learned about the ways the brain is shaped by traumatic experiences, how traumatic stress is a response of the entire organism, and how that knowledge needs to be integrated into healing practices.
Who Should Attend?
The training will be valuable for those working in the areas of:
• Mental Health
• Addictions Counseling
• Marriage and Family Therapy
• Psychology
• School Counseling
• Registered Nursing
• Courts and Corrections
• Prevention
• Employee Assistance
• And Other Fields