Trauma. It’s making the rounds today. Not only the condition itself, but the buzzword. Many organizations find that they’re needing a better understanding of trauma, how it differs from the stress we all experience, and from wounds that, with time and the care of others, naturally heal. Most of these want to know, “how can I help?”
For twenty years, I’ve been working with trauma, both as an individual and couples therapist, and as a social worker in agencies. For the last fifteen years, I’ve been supervising other clinicians who desire nothing more than to help others move through the places where they’re stuck, and finally step into a world full of both challenge and opportunity, able to make their special contributions. For the last five years, I’ve been presenting to various organizations, from PeopleHouse, to Mango House, to Trauma Dynamics and our local chapter of AEDP, on various aspects of trauma in general, and given my specialization in how stress is stored in the body, the biology of trauma.
So it would be safe to say…I know trauma. And it delights me no end when participants and supervisees alike come to both a greater understanding and a sense of empowerment in addressing this problem. While some prefer a lecture on the topic, most enjoy a more conversational approach. Both are fine! The workshops can be tailored to fit your needs, from a general understanding of trauma, to specific interventions; from how organizations can protect themselves from secondary trauma and compassion fatigue, to the legal, ethical, and emotional considerations of using touch in psychotherapy. Many other treatment modalities also benefit from adding a somatic component to treatment. Many businesses are also increasingly interested in primary prevention of violence in the workplace, which has a strong trauma component, and benefits from practical applications increasing a sense of community, a crucial deterrent to the alienation and frustration that often lead to tragedy.
The more we, as a larger community, both understand the complicated nature of trauma, and the many ways in which we can intervene, the greater our empowerment to participate in the natural processes that are already at our disposal.
Feel free to visit my curriculum vitae, or read a few of my articles on trauma, then feel free to contact me and explore how I might be of service to your organization.