When Words Are Not Enough: Treating Addiction and Trauma Using a Body Based Approach

Clinicians often find clinical progress stymied by the persistent affect regulation difficulties experienced by clients who have multiple addictions along with underlying trauma and dissociation.  Experiential activities which support our current understanding of the neurobiology of trauma united with the emergent field of body-based therapies will be introduced for more integrative healing. Through lecture and experiential exercises this workshop will teach participants how to disrupt maladaptive behavioral patterns by using techniques from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy™, guided imagery, mindfulness and trauma sensitive yoga.  Clinicians will be able to model and teach clients mind/body techniques and practices to help them break the habitual, reactive, and dissociative responses they often rely on for managing intense emotions. Even the most dysregulated client  will be able to incorporate some of these new patterns and increase their “window of tolerance” for modulating unpleasant affect thereby reducing both dissociation and relapse.

Workshop Objectives:

At the conclusion of this workshop participants will be able to:

1. Identify and use assessments and treatment methods that address co-addictions using a trauma informed approach. (Task 10)
2. Install somatic anchors and resources in trauma clients to increase their ability to modulate unpleasant affect and shame which often triggers relapse. (task 8)
3. Conduct simple Sensorimotor™ experiments to assist clients in identification of embodied resource ego states in order to modulate unpleasant affect. (Task 18)
4. Be able to guide clients in developing greater body awareness and enhance regulatory capacities through “trauma sensitive” yoga techniques. (Task 6, 17)