Bessel van der Kolk on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Trauma and Attachment

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Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD Related seminars and products

Trauma Research Foundation

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Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, is a clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of post-traumatic stress. His work integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

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 in Brookline, Massachusetts and President of the Trauma Research Foundation, which promotes clinical, scientific, and educational projects. 

His 2014 #1 New York Times 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 neurofeedback, somatically based therapies, EMDR, psychodrama, play, yoga, and other therapies.

Dr. van der Kolk is the past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and professor of psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He regularly teaches at conferences, universities, and hospitals around the world.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a professor at Boston University School of Medicine, the Director of the Trauma Center, and the National Complex Trauma Network. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. van der Kolk receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk has no relevant non-financial relationships with ineligible organizations.

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Program Information

Objectives

1. Appraise the applicability of trauma research in order to ascertain its clinical implications.
2. Present an overview of the impact of trauma on the various parts of the brain, body and nervous system.
3. Differentiate the symptomology and treatment of trauma versus working with disorganized attachment in your clinical practice.
4. Evaluate the use of the DSM-5® in the diagnosis and treatment of trauma-related disorders.
5. Analyze the effectiveness of psychopharmacology, evidence-based protocols, and body-oriented therapies in the treatment of trauma.
6. Consider the long-term consequences and comorbidities of adverse childhood experiences and disorganized attachment.
7. Communicate the frequent challenges for children with complex trauma such as affect dysregulation, impulse control and risk taking.
8. Articulate ways to restore proper balance between the rational and emotional brains, that can help clients re-establish ownership of their bodies and minds.
9. Evaluate treatment interventions for disorganized attachment that target emotion regulation and self-leadership.
10. Assess the effectiveness of EMDR to access, tolerate and process memories in the treatment of distinct trauma.
11. Explore methods that re-establish connection and synchrony with others to overcome trauma.
12. Teach clients self-care and self-compassion practices to build self-leadership and an internal locus of control.

Outline

Trauma and Neuroscience

• Neurobiology of Traumatic Stress
• What Happens in the Mind, Brain and Body
• The Anatomy of Survival
• The Loss of Self and Instinct of Purpose

Diagnosis and Treatment of Trauma and Attachment Disorders

• Disorganized Attachment vs. Traumatic Stress
• DSM-5® Implications for assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment
• Psychopharmacology, Treatment Protocols & Body-Oriented Interventions

Early Brain Development and Attachment

• Interpersonal Neurobiology
• Synchrony and Attunement
• Disorganized Attachment
• Complex Trauma in Children
• Developmental Trauma Disorder
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) & Long-Term Implications

Pathways to Healing

• EMDR
  • Synchrony and Community
  • Language
  • Affect Regulation

Target Audience

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