Trauma and Relationships: When Intimacy Feels Unsafe

Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Instructor at the Trauma Center, an outpatient clinic and research center founded by Bessel van der Kolk. Known for her expertise as both a therapist and consultant, she is also a past president of the New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation, an EMDR International Association Credit Provider, a faculty member of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, and a former Instructor, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fisher has been an invited speaker at the Cape Cod Institute, Harvard Medical School Conference Series, the EMDR International Association Annual Conference, University of Wisconsin, University of Westminster in London, the Psychotraumatology Institute of Europe, and the Esalen Institute. Dr. Fisher lectures and teaches nationally and internationally on topics related to the integration of research and treatment and how to introduce these newer trauma treatment paradigms in traditional therapeutic approaches.

Trauma and Relationships: When Intimacy Feels Unsafe

1. The effects of trauma on attachment and later relationships A. Dysregulated nervous system
   B. Negativity bias and post-traumatic triggering
   C. How couples respond to conflict and difference
2. Interventions for traumatized couples A. Psychoeducation
   B. Mindfulness-based interventions
   C. Somatic interventions

Trauma and and Relationships: When Intimacy Feels Unsafe
with Janina Fisher, PhD
Course Agenda

Session Content:

• How post-traumatic responses affect intimate relationships (30 minutes)
• Challenge couples to move beyond their stories about each other (20 minutes)
• Change the conversation that promotes blame and disconnection (25 minutes)
• Q & A (15 minutes)

Session Content:

• Teaching couples to observe their roles in the ‘dance of trauma’ (30 minutes)
• Challenging the system: diagramming techniques for changing ‘the story’ (15
  minutes)
• Somatic interventions: somatic self-observation, using gesture and movement
  instead of words (30 minutes)
• Q & A (15 minutes)

Trauma and Relationships: When Intimacy Feels Unsafe
with Janina Fisher, PhD
Learning Objectives

Live Session 1:

1. Identify the two types of disorganized or traumatic attachment patterns and how they
   manifest in relationships.
2. Identify three dysregulated symptoms in couples affected by traumatic attachment
   dynamics, in both the sympathetic hyperarousal and parasympathetic hypoarousal
   states.
3. Integrate 4 Sensorimotor Psychotherapy principles into couples therapy sessions,
   focusing on working somatically with attachment by observing present-moment body
   cues, helping partners modulate arousal, and balancing attachment needs with
   defensive responses.

Live Session 2:

1. Integrate the three steps of the Couples Dialogue method when working with couples,
   including instructing partners to assume the roles of Speaker and Listener, facilitating
   non-blaming communication, and fostering empathetic mirroring between partners.
2. Name four intervention skills to regulate arousal within the window of tolerance
3. Integrate three somatic interventions into couples therapy sessions, recognizing the
   interplay between bodily sensations and communication dynamics, and utilizing
   techniques such as mindfulness and body awareness to regulate arousal levels and
   promote relational connection in high-conflict couples.

For intermediate mental health professionals including Psychologists, Social Workers, LPCs, and LMFTs.

Continuing Education

This program offers limited Live CEs/Contact Hours.

Continuing education credit/Contact hours are awarded on a per-session basis, with full attendance required for the entire 90-minute duration.  There is no additional charge for the CEs.  Application forms and other required CE materials will be available to participants by the Academy of Therapy Wisdom.

NOTE:  To receive continuing education credit, applicants must complete all CE materials, comply with attendance regulations, and submit an evaluation form for the session attended.  It is the responsibility of the attendee to determine if CE credit/contact hours offered by Academy of Therapy Wisdom meet the regulations of their state licensing/certification board.  

Psychology:  This course does NOT provide CEs for Psychologists.

Counseling:

Academy of Therapy Wisdom has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7370. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Academy of Therapy Wisdom is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.  This program is approved for 1.5 CE Credit Hours for each live session for a possible total of 3 CE Credit Hours.

NY State Mental Health Counselors: Academy of Therapy Wisdom is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0285.

Marriage/Family Therapy: See below for CAMFT information.

This course is $97 per month or $997/year. You can purchase it here.