Trauma Wisdom Circle · October 2025
Why Nothing Matters
Ruth Cohn · MFT
This program has limited CE approval for the live Trauma Expert Teachings Zoom calls on a per-session basis (1.5 CEs per session)
CE Request Deadline
**CES MUST BE REQUESTED NO LATER THAN 60 DAYS AFTER THE LIVE CALL**
- Session 1Oct 10, 20259-10:30 am PDT1.5 CEs
- Session 2Oct 24, 20259-10:30 am PDT1.5 CEs
**FULL ATTENDANCE FOR THE ENTIRE 90-minute DURATION IS REQUIRED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CES**
October 2025 Calls – Ruth Cohn – Why Nothing Matters
It is the participant’s responsibility to check if their state is approved for CEs. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval. Please click on the Specific CE Information link below for more details.
Course Details
Ruth is also the author of numerous articles on sexuality, trauma, and neglect and three books: Working With the Developmental Trauma of Childhood Neglect: Using Psychotherapy and Attachment Theory Techniques in Clinical Practice, Coming Home to Passion: Restoring Loving Sexuality in Couples With Histories of Childhood Trauma and Neglect, and Out of My Mind: Late Night Contemplations About Trauma and Neglect.
Content Description:
These sessions will fundamentally reframe neglect as a serious developmental trauma-an injury to the nervous system and the capacity for attachment-by explaining how the loss of a survival-essential need leads to the “inescapable shock situation” and traumatic dissociation. This early impasse creates the core bind of the “Dilemma Without Solution” (needing closeness with no reliable pathway to it), which underlies the protective emotional shutdown. These adaptations evolve into the Self-Reliant Character, who appears competent and independent but is organized around minimizing needs and avoiding reliance, presenting clinically as distancing, masked despair, and difficulty trusting care. The session then provides a clinical map for Neglect-Informed Psychotherapy by outlining treatment stages to co-construct meaning, address the appearance of early terror and dissociation in adulthood, and offer practical approaches to manage the Self-Reliant Character’s challenges, ultimately helping the client expand their capacity to receive care while preserving their autonomy.
Course Agenda
Why Nothing Matters
with Ruth Cohn, MFT
Live Online Zoom Session 1 – The Invisible Wound of Early Childhood Neglect – Friday, October 10th –9-10:30am PDT/12-1:30pm EDT/5-6:30pm BST
This session lays the foundation for understanding neglect as a serious developmental trauma-not a “lack of something” but an injury to the nervous system and to the capacity for attachment. We’ll review why attachment is a survival need in infancy and how its loss or absence is experienced as life-threatening. Ruth will unpack the “inescapable shock situation,” in which a baby cannot fight, flee, or find comfort, and how this early impasse fosters traumatic dissociation. We’ll also explore the “Dilemma Without Solution,” the core bind of neglect: needing closeness while having no reliable pathway to it. Together, these conditions help explain the protective shutdown behind the feeling that “nothing matters.”We’ll then trace how these early adaptations evolve into the Self-Reliant Character-often capable, composed, and fiercely independent, yet organized around minimizing needs and avoiding reliance on others. Participants will learn to recognize the strengths and costs of this strategy in clinical presentation: distancing that reads as indifference, high competence that masks despair, difficulties trusting care, and a narrowed tolerance for relational dependence. The session offers a clear conceptual map to name what’s happening without pathologizing, orienting clinicians toward treatment implications that support safety and connection. Session Agenda:
(5 min) – Welcome & Frame
(10 min) – Neglect as Developmental Trauma & Attachment as Survival
(12 min) – The “Inescapable Shock Situation” → Traumatic Dissociation
(12 min) – The “Dilemma Without Solution” (Core of Neglect Trauma)
(12 min) – The Self-Reliant Character
(9 min) – Pull-Through & Treatment Implications
(30 min) – Q&A
Live Online Zoom Session 2 – What’s the Story? Unearthing Narrative when the Trauma was Childhood Neglect – Friday, October 24th – 9-10:30am PDT/12-1:30pm EDT/5-6:30 BST
When trauma is defined by absence, clients often arrive without a “story,” only patterns: competence that hides panic, neutrality that covers collapse, and relationships that feel unsafe or unreal. This session turns those patterns into workable clinical narrative. We’ll outline the stages of Neglect-Informed Psychotherapy-establishing present-day safety, naming neglect mechanisms, building tolerance for being cared for, working with dissociation, renegotiating the approach-avoid bind, and consolidating new relational experiences-so therapists have a map for co-constructing meaning without pathologizing. The aim is to help clients locate what happened to their attachment systems, how it shows up now, and where choice can re-enter.We’ll then translate these concepts into in-the-room practice. We’ll discuss how early, life-threatening terror surfaces in adult presentations. We’ll explore what shifts when dissociation shows up in various forms. And, we’ll bring to light the ways that the “Dilemma Without Solution” appears between therapist and client, while discussing clinical choices that can help. Finally, we’ll address the challenges (and “nightmares”) of the Self-Reliant Character-testing, refusal of help, shame about needs-and offer approaches that preserve autonomy while gently expanding capacity to receive care. Session Agenda:
5 min) – Welcome & Bridge from Session 1
(12 min) – Stages of Neglect-Informed Psychotherapy (rough map)
(12 min) – How Life-Threatening Terror Presents in Adults
(12 min) – Varieties of Traumatic Dissociation: Practice Approaches
(12 min) – Working the “Dilemma Without Solution” in the Room
(7 min) – Self-Reliant Character: Challenges & Repairs
(30 min) – Q&A
Why Nothing Matters
with Ruth Cohn, MFT
Learning Objectives
Session 1: The Invisible Wound of Early Childhood Neglect
- Participants will be able to identify three observable markers of neglect-related adaptations in adults.
- Participants will be able to explain the two opposing drives that define the “Dilemma Without Solution”.
- Participants will be able to name one way the “inescapable shock situation” contributes to traumatic dissociation.
Session 2: What’s the Story? Unearthing Narrative when the Trauma was Childhood Neglect
- Participants will be able to identify the stages of Neglect-Informed Psychotherapy from the session’s overview.
- Participants will be able to classify two client statements as proximity-seeking or self-protective/avoidant within the “Dilemma Without Solution.”
- Participants will be able to describe one brief, autonomy-preserving intervention for engaging a Self-Reliant client who resists receiving help.
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 Social Workers: Academy of Therapy Wisdom is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Workers as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. #SW-0814.
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.
California Professionals:Academy of Therapy Wisdom, Provider #1032323, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs. Academy of Therapy Wisdom maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 1.5 hours per session of continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
This course is $97 per month or $997/year. You can purchase it here.
CancellationYou can try your first month risk-free with a money-back guarantee. After that, if you cancel 5 or more business days before the date of your next payment, you will not be charged, and your access will expire on the last day of the current month. You will lose access to all of the subscription content when your access expires.
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This program is provided solely by the Academy of Therapy Wisdom and its teachers. There is no conflict of interest for this program.
Disability Access
If you require ADA accommodations please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.
Cancellation Policy
You can try your first month risk-free with a money-back guarantee. After that, if you cancel 5 or more business days before the date of your next payment, you will not be charged, and your access will expire on the last day of the current month. You will lose access to all of the subscription content when your access expires.
Please contact support@therapywisdom.com if you wish to cancel your purchase.
Grievance Policy
Grievances shall be submitted via the form found here and acknowledgement of receipt sent within 24 hours. The Program Administrator will review the grievance and respond back to the participant within 2 business days. Please use this form if you would like to submit a grievance with Academy of Therapy Wisdom for any of the following reasons:
- Refund requests
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If you have any questions about this, please contact support@therapywisdom.com.
Additional Policies
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CE Expiration Date
The Live CEs will be available until 60 days after the last live call (through January 30th, 2024).