The training I offer is designed to help therapists clearly understand the complex issues related to chronic traumatization and dissociative disorders; starting with an accurate assessment and creating a treatment plan. The themes of my workshops reflect the different stages of trauma therapy:

• diagnosis and assessment
• stabilization and symptom reduction
• the treatment of traumatic memories
• integration and beyond

In addition, I present special workshops about themes such as ’treating difficult patients’, ‘impasses in the therapy’ and ‘dealing with transference and countertransference’.

Specific topics of training offered by me in recent years include:

• The thorough assessment of patients: their strengths, deficits, and prognosis; developing a comprehensive therapeutic plan; keeping one’s priorities straight in the course of a complex therapy.
• The use of different diagnostic questionnaires and interviews such as SCID-D, TADS-I, SIDES and self-report questionnaires.
• The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dissociative disorders and chronic trauma-related disorders in DSM-V and ICD-10 (11), including attention to false-positive diagnoses.
• Managing the therapeutic relationship and dealing with transference and countertransference issues.
• Maintaining a consistent therapy frame and ensuring clear boundaries.
• Techniques and interventions to teach patients in order to cope with PTSD and psychoform and somatoform dissociative symptoms (Phase I work).
• The stabilization of crisis-prone patients and the reduction of self-destructive behavior.
• Working with perpetrator-imitating parts.
• Strategies to solve impasses in therapy (stuck therapies).
• Working with patients with severe comorbidity on Axis II.
• Phase II and Phase III work: the treatment of traumatic memories; integration and post-integration issues.
• Preventing burnout, compassion fatigue and/or vicarious traumatization.
• Intervention for teams working with chronic trauma-preventing parallel processes; resolving conflicts among team members.
  

How to invite me to present a workshop or give a lecture

I give lectures, present workshops and offer training on a wide variety of topics, extending from the introductory to the advanced level. The duration of the training ranges from two hours to three days. I would be happy to discuss with you in depth what topics and what duration could be most helpful for your intended audience. Please visit the Planning page for an overview of current and future workshops to which I have already committed. 

In general, you will need to contact me at least one year in advance to schedule longer workshops. Occasionally, however, I may be able to fit shorter presentations into my schedule on a somewhat shorter notice, depending on the nature of the presentation. Please feel free to contact me and find out what the possibilities are.