2012 ATTACh Conference Blog Series

I have not figured out exactly how I am going to write about the ATTACh Conference yet.  It is quite overwhelming.  I think I will have this as the kind of index page and add links to this page.  I am also going to work on not using Reactive Attachment Disorder or RAD and instead work on switching to Developmental Trauma Disorder or DTD in order to help define and get a proper diagnosis for those who suffer from it.

The 2012 ATTACh Conference is in Baltimore, MD from Wednesday, September 19, 2012 through Saturday, September 22, 2012.  I love going to the conference both as a parent and as a therapist.
As a parent I love it because the "professionals" treat the parents with respect.  They know that the parents are in the trenches and they want to know how to help us and do research and treatments based on what can help us - which is not the model for most medical conferences where a bunch of patients praise researchers for trying to find the answers to their conditions and the patients are merely statistics and those supporting the patients are ignored.  As a therapist I love it because we are a very small group of professionals that feel compelled and passionate about our work even though most of the world don't believe the problems we treat and the people we treat exist.

Below is my itinerary and as I write a post about each lecture and workshop I will enable the links.
The only problem with the ATTACh Conference for me is it is not just a learning experience it is a very real emotionally raw experience too.  There is no way I can separate the therapist part of me and the parent part of me during the conference so my blogs will reflect that.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Complexity of Adaption in Trauma: Understanding the Impact of Trauma through a Developmental Lens - BESSEL VAN DER KOLK, MD 9am-5pm (7 CEUs)
Bessel van der Kolk, MD, a leading expert in the field of healing traumatic stress, will present a full-day pre conference training on The Complexity of Adaption in Trauma: Understanding the Impact of Trauma through a Developmental Lens. This workshop will lay the foundation for trauma- informed care through its depth exploration of the impact on early maltreatment, neglect and caregiver disruption on the development of attachment, regulatory and neurobiological systems in childhood and adolescence, and the ensuing cascade of medical, psychiatric, attentional and functional challenges and accommodations that manifest across the lifespan. Through utilization of a highly innovative and interactive teaching approach, participants will be guided in the assembly of a rich mosaic of knowledge and perspectives on the complexity of trauma adaptation comprised of incandescent "tesserae" cut not from glass or stone but rather from visionary neuroscience, applied clinical research, service systems analysis and luminous clinical case material. Participants will be able to: (1) Identify and discuss recent advances in the neurobiology of trauma; (2) Identify the ways in which somatic experience contains the imprints of the traumatic experience; and (3) Discuss and demonstrate ways in which these imprints must be reprocessed for a successful treatment outcome.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Building Attachment Across States: Healing the Spectrum of Dissociative Symptoms in Children and Adolescents - JOYANNA SILBERG, PHD - 9:00 am - 10:30 am (1.5 CEUs)
Joyanna Silberg, PhD, an award-winning clinician, dynamic speaker and author, will present Building Attachment Across States: Healing the Spectrum of Dissociative Symptoms in Children and Adolescents. Dr. Silberg will explain how disrupted attachment and trauma impact integration and can cause a spec-trum of dissociative symptoms. Children with a history of disrupted attachment and early trauma may harbor identity states that are connected to their early caregivers. Disruptions in their relationships to new caregivers may be understood as internal disruptions in their attachment relationships. The pre-senter will explain how dissociation manifests in a variety of common symptoms, such as dazed states, vivid imaginary friends, hearing voices, and feeling a conflicted sense of self. Family therapy techniques that defeat dissociation and promote attachment will be presented. Participants will be able to: (1) Identify four dissociative symptoms that might be evident in children who experienced trauma and breaks in attachment; (2) Describe how dissociation interferes with attachment; and (3) List two tech-niques that promote attachment between dissociative children and their parents.

Workshop 1: Attachment and Cultural Competence: Perspectives on Healing Family Systems 10:45am - 12:15pm (1.5 CEUs)
Many of us are aware that individuals and families are influenced by their attachment histories and styles. Culture may be an equally important influence—including racial, ethnic, regional, and family cultures. This panel will explore the interaction between attachment and culture and their application to healing individuals and family systems. Participants will be able to: (1) List three ways in which culture influences attachment styles; (2) List three cultural differences in parenting; (3) Discuss three ways in which a therapist can use cultural competence in assessing and treating individuals and families; and (4) List three ways in which parents can incorporate cultural competence into therapeutic parenting.
Janine N. Harrigan, LGSW, LSW
Kathleen G. Moss, LCSW, ACSW
Mitra Tajdar, MSW
Shayna Rhyne, BA, MSW Candidate
Christine Lee, MSW
Autumnleaf Group Inc., VA

Workshop 2: Youth as Advocates: The Healing Power of Action; 1:30pm - 3:00pm (1.5 CEUs)
Strategies for development and support of “speak out team(s)” of adopted/foster youth. Engaging youth and young adults in such a “team” pro-vides a normalizing therapeutic environment in which youth gain an increased sense of belonging, ongoing opportunities for trauma recovery through narratives, and skills to advocate for themselves and others. Participants will be able to: (1) Describe and apply three critical trauma re-covery principles; (2) Apply the principles of positive youth development in their ongoing work; and (3) Create a therapeutic and supportive action plan for consumer youth related to “speak out teams.”
Kim Stevens, MEd
NACAC, MA

Workshop 3: Helping “the System” Recognize Traumatized Families and Attachment Disorder; 3:15pm - 5:00pm (1.75 CEUs)
How do teachers, social workers, pediatricians, and law enforcement recognize developmental trauma or attachment disorders, especially when behaviors are not what they seem on the surface? Workers in child-centered systems need to understand how these problems manifest. Exam-ples will show the negative impact to the families and children when symptoms are misunderstood. Participants will be able to: (1) Identify various ways in which children with DTD (Developmental Trauma Disorder) or RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder) might present in various environ-ments—(e.g., at school, in the doctor's office, in the court system, in public); (2) Discuss and articulate why "things might not be what they seem" when faced with children who don't outwardly appear to be traumatized; and (3) Critique the frequency with which families of traumatized chil-
24th ANNUAL ATTACh CONFERENCE 15
dren, including those with DTD or RAD, are in need of support from the system and the importance of correctly identifying these children to get them the services that they need.
Jane D. Samuel, BA, JD
Julie Beem, MBA
Attachment and Trauma Network, GA

Friday, September 21, 2012

Saturday, September 22, 2012

 

 

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