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ForwardAchieving Mindfulness: Using Meditation and Yoga to Encourage Mindfulness in Clients Experiencing Complex Trauma and Dissociation
Abstract
Over the past decade, meditation and yoga have become increasingly popular in mental health treatment and in the world at large. While the practices can be helpful, clients will receive the most benefit from work that is trauma informed and delivered with an understanding of how these healing mechanisms impact the mind, brain and body. This workshop we will explore the potential benefits of integrating yoga and meditation into trauma treatment, as well as best practices for adapting these modalities in a trauma-sensitive manner. We will discuss the relationship between meditation and dissociation, and will teach how to assist clients in “building up meditation muscles” in order to improve affect regulation and ego strength. Potential benefits include increased affect tolerance, greater internal and external insight, improved attunement, and increased empathy for self and others. These methods of treatment can be used alone or interwoven into any other form of treatment. We will also explore the connection between yoga, somatic psychotherapy and theories of nervous system dysregulation as they apply to cases of complex, developmental trauma, and outline the progression of research and theoretical understanding that supports using these modalities.
This session was originally presented as a live conference session in May 2020.
Target Audience
Beginning/Intermediate
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to:
- Describe potential benefits of integrating yoga and meditation into trauma treatment
- Describe best practices for adapting yoga and meditation modalities in a trauma-sensitive manner
- Discuss the relationship between meditation and dissociation
Presenter: Christine Forner, BA, BSW, RSW, MSW
Presenter Bio: Christine Forner (Ba, Bsw, Msw, Rsw) has been in the healing profession in one form or another since the age of 16 where she worked on a crisis line for teens. Christine spent the first part of her career in the front lines working at local sexual assault centres, long term therapeutic setting and shelters for domestic violence survivours. Since 2011, Christine has worked in her own private practice, which specializes in complex trauma and dissociative disorders. Christine has over thirty years of working with individuals with Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Dissociation, Developmental Trauma and Dissociative Disorders, with specialized training in EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Psychotherapeutic Meditation techniques, Neurofeedback and Havening. Christine teaches locally and at an international level on the issue of dissociation, complex trauma, and the intersection of dissociation and mindfulness. Christine is the current President for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. Christine has also served on the board of the ISSTD since 2010 and was the ISSTD treasurer from 2011-2017. She is the author of Dissociation, Mindfulness and Creative Meditations: Trauma informed practices to facilitate growth (Routledge, 2017). The summation of her work is to educate practitioners about the vital importance of their presence, patients and care with those who have been through the most severe and brutal injuries so that they get treated with dignity and compassion; something every human deserves to experience.
Presenter: Lisa Danylchuk, MEd, CAS, LMFT, E-RYT
Presenter Bio: Lisa Danylchuk, LMFT, E-RYT is an author, licensed psychotherapist, and yoga teacher trainer specializing in bringing yoga into trauma treatment. A graduate of UCLA and Harvard University, Lisa is the founder of the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery in Oakland, CA, and creator the Yoga for Trauma (Y4T) Online Training Program. She has authored three books: Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Theory, Philosophy, and Practice (2019), Embodied Healing: Using Yoga to Recover from Trauma and Extreme Stress (2015), and How You Can Heal: A Strength Based Guide to Trauma Recovery (2017), and is a contributing editor for Best Practices for Yoga for Veterans, published by the Yoga Service Council. She also serves on the Board of Directors and the UN Task Force for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and was recently elected to serve as Secretary for the organization. A leader in the movement to incorporate yoga into trauma treatment, she has trained yoga and mental health professionals around the world, and presents her work internationally.
Lisa lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. When she’s not writing or traveling, you’ll likely find her climbing mountains and running trails in nearby parks.
Available Credit
- 1.50 APAThe International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- 1.50 ISSTD Certificate ProgramThis program is eligible for 1.50 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program.
Price
"Your Price" above reflects your final price based on your membership status and career level.
- ISSTD defines a student as those enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certification in the mental health field and who have an interest in trauma and dissociation.
- ISSTD defines an emerging professional as mental health professionals who have completed an advanced degree and are in the first three years of their career (or first three years after graduation for researchers).
- If you do not fall into one of the above categories please register as Professional/Retired.
These prices are for Tier I countries. For a list of countries by Tier click here. If you are located in a country that falls into Tier II-VI please contact ISSTD at cfas@isst-d.org to receive the appropriate discount code.