Inside-out: Uncovering Hidden Worlds of Children and Teens with Dissociative Disorders

Abstract
The internal world of children and teens with dissociative disorders is often hidden even from the youth themselves. They are perplexed by their own behavior and yearn to be “seen” and understood. Caregivers and other adults, without knowledge of dissociation or the inner world of the child, are confused and frustrated by dysregulation in dissociative children and teens; they experience the ever-shifting moods, behaviors, and relationship ruptures as impossible to manage. Children are often referred to mental health treatment by desperate adults, often by foster and adoptive parents or child welfare workers. Symptoms of dissociation are easily misinterpreted even by well-meaning adults as: oppositionality, defiance, and manipulation, or are misdiagnosed by well-meaning clinicians as: psychosis, extreme mood disorders, emerging personality disorders, OCD, factitious disorder, or other severe conditions. This workshop introduces attendees to the signs and symptoms of developmental trauma disorder (DTD) and severe dissociative disorders by making visible the internal world of youth through case examples as well as glimpsing youth through the lens of their caregivers. Demonstrations making the invisible visible using various clinician friendly tools and techniques will give attendees needed resources to discover and understand dissociative symptoms in their young clients. Formal screening tools such as the Child Dissociative Checklist, the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale, The Imaginary Friends Questionnaire and the Somatoform Disorders Questionnaire will be used in case examples along with less formal techniques leveraging art techniques. The etiology of dissociative disorders will be elucidated through discussion of both disorganized attachment and the emerging construct detailing criteria for developmental trauma disorder. Finally, issues of symptom overlap with other mental health diagnoses, differential diagnoses, and co-occurring diagnoses will be discussed. Through this workshop, attendees will know where to go for the most up to date information on assessing and treating childhood dissociation and handouts of ready-to-use resources will be distributed. Attendees will leave this workshop with increased confidence that they can help make the invisible become visible!

Target Audience

 

Those seeking to participate in this webinar must be licensed mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, accredited psychotherapists, etc.). ISSTD staff will audit license information prior to the start of the course and may request additional documentation for your license.

We do accept students 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. Students must submit proof of student status such as a transcript or registration record. For those who have completed their degree and are currently in the pre-licensure stage practicing under the license of another clinician, you must provide the name and license information for the person you are working with. Documentation should be sent to ISSTD staff at [email protected] before registering. 

Protentional to Distress: No

This webinar content is at the beginning/introductory level.

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to:

  • Identify signs and symptoms of dissociative disorders and developmental trauma disorder in children and adolescents
  • Explain the etiology of dissociation in children and adolescents
  • Describe how to use various formal screening measures and informal art techniques for discerning child and adolescent dissociation
  • Discuss overlapping symptoms of dissociation with other mental health disorders as well as common co-morbid conditions in children and adolescents
  • Explain the concept of Imaginary Friends (IF) as it applies to dissociative disorders and utilize the IF Questionnaire

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 1.50 APA
    The 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 ASWB ACE
    The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), #1744, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.
  • 1.50 ISSTD Certificate Program
    This program is eligible for 1.50 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program. No certificate of completion is generated for this type of credit.
Course opens: 
01/21/2025
Course expires: 
12/31/2050
ISSTD Member cost:
$35.00
Your Price:
$55.00
Part of: 
From Invisible to Visible - Day Two
Rating: 
0

Patti van Eys, PhD

Patti van Eys, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private business concentrating on the complexities of the intersection of traumatic experience and mental health challenges. She offers consultation, supervision, legal expertise, training, and evaluation services drawing on her extensive experience serving clients with complex needs. Before the onset of van Eys Mental Health, as Chief Clinical Officer of Omni Visions, Inc., she oversaw the clinical integrity of therapeutic practice with foster children in homes and residential treatment centers. Formerly, she was the Clinical Manager of Behavioral Health Programs at BlueCare Tennessee (2012-2015) and before that, an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University from 1995 to 2012. She served as the clinical director of the Vanderbilt University Center of Excellence for Children in State Custody, a center that specializes in comprehensive psychological assessments and consultations for high risk, complex children and provides intensive training to behavioral health providers. She has trained extensively at the local, regional, and national level on trauma informed care and mental health issues. For the past 15 years, she has testified as an expert witness in capital (death row) cases about the damaging effects of early and chronic child maltreatment on the developing brain. Before coming to Nashville, Dr. van Eys was a provider at the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama where she gained formative experience working with children and adults with complex maltreatment trauma. She is published in the area of child maltreatment, an ISSTD board member, and a co-chair for the task force charged with rewriting the ISSTD child and adolescent best practice guidelines for dissociation.

Dr. van Eys received her PhD in Clinical Psychology in 1989 from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) after completing her Clinical Internship/Fellowship at Harvard Medical School (Boston Children’s Hospital/Judge Baker Children’s Center).

Available Credit

  • 1.50 APA
    The 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 ASWB ACE
    The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), #1744, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.
  • 1.50 ISSTD Certificate Program
    This program is eligible for 1.50 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program. No certificate of completion is generated for this type of credit.

Price

ISSTD Member cost:
$35.00
Your Price:
$55.00
Please login or register to take this course.

"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 [email protected] to receive the appropriate discount code.

Registration Policies

All purchases of recorded content are final.

For additional webinar policies including completion requirements, filing grievances, requesting a disability accommodation, and awarding of certificates of credits, please visit our Policies page.