ISSTD's 2008-2009 webinar series featured two webinars from Pat Ogden and Kathy Steele.
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When chronic traumatization occurs, inner experience (emotions, needs, thoughts, fantasies, desires, bodily feelings, etc.) can become frightening, shame-inducing, and baffling aspects of the survivor’s world. The physical sensations, impulses, gestures and actions that correspond to such inner experience may also be a source of fear, shame and confusion.
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Mentalizing is the process by which we make sense of the contents of our own minds and that of others. Requiring an optimal level of arousal as well as a nurturing and safe attachment relationship to develop, mentalizing is conspicuously impaired and even frightening for patients who have suffered attachment trauma. Mentalizing requires the capacity to be present, to accurately read relational cues, and to be mindful and tolerant of one’s own inner experiences.
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Childhood trauma has the potential to overwhelm the coping ability of children and can create developmental changes in brain structure and function. These changes to the developing mind allow for short term survival and sacrifice long term effective functioning. Adolescence is a time when these changes have the potential for both becoming more deeply embedded or largely rectified as the person moves toward adulthood.
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This presentation features ways to understand and utilize blending skills for a variety of of problem situations faced by clinicians treating dissociative disorders. Our understanding of the development of alters in the lives of our patients/clients rests on the view that they emerge into consciousness in order to solve life problems encountered by abused children.
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