being present by whitney bliss - taasa...
TRANSCRIPT
Being Present By Whitney Bliss, MA, NCC, LPC
Creating Safety While Working With Survivors of Sexual Assault and Sexual Abuse
Conceptualization of Therapy Process
1.) Present in the Moment
2.) Present with Self
3.) Present with the Past
Present in the Moment
Provide education on the body’s experience of trauma, purpose of learning grounding and containment. Remind the client of the importance of repetition.
Examples of this:
Explaining neurobiological responses to trauma
Asking the client to bring awareness to body, tracking activation and relaxation
Idea that parts of us can be “trapped” in moments of trauma—Time does not affect the memory network
Practice creates neural connections to self soothing
Go over fears of being present with client
Remind the client we can all learn how to self soothe
Grounding and Containment Exercises
Focusing on visual stimulus
Rainbow Game
Safe Place Visualization
Containment Visualization
Touching
Stress Ball, Play Dough, Ice
Favorite Scent
Candle, Perfume, Coffee
Soothing Music
Tastes we love
Get Creative With Your Containment
Frozen Citrus
Fuzzy Coloring Sheets
Mindful Eating
Safe Place Collage and Recording
Awareness Walks
Bath/Shower
Have client start writing a list of activities checking in with which ones work best
Present with Self
Explore the client’s relationship with themselves.
Discuss the legacy of the perpetrator—self perpetration
Use knowledge of client’s history to guide areas where client appears to ignore/disregard/criticize themselves. Try and use specific examples
Ask client about how expressing feelings has been modeled to them (covert/overt)
Finding a Language What feelings does the
client experience
Start to help the client get in tune with how feelings manifest physically
What feelings has the client experienced through others
Are there emotions the client sees as bad
Are there emotions the client is afraid to feel
Remember: feelings are feelings and not facts.
Presence before action
Tuning Into Emotions Daily Check In
Journal, SOC, Letters to Self
Inner Parts of Self
Self Talk and Self Love
Assessing Inner Critics
Compassionate Self Touch
Suffering = Pain X Resistance
Discuss fears of accessing emotion
Soften, Soothe, Allow Meditation
MP3 available at www.self-compassion.org
Relationship To Self / To Others
Expectations
“The Missing Piece Meets The Big O”
External Attunement
Boundaries
Physical, Mental, Emotional
Worldviews
Self Image
What is the client’s value
ETC!
Present with the Past
The options are VAST and up to your training and the needs of the client
Make sure you are using trauma sensitive approaches and checking in with the client
Remember give the client knowledge and choice
Further Reading General and Self Help
The Courage to Heal, Laura Davis
The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Beverly Engel
Getting Through the Day: Strategies for Adults Hurt as Children, by Nancy Napier
Healing Trauma, Peter Levine (with CD)
The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, Wendy Maltz
Victims No Longer: The Classic Guide for Men Recovering from Sexual Child Abuse, Mike Lew
Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse, by Lisa Najavits
Readings continued Working with Aspects of Self
Self Therapy: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Wholeness and Healing Your Inner Child Using IFS, A New, Cutting-Edge Psychotherapy, by Jay Earley
Self Therapy for Your Inner Critic: Transforming Self-Criticism into Self Confidence, by Jay Earley and Bonnie Weiss
Self Compassion
There is Nothing Wrong With You: Going Beyond Self Hate, by Cheri Huber
Be the Person You Want to Find: Relationship and Self Discovery, by Cheri Huber
Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind, by Kristin Neff
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions, by Christopher Germer
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, by Brene Brown
Readings continued
For Clincians
Therapy for Adults Molested as Children, by John Briere
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance, by Matthew McKay, Jeffrey Wood, and Jeffrey Brantley
Treating Survivors of Childhood Abuse: Psychotherapy for the Interrupted Life, by Marylene Cloitre, Lisa Cohen, and Karestan Koenen
The Mosaic Mind: Empowering the Tormented Selves of Child Abuse Survivors, by Richard Schwartz
Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others, by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky