Attachment as a second language: further concepts in therapy for people with dissociative disorders

Saturday, 10th September 2014
Ten weeks clinical/theoretical seminar with Adah Sachs
1pm – 3pm on Wednesday’s (no sessions on 22 and 29 October)

Attachment as a second language: further concepts in therapy for people with dissociative disorders

Attachment as a second language

People with dissociative disorders present therapists with extraordinary challenges.

Frequent out-of hours emergencies, concerns about current threats to the safety of the patient /client, confidentiality and boundaries complications, moral dilemmas, secondary traumatisation and the inability to explain our clinical choices to colleagues (or supervisors) leave the therapist anxious, isolated, unsupported and defensive.

Using participants’ case material and their personal reactions to it, this in-depth seminar will trace the ‘hidden attachment conversation’ in the session: where we have misunderstood the attachment call, avoided it or found it impossible to respond to.  We will then consider some useful developments in attachment theory which can help us, in the most challenging moments, to maintain our thinking process while remaining deeply connected.

The nature of this seminar requires that the group is small and experienced.

Therapists applying must work (currently) with at least one person with a dissociative disorder, have basic knowledge of attachment theory and sign a confidentiality agreement.