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The Pain Paradox:
Mindfulness, Resilience and Compassion
in the Treatment of Complex Trauma
John Briere, Ph.D.
Earn 12 CE/CME Credits***
Western psychology often views psychological distress as symptomatology or evidence of psychopathology, and have developed methodologies to reduce, distract from, or numb such experiences. Yet, upsetting feelings, and even intrusive posttraumatic memories, appear to be normal responses to life - in many cases, they serve useful functions, including the psychological processing of painful memory. In turn, avoidance of pain-related symptoms has been shown to block psychological processing, leading to chronic, even more intrusive suffering.
In this new workshop, noted trauma theorist and teacher, John Briere, Ph.D., describes how unprocessed, related emotions and memories can overwhelm internal affect regulation capacities, forcing the survivor to rely on thought suppression, tension reduction behaviors, substance abuse, and dissociation. Unfortunately, these coping strategies are reinforced by a culture that views pain and distress as unacceptable; encouraging individuals to avoid upsetting feelings and `just get over it`. This part of the pain paradox -- that avoiding pain just creates more of it -- explains why many trauma survivors both engage in a range of numbing, distracting, and avoidant behaviors, yet continue to experience ongoing posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. It also explains why non-trauma-specific therapies are not always helpful for trauma survivors.
The way out of this dilemma involves the second half of the pain paradox: Awareness and engagement of painful feelings is not a bad idea; it is a good one. Careful, direct, experience of distressing emotions and memories in the context of safety actually decreases emotional pain and increases resilience and well-being. Calling on his current book-in-progress, The Pain Paradox: Trauma, Mindfulness, and Western Psychology, Dr. Briere will teach how to reverse some of our most basic societal assumptions, and those of the medical model, to help the client consciously engage internal experience, move beyond avoidance, and enter a more settled, grounded state. He will offer techniques that support the client`s carefully titrated exposure to -- and reevaluation of -- trauma memories and affects, and increase his or her capacity to engage `negative` experiences without being overwhelmed. Ultimately, emotional pain, anxiety, or sadness are no longer interpreted as clinical phenomena. Rather, they are seen as hidden `good` ones: stepping stones to greater awareness, resilience, and equanimity.
Dr. Briere will teach clinicians how to revise standard approaches to therapeutic exposure, affect regulation training, and cognitive restructuring, so that they focus on titrated awareness, self-acceptance, and the metacognitive and grounding aspects of mindfulness. Hewill also address the therapist`s own struggles with past injuries, teaching mindfulness and compassion practices that increase empathic attunement and that undercut the negative effects of countertransference and burn-out.
To access a fascinating interview with Dr. Briere, in which he discusses ideas presented in this workshop, click here.
Learning Objectives
Attend this powerful workshop and enhance your ability to:
- Describe a model of trauma and post-traumatic outcomes that combines Budhist and
Western psychologies, and does not pathologize the client
- Reconceptualize and apply therapeutic exposure methodologies that are less likely to overwhelm the trauma client and more likely to facilitate trauma processing
- Apply broad-band therapeutic exposure methodologies that are less likely to overwhelm the
trauma client and more likely to facilitate complex trauma processing
- Help the client develop meta-cognitive awareness and other approaches to affect
regulation/tolerance
- Outline the psychological and neurobiological effects of compassion on the therapist and client
- Address existential issues associated with the realization of impermanence
- Work with people who are difficult to empathize with or who have done bad things
- Use mindfulness techniques to decrease countertransference and increase
equanimity and attunement
- Address trauma-related experiences encountered by health professionals working in the field
Who Should Attend
All mental health professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, family physicians, social workers, psychiatric nurses, therapists, alcohol & drug counselors, employee assistance counselors, school counselors, youth workers, sexual abuse counselors, vocational rehabilitation consultants, social service co-ordinators, street workers, and crisis counselors who work directly with clients and are seeking practical, proven methods to enhance their therapeutic skills
General Information
Check-in begins at 7:45 and workshop hours are 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM with an hour for lunch (on your own) from 12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM. There will be one 15-minute break in the morning and another in the afternoon
PLEASE NOTE: This .workshop includes graphic clinical material that may be disturbing to some attendees. If you need assistance please contact one of the workshop aides, the conference coordinator, or notify the speaker heck-in begins at 7:45 am and the workshop hours are 8:30 am - 4:00 PM with an hour lunch on your own from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM and two fifteen minute breaks..
**Earn 12 CE/CME Hours (UNA/ANCC Nurses = 12.5 hours)
Current Dates and Locations
February 4-5, 2011
Crown Plaza Tyson`s Corner
1950 Chain Bridge Road
McLean, VA 22102
(703) 893-2100
March 11-12, 2011
Radisson Hotel - Eastlake
35000 Curtis Blvd.
Eastlake, OH 44095
(440) 953-8000
April 29-30, 2011
Crowne Plaza Baltimore
2004 Greenspring Dr,
Timonium, MD 21093
(410)252-7373
Registration Information
$279 Early registration (sent 14 days prior to workshop)
$299 Regular registration (on-site reg. is
$319 Onsite registration (space available)
Workshop Aides
Workshop aides are expected to arrive early, and help out during the workshop with registration, logistics, book sales, similar tasks. In return they receive a substantial workshop discount. Generally, 4-5 aides are required per workshop, but this number can vary, depending on attendance and various other factors.
If you would like to be considered for one of the workshop aide positions and receive a tuition discount, please email staff@iahb.org. Let us know why you`d like to be an aide, and whether you`ve had any experience running or assisting with training events, or with on-site sales at such events.. We`ll request additional information when we contact you.
To register by phone call 800-258-8411. Or register online on the Workshop Page
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