Love is Not Enough: When Traumatized Clients Push the Therapist Away

The therapeutic relationship is at the heart of any successful therapy. We all know that empathy, listening, and being attuned to the emotional needs fo the person in therapy makes for a close therapeutic relationship and a strong alliance. But what happens when the traumatized person cannot tolerate closeness? Or when the individual acts out and pushes the therapist away? How can the clinician respond to such enactments? With individuals who adopt a self-protective, help-rejecting stance, psychotherapy can be difficult.

Using attachment theory, Dr. Muller describes transference patterns seen with these hard-to-treat people, including verbal and nonverbal interactions. Using a relational, psychodynamic approach, he considers difficulties such people have in accepting therapist empathy, and the defensive reactions that follow. He examines ways to work with feelings of vulnerability and distancing maneuvers. Therapy techniques include:

• Resisting the temptation to back away
• Noticing subtle expressions of vulnerability
• Noticing verbal and nonverbal emotional responses (such as covering-up, taking-back, and reactions-to prior expressions of vulnerability)
• Addressing feelings in the moment

This workshop focuses on techniques Dr. Muller developed specifically for this population, included in his award-winning academic book, Trauma and the Avoidant Client: Attachment-Based Strategies for Healing (2010, W.W. Norton). This presentation focuses on clinical technique. Theory is complemented by case examples.

This web conference is advanced instructional level and designed to help clinicians:

1. Recognize expressions of vulnerability and distancing maneuvers in their work with avoidant trauma patients;
2. Describe the ways empathy can be a “double-edged sword” when working with this population;
3. Apply attachment theory and the therapeutic relationship as a productive force in the treatment;
4. Recognize characteristics of avoidant attachment among adults with trauma histories.

If you have any questions about this web conference or would like more information, please contact us here.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

1.5 CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety.

GoodTherapy.org is also an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Just want CE credits? Sign up for a monthly or annual CE Subscription with GoodTherapy to get unlimited access to our CE Program, including this event, other live CE web conferences, and hundreds of hours of homestudy courses.

Mental health professionals who are not members can attend this live web conference for $30.95 or access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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