Workshop 1 Dec 2012 - Living with Dissociation

83a High Street

HUNTINGDON

Cambridgeshire

PE29 3DP

01480 878409

0800 181 4420

07746 799221

info@pods-online.org.uk

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“Trauma and the Body: Somatisation and Dissociation” Workshop

in Hemel Hempstead (full venue details upon booking)

on Saturday 1 December 2012

9.30 am — 5.00 pm

CLICK HERE FOR BOOKING FORM

ABOUT THE COURSE

Trauma doesn’t just affect the mind and the emotions. It profoundly affects the brain and the body too. Often ‘the body remembers’ what the mind cannot.

Why is it that so many trauma survivors not only suffer from ‘psychological’ disorders such as Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) but also from a whole raft of physical issues — chronic pain; frequent or recurrent infections; auto-immune disorders such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (aka ME), fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis; and difficulty in both connecting with the body and living healthily? The body is both the medium through which often the original trauma was enacted, and the source of ongoing suffering and self-hatred.

This workshop will explore why, to the best of current scientific knowledge, this happens, and most importantly, what can be done about it. We’ll be looking at the impact of trauma on the body, and how it seems that the body can also be a key to unlocking the psychological issues of trauma.

Physical issues have deeply impacted Carolyn Spring for most of her life. She had her first bout of ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) at the age of 15, which left her in a wheelchair and she subsequently missed a large chunk of her later schooling. Despite recovering sufficiently to go to University, physical illness continued to plague her for the next 20 years. At times suffering pain so intense it would cause her to pass out, and having frequent infections, seemingly random symptoms and endless insomnia, it often felt that Carolyn’s biggest battle was with her body. But with intensive psychotherapy since 2006, many of the symptoms that medical science failed to ameliorate have improved dramatically. On this day she will tell the story of her ongoing journey of discovery about the role of the body in recovery from trauma and dissociative disorders in particular.

OTHER INFO

This training day is not an introduction to Dissociative Identity Disorder — it has a much broader application to all survivors of trauma and sexual abuse with or without formal diagnoses such as DID, DDNOS, PTSD, BPD and depression. We recommend attending our introductory workshop Living with Dissociation if you have little or no previous training or understanding of dissociation as this workshop will look at a spectrum of trauma responses rather than DID specifically.

This day is relevant to both survivors and professionals such as counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, Rape Crisis and helpline volunteers/staff, community psychiatric nurses, church pastoral teams and anyone working with or coming alongside people who have suffered trauma and abuse.

Topics covered include:

our relationship with and attitudes towards our bodies
societal attitudes towards mental and physical illness
the impact of trauma on the body — the autonomic nervous system: what actually happens physiologically
the freeze response, dissociation and powerlessness
stress and trauma-related disease, in particular diabetes, heart disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders
chronic pain and opening and closing the ‘pain gate’
somatisation: what happens when feelings aren’t felt
memory and trauma: the body remembers … but how?
recovery and hope: what can we actually do?

WHO IS IT FOR?

Anyone suffering from a dissociative disorder or experiencing dissociation
Survivors of sexual abuse or trauma
Partners, friends, family members of dissociative survivors
Counsellors, therapists, Rape Crisis staff, helpline volunteers
Community Psychiatric Nurses, GPs, other health professionals
Social Workers, Family Workers, other social care staff

COST

£50.00 per person, or £80.00 for a couple (survivor plus partner, survivor plus supporter, or partner plus supporter)
Please note that the reduced rate of £80.00 for two people is only available for a survivor plus partner/supporter, not for two therapists or other professionals.
Drinks and biscuits will be provided but please bring your own lunch (sandwich shops also located nearby).

THE SPEAKER

Carolyn Spring will be leading the day.

Carolyn is Director of PODS and Chair of START (Survivors Trauma and Abuse Recovery Trust, www.start-online.org.uk). She is a freelance writer and trainer, having been published in a range of publications. She was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder several years ago, but prior to this she worked for many years within Children’s Social Care with abused children. She now also runs TASC (Trauma and Abuse Support Centre, www.tasc-online.org.uk), providing training throughout the UK on the subjects of dissociation, trauma and abuse. For details of her other events go to www.carolynspring.co.uk.

VENUE

Bradford, West Yorkshire (for reasons of security, venue details only available upon booking - please contact us for more info if required)
The venue is near Bradford Cathedral, just a short walk from the shopping centres
Bradford Forster Square Railway Station is 0.3 miles away
Details of convenient nearby parking will be provided upon booking along with full directions - some disabled spaces also available

BOOKING

You can pay by cheque by filling in the booking form (available here) and sending it with a cheque made payable to PODS to 83a High Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3DP
You can also pay online by credit/debit card or Paypal account by selecting your option and clicking on the ‘Pay Now’ button below:

Booking confirmation and full details will be sent out by email upon receipt of your payment. If you do not receive this within 7 days, please check your spam folder and then contact us. Please check our cancellation policy at www.pods-online.org.uk/cancel.

Invoices for employers can be supplied upon request. CPD certificates are provided along with extensive delegate packs.

We reserve the right to refuse bookings when necessary.

MORE INFORMATION