2022 CTAMFT Conference Workshops

The conference will start out with a Morning Yoga Session from 8:30am-9:30am on both Friday, September 23rd and Saturday, September 24th. 

Yoga has been proven to improve concentration, connection, focus, sleep, and relaxation. Research has shown yoga decreases major trauma symptoms such as anxiety, angry outbursts, and the impact of exaggerated survival stress responses. This session will give a hands on approach to learning about emotional regulation and its impacts on the body.

Workshop Series A  

Friday, September 23rd 10:30am-12:30pm

Workshop A1: IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection
Presenter: Alexia Rothman, Ph.D

Despite the diversity of content that brings clients to therapy, difficulty regulating their emotional experience is at the heart of their struggles.  Clients can feel hijacked by extreme emotional states, uncomfortable in their own skin, and think or behave in ways they wish they wouldn’t.  Polyvagal Theory (PVT) helps us understand what is happening on a biological level when our clients are emotionally dysregulated or stuck in adaptive survival states, such as fight, flight, freeze, or numb.  Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) offers a compassionate, non-pathologizing approach to healing the wounded, burdened, and traumatized parts of clients’ systems and increasing internal harmony and connection.  This workshop explores the integration of IFS therapy and Polyvagal Theory to help clinicians more safely and effectively use the IFS model in treatment. 

Workshop A2: Military Sexual Trauma: When Camrades Feel Like The Enemy
Presenter: Roselind Amaker, LMFT

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) for both men and women has caused physical and psychological health problems that affect servicemembers years after the incident has occurred. Sexual harrassment, unwanted advances, sexual coercion, and sexual assault are all detrimental to the servicemember and the military community.  Servicemembers suffering from MST are at higher risk for PTSD, suicide, and other physical health conditions. 

Workshop A3: EMDR Basics
Presenter: Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, LPC, NCC, DCHMS, BCN
Trauma is an overwhelming wounding of the mind, body, and brain which requires targeted, specialized
interventions for healing. This workshop will provide an overview of PTSD including diagnosis, atypical
presentations, and symptoms. An introduction to Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
will be provided by EMDR Approved Consultant Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, LPC. Participants will: increase their knowledge of PTSD diagnosis, increase their knowledge of the Adaptive Information Processing Model, increase their knowledge of the 8-phase model of EMDR.

Workshop Series B  

Friday, September 23rd 1:30pm-3:20pm

Workshop B1: IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection

Presenter: Alexia Rothman, Ph.D

Despite the diversity of content that brings clients to therapy, difficulty regulating their emotional experience is at the heart of their struggles.  Clients can feel hijacked by extreme emotional states, uncomfortable in their own skin, and think or behave in ways they wish they wouldn’t.  Polyvagal Theory (PVT) helps us understand what is happening on a biological level when our clients are emotionally dysregulated or stuck in adaptive survival states, such as fight, flight, freeze, or numb.  Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) offers a compassionate, non-pathologizing approach to healing the wounded, burdened, and traumatized parts of clients’ systems and increasing internal harmony and connection.  This workshop explores the integration of IFS therapy and Polyvagal Theory to help clinicians more safely and effectively use the IFS model in treatment. 
*note: this workshop is a continuation of it's morning Workshop A counterpart

Workshop B2: Beyond the Basics: Using EMDR with Dissociation, Attachment wounds and Neglect- Part 1

Presenter: Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, LPC, NCC, DCHMS, BCN
In this session, we will take a deeper dive into the complex presentations that often confound effective PTSD treatment. A focus on dissociation, attachment wounding and neglect with training on interventions including ego states, neurofeedback, desensitization, attachment focused resourcing and interweaves. Use of all phases of EMDR with these presentations will be reviewed. Teaching methods will combine didactic and experiential learning opportunities with question/answer group discussion.

Workshop B3: A Survivor's Voice of Grief, Loss, and Finding Hope
Presenter: Ann Irr Dagle, Grief & Death Studies Certification

In this workshop Ann will share the journey of the loss, hope, and healing through her voice as a survivor of suicide loss.  She will discuss the significance of stigma, myths and truth on suicide and how it may help or hinder the survivor.  Ann will also share the valuable lessons learned of loss, love, and gifts she has received along the way. At the conclusion of the workshop the participants will have a better understanding: The myths surrounding suicide; The do’s and don’ts on how to respond to the survivors of a suicide death; How to support loss survivors in the weeks, months, and years after a loss; Suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility; Death doesn’t end a story

Workshop Series C  

Friday, September 23rd 3:30pm-5:20pm

Workshop C1: IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection 
Presenter: Alexia Rothman, Ph.D

Despite the diversity of content that brings clients to therapy, difficulty regulating their emotional experience is at the heart of their struggles.  Clients can feel hijacked by extreme emotional states, uncomfortable in their own skin, and think or behave in ways they wish they wouldn’t.  Polyvagal Theory (PVT) helps us understand what is happening on a biological level when our clients are emotionally dysregulated or stuck in adaptive survival states, such as fight, flight, freeze, or numb.  Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) offers a compassionate, non-pathologizing approach to healing the wounded, burdened, and traumatized parts of clients’ systems and increasing internal harmony and connection.  This workshop explores the integration of IFS therapy and Polyvagal Theory to help clinicians more safely and effectively use the IFS model in treatment. 
*note: this workshop is a continuation of IFS Workshops A & B

Workshop C2: Beyond the Basics: Using EMDR with Dissociation, Attachment wounds and Neglect- Part 2

Presenter: Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, LPC, NCC, DCHMS, BCN

In this session, we will take a deeper dive into the complex presentations that often confound effective PTSD treatment. A focus on dissociation, attachment wounding and neglect with training on interventions including ego states, neurofeedback, desensitization, attachment focused resourcing and interweaves. Use of all phases of EMDR with these presentations will be reviewed. Teaching methods will combine didactic and experiential learning opportunities with question/answer group discussion. Participants will: increase their knowledge of dissociation and their ability to recognize, assess and diagnose dissociation appropriately, increase their knowledge of Attachment wounding and methods of implementing Attachment focused EMDR, increase their knowledge of the 8-phase model of EMDR and learn appropriate modifications with complex presentations.

Workshop C3: Animal Assisted Therapy
Presenter: Georjean Lubus MS, LPC, LADC

Animal assisted treatment brings many benefits to those that we serve. At the Christian Counseling Center, we use Facility dogs to help clients to reduce anxiety, receive unconditional support, teach deep breathing for stress reduction with PAWS and Breathe developed by Pace University, etc. Facility dogs can bridge the development of a healthy therapeutic rapport. Additionally, I will have Olympic and Apricot at this workshop for therapist to assist with Paws and Breathe.This course will provide a better understanding of the differences between Service dogs, Facility dogs, Therapy dogs and Emotional support dogs.

Workshop Series D  

Saturday, September 24th 1:30pm-3:20pm

Workshop D1: IFS for Internal Polarizations and Addictions

Presenter: Alexia Rothman, Ph.D

IFS is an evidence-based model of psychotherapy that provides a compassionate, respectful, non-pathologizing approach to understanding the organization and functioning of the human psyche.  It provides therapists with a powerful and effective set of tools for empowering clients with a wide range of clinical profiles to heal the wounded and burdened parts of their internal systems, resulting in increased internal harmony, symptom reduction, and improved functioning.  In this workshop, participants who are already familiar with the basic principles of IFS will deepen their understanding of the IFS approach to key elements of treatment, including identifying and working with internal polarizations between parts and understanding and treating the cycle of addiction using IFS techniques.   

Workshop D2: Family, Fun and Feelings: A Hands-on Approach to Working with Developmental Trauma - Part 1
Presenter: Laura Langston, Ph.D, LMFT

Developmental trauma profoundly influences every aspect of the human condition – mind, body, emotions and most importantly relationships.  Combining play therapy in our work with families, we are able to promote more connection by using playful ways of engaging with each other.  This intervention-based training will provide hands-on tools for participants to take with them into their own practice settings.

Workshop D3: An Introduction to Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Presenter: Laney Rosenzweig, MS, LMFT

This workshop will introduce participants to Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) with the use of client video, PowerPoint, and Q & A. Accelerated Resolution Therapy was developed in 2008 by Laney Rosenzweig, MS., LMFT. It is an eye movement therapy that focuses on having the client change negative images to positive with what the researchers call rescripting. The protocol differs from Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) in many ways. ART is a directive approach with scripts for trauma and other mental health disorders that make ART easy to learn and apply, directly after a three-day training. The therapy is currently being taught throughout the U.S. and gaining in popularity because of its brevity, positive results, and the lack of compassion fatigue that therapists notice because clients do not have to share details for thIs creative procedure to work. The video will show brief segments of an ART therapy session and clients speaking about the therapy results. In the video clips of an ART session, clients discuss how working with their “earlier selves” with eye movements using ART’s brand of Gestalt has powerfully changed their lives, even in one session. Amy Shuman will discuss some of the research components. This presentation will include handouts for participants. 

Workshop Series E  

Saturday, September 24th 3:30pm-5:20pm

Workshop E1: IFS for Internal Polarizations and Addictions

Presenter: Alexia Rothman, Ph.D

IFS is an evidence-based model of psychotherapy that provides a compassionate, respectful, non-pathologizing approach to understanding the organization and functioning of the human psyche.  It provides therapists with a powerful and effective set of tools for empowering clients with a wide range of clinical profiles to heal the wounded and burdened parts of their internal systems, resulting in increased internal harmony, symptom reduction, and improved functioning.  In this workshop, participants who are already familiar with the basic principles of IFS will deepen their understanding of the IFS approach to key elements of treatment, including identifying and working with internal polarizations between parts and understanding and treating the cycle of addiction using IFS techniques.   

Workshop E2: Family, Fun and Feelings: A Hands-on Approach to Working with Developmental Trauma - Part 2
Presenter: Laura Langston, Ph.D, LMFT

Developmental trauma profoundly influences every aspect of the human condition – mind, body, emotions and most importantly relationships.  Combining play therapy in our work with families, we are able to promote more connection by using playful ways of engaging with each other.  This intervention-based training will provide hands-on tools for participants to take with them into their own practice settings.

Workshop E3: Treating Veterans with Moral Injury
Presenter: Georjean Lubus MS, LPC, LADC

This workshop will address Moral injury that veterans are struggling with and how it differs from PTSD. Moral injury can be defined as an affliction of the soul. When soldier’s actions at war violate their most deep moral values. Treatment options will be explored to address these issues as well as PTSD treatment modalities for PTSD.

Conference Specialty Tracks  

Interested in keeping your workshops within a specialty? Follow the below guide to selecting your workshops.

Specialty Track 1: IFS 
Friday Workshops- A1: IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection, B1: IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection, C1: IFS and Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection
Saturday Workshops - D1: IFS for Internal Polarizations and Addictions, E1: IFS for Internal Polarizations and Addictions
*please note, these workshops build on each other 

Specialty Track 2: EMDR
Friday Workshops- A3:EMDR Basics; B2: Beyond the Basics: Using EMDR with Dissociation, Attachment wounds and Neglect- Part 1; C2: Beyond the Basics: Using EMDR with Dissociation, Attachment wounds and Neglect- Part 2
Saturday Workshops- there are no Saturday workshops for this track
*please note: Friday workshops build on each other

Specialty Track 3: Complex Trauma
Friday Workshops- B2: Beyond the Basics: Using EMDR with Dissociation, Attachment wounds and Neglect- Part 1; C2: Beyond the Basics: Using EMDR with Dissociation, Attachment wounds and Neglect- Part 2
Saturday Workshops: D2: Family, Fun and Feelings: A Hands-on Approach to Working with Developmental Trauma - Part 1; E2: Family, Fun and Feelings: A Hands-on Approach to Working with Developmental Trauma - Part 2

Specialty Track 4: Veterans
Friday Workshops- A2: Military Sexual Trauma: When Comrades Feel Like the Enemy
Saturday Workshops: E3: Treating Veterans with Moral Injury