Past Events

Neurobiological concepts will be reviewed on arousal systems in the nervous system (body and brain) that may result in flight, fight, freeze, faint, fawn, and freeze reactions. Special emphasis will be on the varieties of the freeze reaction, i.e., the dissociative reactions. Various ways to identify and address the dissociative reactions will be explored via case material.

From graduate students in clinical programs to clinicians with many years of experience, this information would be of interest in work with clients who are coping with the impact of traumatic events and/or chronically stressful environments by using the defensive maneuver of dissociation. Memory, identity, and perceptions of the environment can be disrupted by dissociation, an autohypnotic protective mechanism employed to maintain a certain level of psychological and emotional integrity (Zlotnic, et al., 1996). Such integrity, undamaged, leads to a sense of self that differentiates past, present and future with ease. However, a primary location in the brain of a sense of self, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex(DMPFC), is increasingly deactivated as dissociation increases. As many clinical interventions focus in various ways to enhance the embodiment of a self that is living in the present, then identifying and addressing dissociation are critical skills.

Dissociation can vary in levels of frequency of use and intensity. Dissociative phenomena can be present in almost all psychiatric disorders (Sar & Ross, 2006; Sar, et al., 2004; Rufer, et al., 2006; Mueller, et al., 2007) and especially personality disorders(Schore, 2014, personal communication) and all the disorders in the Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders and Dissociative Disorders classifications. Basic neurobiological concepts will be briefly reviewed regarding arousal systems in the nervous system(brain and body) that may result in reactions to danger, ie., fight, flight, faint, fawn and freeze responses.Special emphasis will be on the varieties of the freeze reactions, that is, the dissociative responses. Case material will be presented to illustrate multiple examples of dissociation by going over moment-to-moment clinical interactions. A hand-out with basic concepts can be used by the audience to invite participation in identifying such interactions in case material or with brief vignettes that may be offered by participants in the question and answer format.

About Arlene Montgomery, Ph.D., LCSW-S

Arlene Montgomery, Ph.D., LCSW-S has taught clinical courses since 1993 at The University of Texas at Austin and Smith College School for Social Work. The graduate courses include the following topics: understanding transference and counter-transference; interventions using various group modalities; the process of clinical diagnosis; and the neurobiology of attachment and clinical work.

Montgomery has made numerous presentations on topics such as foster care issues; anti-social children; emotional aspects of C-sections; sexually abused children’s special problems with intimacy; forming therapeutic alliances with difficult children and adolescents; eating disorder identification in schools; supervision issues regarding counter-transference; keeping therapeutic alliance in short-term therapy; and neurobiological findings relevant to the therapeutic alliance, treatment considerations and ethical considerations. She also has a private practice with a focus on clients affected by trauma and is a clinical supervisor for licensed master’s social workers fulfilling their requirements for the clinical social worker licensure. She has been the director of Social Services at Child and Family Service, the Settlement Club Home, and Meridell Achievement Center.

Professional interests include the clinical implications of the neurobiology of relationships between and among people as it relates to social service delivery and clinical work, with particular interest in group work, supervision, attachment, adolescents, and trauma.

Objectives:

• Why neurobiological concepts are important to clinical work
• The differences between types of arousal in reaction to trauma
• How to recognize the safety/danger function of neuroception (i.e., perceiving neurologically)
• How to recognize subtle cues to levels of arousal in clinical interactions with clients

3 CEUs offered for live attendance

Spirituality as a development component is a growing topic of interest in the empirical literature and mental health community. Spirituality is a resource often explored by therapists with clients. For many individuals, such as those within the queer community, the relationship to this resource of spirituality is often complex and even triggering of traumatic memories of experiences, no matter the spiritual or religious upbringing of the person. It is imperative that clinicians be prepared for these discussions and explorations with clients to provide ethical, quality care. Clinicians also must be aware of their own stories, struggles, and biases as they relate to spirituality and faith communities to decrease the likelihood of harm to the client around these topics. Clinical best practices, particularly related to post-traumatic growth, will be discussed in this presentation. We will use case studies to explore common narratives and relationship dynamics among individuals experiencing traumatic effects from their religious involvement.

About Emily Stone

Emily is a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years of experience working with adults, couples, families, children, and adolescents. Her reputation as a therapist, supervisor, and professor is one of being open, courageous in dialogue, curious, and respectful of each individual.
Emily has taught psychology and counseling at the collegiate level, including graduate students, for almost 20 years. She is on faculty for the Psychology Department at Keiser University and the QTAP Certification Training for Queer and Trans-Affirming Practitioners. She is a Certified Queer & Trans Affirming Professional, an ADHD-Certified Clinical Service Provider (ADHD-CCSP), and a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator.
Emily enjoys working with individuals and couples from the LGBTQ+ community. She serves clients in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida.

Objectives:

• The human drive to belong
• Developmental stages of spiritual formation
• Religious belief transitions
• Trauma inflicted upon leaving high-control religious groups.

1 CEUs offered for live attendance

In your individual or relational work, do you see clients struggle to authentically express their needs, wants, and desires, without operating from a space of blame, shame, or disconnection? How many of your clients deeply want to stay in connection during/after conflict, but don’t know how?
As a practitioner, are you ever uncomfortable sitting with a client’s anger towards you? Does it feel challenging to move through the repair process while maintaining your own boundaries? (Hello late cancellation policies…)
This presentation is for you. “The Power of Discord: Why the Ups and Downs of Relationships Are the Secret to Building Intimacy, Resilience, and Trust”
Overview of Claudia and Ed’s background and how they came to write the book together.
Outline the major themes of the book
Present a number of clinical cases that illustrate application of those themes.
Discussion/Q&A
Julianne Taylor Shore, LMFT, LPC, founder of IPNB Psychotherapy of Austin , will follow the presentation with a discussion of takeaways and insights that therapists and mental health professionals can utilize in their practice.

About the presenters

Claudia M. Gold, MD is a pediatrician and writer who practiced general and behavioral pediatrics for over 20 years and now specializes in early childhood mental health. While working on the front lines in a busy rural practice, she “discovered” the world of research and knowledge in the field of infant mental health through her studies with the Berkshire Psychoanalytic Institute in the early 2000’s. The experience led to a profound transformation of her clinical work with families. She has devoted her professional life to spreading this knowledge through writing, teaching, and public speaking. She is on the faculty of the Early Relational Health fellowship at UMass Chan Medical School, the Brazelton Institute at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Berkshire Psychoanalytic Institute. Dr. Gold speaks frequently to a variety of audiences including parents and professionals.

Ed Tronick is a developmental and clinical psychologist. Professor Tronick is a University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, is director of the Child Development Unit, a research associate in Newborn Medicine, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, an associate professor at both the Graduate School of Education and the School of Public Health at Harvard. He is a member of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, a past member of the Boston Process of Change Group and a Founder and faculty member of the Touchpoints program.  He has published more than 200 scientific articles and 4 books, several hundred photographs and has appeared on national radio and television programs.

Juliane Taylor Shore, LPC-S, LMFT-S, SEP
“I became a therapist because I stumbled into a therapist’s office when I was in a hard space, fought with him for several months over whether or not feelings are important (I argued they were not), and found myself at the other end transformed. When I went to grad school, I quickly became interested in neurobiology and interpersonal neurobiology and have been studying it and eventually teaching it to other clinicians since 2006. I work with adults and couples from all different backgrounds and with different issues, though many come to me because I focus my work on trauma recovery and relational health. I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, an IFS therapist and I work with sand tray with many of the folx who come in to see me. ”

Objectives:

• Participants understand the repair theory of human development.
• Participants are able to recognize the importance of playing in the uncertainty in clinical work.
• Participants understand the neurosomatic aspects of meaning making and the consequences of its failure.
• Participants will be able to translate the ideas shared in Power of Discord into clinical interventions.
• Participants understand how to support their clients in building trust in others and in themselves.
• Participants understand how the information shared in The Power of Discord informs our therapeutic stance.

6 CEUs offered for live attendance

Misunderstandings around neurodivergence, especially communication and stress response differences, can create an invisible barrier to both connected relationships and effective therapy. In this introductory presentation therapists will explore the foundations of what it means to provide neurodiversity affirming therapy. Neurodiversity affirming therapy honors the unique needs, strengths, and struggles of ALL human brains, both neurotypical and neurodivergent. Through neurodiversity affirming care, we help can help our clients to embrace who they are and adapt our therapeutic approach to meet the unique needs of their nervous system.

About Adriene Clements

Adrienne Clements, MA, LMFT is an integrative trauma and relationship therapist, resilience educator, speaker, and consultant who is passionate about exploring the intersections of stress, trauma, chronic illness, neurodiversity, and relationships. Why? Because she finds herself smack dab in the middle of those intersections herself. She is the founder of Head + Heart Integrative Psychotherapy, a virtual therapy practice based in Austin, TX and specializes in working with adults and couples navigating these intersections. In addition to years of experience working with neurodiverse and neurodivergent clients, Adrienne is a proud ADHDer herself..

Objectives:

• Understand the importance of neurodiversity affirming language in therapy.
• Explain what neurodiversity affirming care is and looks like in therapy.
• Aid clients in identifying their unique support needs for their neurotypes
• Learn how neurotype interface issues may manifest in therapy and relationships.

1 CEUs offered for live attendance

Neurobiology can offer us hope in terms of maps for preventing burnout and insights into how to increase safety in the room with our people. In this three hour presentation we will explore how therapeutic stance can support the brain so that you have less empathy fatigue and invite your clients into spaces that allow them to discover their own intrinsic wisdom. This course will have small group work as a part of embodying the science we explore.

About Juliane Taylor Shore, LPC-S, LMFT-S, SEP

I became a therapist because I stumbled into a therapist’s office when I was in a hard space, fought with him for several months over whether or not feelings are important (I argued they were not), and found myself at the other end transformed. When I went to grad school, I quickly became interested in neurobiology and interpersonal neurobiology and have been studying it and eventually teaching it to other clinicians since 2006. I work with adults and couples from all different backgrounds and with different issues, though many come to me because I focus my work on trauma recovery and relational health. I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, an IFS therapist and I work with sand tray with many of the folx who come in to see me. I am an associate instructor with the Coherence Institute and with the Relational Life Institute.

Objectives:

• Use self-compassion to prevent burnout
• Identify the social warning systems in their body and mind
• Practice identification of the warning system
• Create a practice to help themselves let go of agenda and judgment with their clients that they can use in the practice of therapy.

1 hour of CEs offered

Participants will be experiencing Eidetic Imaging and learning how to use the information that comes from this type of image. We will discuss where these images come from and how they resolve symptoms and spontaneously generate creativity and movement.

About Katy Swafford

Dr. Swafford is a Psychologist with 40 years of experience in private practice and teaching. She has been at St.Edwards University in the Master of Arts in Counseling program for 20 years. Dr. Swafford has been interested in the body in Psychotherapy since the beginning, trained in a body-oriented approach, and served on the Board of Directors for Body Psychotherapy (USABP) for over ten years. During her training as a body psychotherapist, she discovered Eidetic Imagery and now works exclusively through this method. She worked directly with Dr. Akhter Ahsen, who has been called the father of modern Eidetics, for over ten years and is currently teaching an elective in Eidetics at St. Ed’s and has a book coming out in August of this year.

Objectives:

• Understand the difference between Eidetic Imaging and other types of images
• Experience an Eidetic image for themselves
• Use Eidetic images as a technique in their therapy practice.

1.25 CEUs available for live attendance

Mental health professionals are natural-born givers who make sense of the world through their feelings. But what happens when they give and give, particularly in times of crisis, and try to take care of themselves after they’ve taken care of everyone else? The result is burnout, a classic darkening of mood and motivation related to their work that also negatively impacts their personal lives. This presentation will help mental health professionals differentiate between burnout and its companion syndromes so they can understand the role of internalized administrative expectations and working conditions in putting a practitioner at risk for ethics violations and/or career abandonment. Fortunately, these outcomes are optional, though self-care tips and tricks are seldom enough to defend against them.What’s needed instead is a global/holistic solution that helps the person of the therapist revive creative mental processes so they can generate adaptive, rather than habitual, responses to their experiences. Attendees thus will be introduced to a conceptual model that supports integrative choices for moving beyond self-care and developing resilience in the face of burnout. Using this model as a framework, attendees will begin to examine their own self-care strategies so they can celebrate strengths and address challenges in their quest to live—and practice—optimally.

About Megan VanMeter

Megan VanMeter is a board-certified registered art therapist with clinical licenses in Arizona (licensed professional counselor), Indiana (licensed mental health counselor), and Texas (licensed professional counselor with the art therapy specialty designation and board-approved supervisor status). Of these, she is most proud of her Texas license! Megan is especially interested in burnout prevention, intervention, and postvention for helping professionals and has a virtual private practice where she provides art therapy to support these special people. Her experiences in behavioral health, correctional, educational, medical, and social services settings exposed her to the wide world of burnout and led her to question the training process of helpers, which doesn’t address knowledge and skills in the area of burning bright throughout one’s career.

She has served the art therapy profession through board and committee work at local, regional, and national levels. A scholar at heart, Megan enjoys doing research, giving presentations, and writing about an integrative, pantheoretical model developed by her graduate professors in the ‘70s and embraced by current art therapists for its relevance to contemporary advances in neuroscience. One day her writings will finally be published! In the meantime, she uses this model to ground her practice and guide her efforts to educate others about burnout.

Objectives:

• define the differences between burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and secondary traumatic stress.
• describe the ethical ramifications of burnout and its impact on professional practice.
• dentify personal strengths and challenges in self-care strategies for defending against burnout.
• name a pantheoretical model that supports integrative choices for moving beyond self-care and developing resilience in the face of burnout.
• explain how integration, resilience, and creativity relate to living—and practicing—optimally

1.25 CEUs available for live attendance

Client focused treatment planning is a passion of mine. As a therapist I want to be precise, to use the therapeutic time well, to increase safety and well-being. I also don’t want to get in my client’s way or direct them into work they aren’t ready for or lead them in directions that are wrong for them. When I began to think of Interpersonal Neurobiology as a map for integrated treatment planning, my therapy work transformed, I was able to see how to work with the brain to make the work more efficient and follow my client simultaneously. I hope you can join me so that I can share this way of seeing treatment planning with you and I hope it awakens your own internal wisdom and curiosity. -Jules

Understand the 8 levels of integration according to IPNB and use this as a guide in organizing your treatment planning and tool box. We will also explore the 9th level of integration as an emergent process of brain integration.

Objectives:

• Identify the 8 levels of integration
• Have one or more tools per level to increase brain integration
• Be able to use the concept of “Differentiation 1st, Linkage 2nd”
• Use IPNB as a map of assessment
• Use IPNB as a map of treatment planning

3 CEU Credits provided for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, and psychologists.

Participants will be introduced to the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), a specialized clinical approach for mental health professionals who work with the long-term impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD).
Objectives:

• Differentiate between shock trauma (PTSD) and complex trauma (C-PTSD), and where NARM fits into the current trauma-informed field.
• Conceptualize the NeuroAffective Relational Model of understanding complex trauma, including using the map of the 5 Adaptive Survival Styles.
• Identify the 4 NARM Pillars for addressing complex trauma

3 CEU Credits provided for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, and psychologists.

This 3-hour online workshop will focus on helping you become even more knowledgeable when working with clients who are LGBTQIA+, Kinky, and/or More than Monogamous.

School is in session! We host two FABULOUS presenters, Adam Maurer and Morgan Johnson, for a 3-hour CE event! Adam and MoJo will take us Beyond LBGTQIA+ Friendly and into therapeutic competence. We will laugh, we will cry, and of course, we will LEARN! This workshop will cover the ins and outs of understanding attachment and neurobiology as it applies to clinical work with LBGTQIA+, more than monogamous, and kink/BDSM populations. Adam and MoJo will explore the science, the history, and real case examples to empower you to be more than an ally.

Objectives:

• Understand common presenting issues for clients who identify as being at the intersection of the following communities: a) LGBTQIA+, b) more than monogamy/cnm/polyamory/open, and c) kink/BDSM
• Describe the 4 major attachment “styles” from an interpersonal neurobiology perspective and use attachment science as a lens to understand coping behavior without pathologizing
• List common do’s-and-don’t’s with respect to embodying justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in working with these vulnerable populations

3 CEU Credits provided for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, and psychologists.

Clients ask us implicitly and explicitly about boundaries everyday. Does your training include detailed ways to think about boundaries, how the brain is processing different kinds of boundaries, and interventions that are geared to shift problematic boundaries? I have created this training to answer those questions and fill in gaps that I saw in my training around working with clients with boundaries. This course is a synthesis of information about the brain, ideas about boundaries from a variety of thinkers and clinical practice. I have split boundary work into four categories and will explore the neural networks and brain states involved in each category. Then we’ll move from theory to practical application and see boundary work in action with clinical demos. Plan to leave with a categorization for different types of boundary work, thoughts about how to support healthy executed boundaries and specific practices to do with clients that you can take into your office now.

Objectives:

• Define 4 types of boundary work
• Understand neural networks that underlie the processing of boundary work
• Learn a practice that will help your clients create a psychological boundary
• Understand why compassion is essential in containing boundary work
• Learn a practice to repair traumatic learnings from previous physical boundary violation
• Learn a 6 step process to teach clients to help them execute a boundary

Juliane Taylor Shore, LPC, LMFT, SEP, (Jules) has been exploring and teaching and working with clients through an Interpersonal Neurobiology lens for over 10 years. She loves talking about the brain and even more than that sharing ideas about how to transfer that knowledge to clinical practice. Her biggest clinical influences are the work of Bonnie Badenoch, Dan Siegel, Carol Middelberg, Sunny Lansdale, Brené Brown, Emily Nagoski and Terry Real. This fall she taught an in-depth 10 hour course with Terry Real called The Relational Brain that reached an international audience in our new world of Zoom trainings. This spring she will be presenting at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium, Kaleidoscope at Texas State, and Working with Boundaries Inside and Out with the Academy of Therapy Wisdom. When she’s not teaching and writing she loves to play with her hubby, kiddo and dog and is a huge advocate for reading a poem a day.

3 CEU Credits provided for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, and psychologists.

What’s between you and being at home in your body?

This presentation will explore body shame, embodiment, what disrupts Body Trust®, and the healing power of relationships. In this workshop, we will explore anti-fat bias within the therapeutic context and hold space for the helping professional to explore their own Body Trust® relationship so they may be able to deeply connect with their clients.

We all live in a society that is steeped in diet and wellness culture that teaches us some bodies are more valuable and desirable and that other bodies are not. An overview of the origins of fatphobia and the Health at Every Size® framework will be provided. We will also explore how diet culture impacts those most marginalized and will connect healing and anti-oppression work. We will experientially practice reclaiming Body Trust® by exploring our own body stories and explore the impact of fully being seen, heard, and witnessed.

The content of this presentation will be radical. Body liberation is revolutionary and not what has been socialized in mainstream media. You’re invited to come with compassion and curiosity as we explore this liberatory paradigm shift.

Neathery Thurmond, LCSW-S, CGP, (she/they) is a queer, Latinx, relational therapist, licensed clinical social worker and supervisor, certified group psychotherapist, and certified meditation teacher. Neathery is the owner of a group psychotherapy practice and specializes in working with LGBTQ+ communities, eating disorders, body shame, relationship concerns, trauma, mindfulness, and substance use.

Neathery is current President of Central Texas Eating Disorder Specialists, past board member of Austin Group Psychotherapy Society, and past board member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health.

Neathery and their group practice is rooted in Health at Every Size®, Body Trust®, harm reduction, sex positive, fat positive, and anti-oppressive frameworks. To learn more about Neathery, please visit: www.neatherythurmond.com.

3 CEU Ethics Credits provided for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, and psychologists.

In the presentation, we will begin with an overview of the acculturation model of ethics and explore how we as clinicians can incorporate the latest science on the brain and relationships into our existing practices. We will review the fundamentals of trauma and attachment theories and examine the ethics of addressing and working with trauma in a couples’ session.

We will also explore the challenges of ethically working with couples who are experiencing ongoing trauma and the reality of living an unsafe world – including interracial couples, non-traditional couples, and any relationships that do not fit within societally accepted “mono/heteronormative” boundaries.

Next we will consider an integrative approach to working with relationships that is culture- focused rather than strategy-focused. We will explore the challenges currently faced by therapists and discuss the impact and ethical considerations of using the person of the therapist to model this culture within the therapeutic relationship.

The presentation is divided into two parts with the first 1.5 hours heavily focused on ethics, attachment, trauma, and an overview of the STRONG model of relational therapy. The second part will focus on application in clinical practice and will have opportunities for clinicians to dialogue, experience, and workshop the model.

is the founder of Austin STRONG: Relationship Building Cente, a group practice with offices in Austin and Cedar Park, and the creator of The STRONG Model of Relational Therapy, a trauma informed model for working with couples, families, and relationships of all kinds.

Kristal is trained in Gottman Marital Therapy, PREPARE/Enrich Premarital Counseling, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, and EMDR for trauma and PTSD recovery. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and provides trauma counseling as part the Austin Police Departments’ First Responder Mental Health Program as well as for Victims of Sexual Assault and DV through the Response and Resource Team. Her specialties include: Couples’ Therapy (including desire discrepancy/ out of control sexual behaviors/recovery from infidelity/high conflict couples), and working with those with acute and complex trauma.

She is the current President of the Austin Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and also volunteers her time as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian Ad Litem with the Family Court system through CASA of Travis County.

There are many barriers to accessing mental health services, but mental health professionals should not be one of those barriers. With more light being brought to race-based trauma, this workshop is an experiential learning space focused on providing foundational knowledge on the impact of racism and bias. Ideal workshop participants are mental health professionals who are wondering what they can do to gain awareness, increase cultural humility and best serve BIPOC clients. Rakima Parson is a mental health professional, passionate about community education with a focus on minimizing barriers and stigma.

Rakima Parson, a Louisiana native, is actively involved in the Austin community. Rakima is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist, who has worked in various settings. Professionally, she has gained a unique understanding of the intersection of trauma, culture, academic achievement and work performance. Rakima does not limit her expertise to only the confines of an office, rather she actively seeks unique opportunities to share her voice and expertise to improve lives and systems. As a former member of the Texas Counseling Association’s Public Policy Committee, she spent several years monitoring mental health policies and is always seeking ways to advocate for increased access. Additionally, she has served on two local non-profit boards. Rakima not only believes that there is valuable work to be done through providing individual counseling, but she also embraces the responsibility of advocating and providing outreach in the community.

Join us for a lively public conversation about the impact of attachment and relationships on emotional and physical regulation in kids and teens.

Sharing knowledge informed by research and real-world experiences, Dr. Bryson and Dr. LePor will discuss:

• • • The 3 R’s: Regulation, Relationships, and Resilience
    • Trauma Informed Ways of Building Connection
    • Understanding The Impact of Your Own Patterns of Attachment
    • Practical Takeaways for Parents, Educators, Caretakers, and Helping Professionals.
    Gaining Buy-In within Your Family/School/Workplace

Join us for a day of learning from some of Austin’s premier clinicians as they discuss Interpersonal Neurobiology and its impact on human resilience.

Speakers and topics include:

• • • • Sunny Lansdale, PhD, LPC-S: Supporting the Challenging Path of AdolescenceThe path through adolescence is full of challenge for the adolescent. Physical growth spurts, secondary sex characteristics, hormones, peer pressure, brain development, emotional sensitivity, thrill seeking, the emerging of sexuality, impulsivity, and separation from the nest is the short list of these challenges. The role of attachment style can be pivotal in how the young person manages his or her trajectory through this tough time. Knowledge about how attachment style affects adolescent behavior can help parents, teachers, and others to understand, assist, and respond effectively. The goal of this presentation is to open such a discussion.
      • Candyce Ossefort-Russell, LPC-S: Resilience in the Face of LossAll therapists will encounter grieving clients in the course of their practices. Too often, though, therapists are not trained to work effectively with grief, so they inadvertently join in our culture’s misinformation about grief stages, grief work, and the idea that resilience means “bouncing back.” Therapy offered from this perspective leaves grievers alone and misses profound opportunities for deep healing and self-rebuilding that can arise when grief is met with fearless presence. Candyce’s presentation will translate attachment theory, IPNB, and polyvagal theory into plain language that redefines what resilience means in the face of grief and loss, empowering all therapists (not just “grief specialists”) to understand how to bear witness to and accompany their clients’ journeys through the pain that arises from loss of any kind.
      • Juliane Taylor Shore, LPC-S, LMFT-S: Developmental Trauma and Attachment RepairThis talk will explore the nature of the dynamic between therapist and client that makes recovery from developmental trauma and attachment repair possible. We will explore how different attachment dynamics show up in the room and helpful therapeutic stances that invite self-compassion for both therapist and client. The talk will also discuss the importance of tracking neural networks, memory re-consolidation and grief as a healing agent.
      • Stephen J. Terrell, PsyD, SEP: Nurturing ResilienceJoin Stephen as he discusses his book, “Nurturing Resilience”. Stephen will discuss the importance of regulation of the nervous system, window of tolerance, faux window of tolerance, defensive accommodations, and how the use of touch when working in non-verbal trauma can be effective for treatment of Developmental Trauma.

A new paradigm is emerging in our understanding of human development. Thanks to research coming out of the fields of attachment theory, pre- and perinatal psychology and interpersonal neurobiology, we have a whole new perspective on what growing people need from their parents and caregivers throughout childhood and beyond.

Dr. Contey brings a unique blend of scientific evidence, meta-level observation, and personal passion which will delight and inspire participants to think and act with more awareness, compassion, and love. For both self and others.

There is now good understanding of the origins of attachment insecurity in children and in adults, but therapists often encounter difficulties in helping adult clients move from attachment insecurity to stable security. Dr. Elliott offers a comprehensive therapy regimen for resolving attachment insecurity and its corresponding problems. Forming new, positive internal attachment representations, enhancing metacognitive abilities, and building collaborative skills are the focus of this integrative approach, referred to as the Three Pillars method.

This day-long workshop will provide practical guidance for understanding and applying these updated therapy interventions. It will be assumed that participants will come with a basic understanding of attachment theory so that emphasis can be on practical treatment skills. Dr. Elliott will provide demonstration and interactive experientials to assist in mastering the new material.

More Information:

• • • • • Read his book.
        • Read the Psychology Today book review.
        • Check out his website.
        • Listen to him on the Therapist Uncensored podcast.

Laurence Heller, PhD, author of Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationships

Learn more about Dr. Heller’s work at his website.

Connection: Our Deepest Longing and Our Greatest Fear

Friday, February 16, 6:30pm – 8:30pm (This presentation is open to the public.)

Who among us does not want to feel connected to others? It is hardwired in us as humans to long for closeness. Unfortunately, life experiences have made it hard to create and sustain connection to ourselves and to those we care about. As a result, many of us feel isolated and alone. Dr. Heller is a seasoned therapist and educator, and in this seminar he offers the keys to working through low self-esteem and relational trauma. He unlocks the world of true aliveness in our beings and the world of fulfilling and satisfying relationships.

When Therapists Get Stuck: Using NARM™ to Understand Therapists’ Own Emotional Themes that may Disrupt the Therapeutic Process

Saturday, February 17, 8:30am – 4:30pm

This event will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2018 and is open to psychotherapists and related helping professionals. “As therapists, it is very important for us to understand our own motivation to be in this profession. Two of the main roadblocks to more effective and ethical therapy that I have seen in the many thousands of supervisions that I have given over the years are the need to compulsively caretake, and the tendency to take on too much responsibility for the therapeutic process. These countertransference dynamics are, at least in part, the result of our own unresolved issues”.

In this seminar, we will explore these and other dynamics that create unnecessary stress for ourselves and limit our effectiveness.

On Friday evening, Dr. Bryson will highlight the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to challenging behavior, providing an effective, compassionate roadmap for dealing with tantrums, tensions, and tears with the brain in mind. Dr. Bryson explains how parents can reach their children, redirect emotions and behavior, and turn a meltdown into opportunities to integrate and build the brain. Complete with candid parenting stories and a great deal of compassion and humor, this presentation shows parents how to work with their child’s developing mind, peacefully resolve conflicts, and inspire happiness and strengthen resilience for everyone in the family.

In Saturday’s session, Dr. Bryson presents the latest scientific research–with a special emphasis on neuroplasticity and the changing brain–in a way that’s clear, interesting, and immediately practical. The focus is on better understanding of the role of experience and focused attention on the ever-developing brain. Using stories, case examples, videos, and a lot of humor, Tina encourages clinicians to keep their own developing brains in mind as they nurture children’s growing minds. She provides creative examples of how she uses brain science in her own practice to help kids see things differently and acquire new tools to be resilient and feel hope about achieving lasting change in their lives.

Dr. Tina Payne Bryson is the co-author (with Dan Siegel) of two New York Times bestsellers: The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline, as well as the upcoming The Yes Brain. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Connection in Pasadena, CA, and a pediatric and adolescent psychotherapist. Dr. Bryson speaks nationally and internationally to parents, educators, and clinicians, focusing on how we can help the kids we love be happier, healthier, and more fully themselves.

Tina has a knack for taking research and theory from various fields of science, and offering it in a way that’s clear, realistic, humorous, and immediately helpful. Dr. Bryson earned her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, where her research explored attachment science, childrearing theory, and the emerging field of interpersonal neurobiology. You can learn more about her at TinaBryson.com, where you can subscribe to her blog and read her articles about kids and parenting.

In this three-day event, Dr. Finn will offer an open to the public evening lecture on Thursday and conduct a two-day intensive workshop Friday and Saturday. Dr. Finn will review contemporary research about shame, outline a theory based in interpersonal neurobiology, and discuss implications for applied clinical work in an experiential approach. Friday and Saturday is open to professionals and students in the field only.

Stephen E. Finn, Ph.D., founder of the Center for Therapeutic Assessment, is a licensed clinical psychologist in practice in Austin, TX, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Stan Tatkin, one of the world’s premier trainers of marital therapists, will discuss how to properly assess attachment styles, arousal biases and regulation tendencies and how to use that information to better shape your couples therapy work.

Psychotherapists sometimes confuse attachment information with regulation strategies and arousal biases. This workshop will focus on being able to tell the difference between these components of how a person show up in their relationship, and how two people operate as a couple, in order to better understand the clients we see and their relationship dynamics.

After this workshop, you will be able to:

• • • • • Tell the difference between attachment styles, arousal biases and regulation strategies
        • Understand how to assess attachment organization in individuals and couples
        • Know how to use the information in these three areas to better understand and support the growth of your couple clients
        • Have a better and deeper understanding of the new science of relationships and how it informs psychotherapy with individuals and with couples

Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy® (PACT). He has a clinical practice in Calabasas, CA, where he has specialized for the last 15 years in working with couples and individuals who wish to be in relationships. Dr. Tatkin travels extensively throughout the world to train psychotherapists to use PACT in their clinical practice. He received his early training in developmental object relations, gestalt, psychodrama and family systems theory. Dr. Tatkin is a former President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and was voted Educator of the Year by the same organization in 2014. He is the bestselling author of “Wired for Love” and “Your Brain on Love.”

Dr. Stan Tatkin, one of the world’s premier educators of healthy relationship principles, will discuss what secure attachment is all about, and how to practice it to make your relationship stronger, more fun, and more connected!

The event is open to the general public and all professionals including psychotherapists, counselors, and educators. Come by yourself or with your partner. This 1.5 hr workshop is great for anyone interested in improving their relationship with their partner. It will also be of interest to helping professionals such as counselors, marital therapists and family educators who wish to learn the very latest science of secure connection and relationships.

Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy® (PACT). He has a clinical practice in Calabasas, CA, where he has specialized for the last 15 years in working with couples and individuals who wish to be in relationships. Dr. Tatkin travels extensively throughout the world to train psychotherapists to use PACT in their clinical practice. He received his early training in developmental object relations, gestalt, psychodrama and family systems theory. Dr. Tatkin is a former President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and was voted Educator of the Year by the same organization in 2014. He is the bestselling author of “Wired for Love” and “Your Brain on Love.”

In this daylong workshop for both helping professionals and the general public, psychotherapist James Ochoa will offer a new and effective approach to working with ADHD in adults that goes well beyond the usual medications and treatment modalities. Through case studies, storytelling and discussion, James will present a novel way of understanding the disorder and its impacts, emphasizing the particular emotional distress that individuals with ADHD experience. He will illustrate how treating this distress is central to helping individuals with ADHD successfully navigate the diagnosis.

Weaving together concepts from attachment theory, neurodevelopmental theory, and neuroscience—and culling from his 27 years of treating ADHD—James will chart a practical course toward helping those with ADHD acknowledge and accept their differences to build more meaningful, satisfying lives.

James Ochoa, LPC, is the founder and director of The Life Empowerment Center (TLEC) in Austin, TX. Since 1996, he has offered an educational and action-focused counseling model along with executive coaching to help his clients overcome their personal and professional challenges, while continuing to manage his own ADHD. By standing in the fire with his clients, he has helped them find ways to function powerfully in the midst of their sometimes turbulent lives. He remains passionate about discovering ways to help others empower themselves in all areas of their lives. James is the author of the book Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD, available from Empowering Minds Press.

Self-compassion involves treating ourselves kindly, like we would a good friend we care about. It motivates us to make needed changes in our lives not because we’re worthless or inadequate, but because we care about ourselves and want to lessen our suffering. This workshop will provide simple tools for responding in a kind, compassionate way whenever we are experiencing painful emotions.

Through discussion, meditation, and experiential exercises, you will gain practical skills to help bring self-compassion into your daily life. You will learn how to stop being so hard on yourself; handle difficult emotions with greater ease; and motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism. Practices will also be introduced to help ease stress for caregivers. This course is open to the general public and also relevant for practicing mental health professionals.

Kristin Neff, PhD, received her doctorate in Human Development from the University of California at Berkeley in 1997. She is currently an Associate Professor of Human Development and Culture at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on self-compassion over a decade ago.

Kristin is the author of the acclaimed book Self-Compassion (William Morrow, 2011), a chronicle of her journey to self-love. She has also written numerous academic articles on the topic of self-compassion based on her research. Kristin’s work has received extensive media coverage, including the New York Times, MSNBC, National Public Radio, Reader’s Digest, and Psychology Today.

She offers workshops on self-compassion worldwide, and has developed an eight-week program to help people learn to be more self-compassionate in daily life. Information on self-compassion – including videos, guided meditations, exercises, research articles, and a way to test your own self-compassion level – is available at www.self-compassion.org.

Kristin is also featured in the bestselling book and award-winning documentary The Horse Boy (www.horseboyworld.com), which chronicles her family’s journey to Mongolia where they trekked on horseback to find healing for her autistic son.

In this afternoon workshop, Candyce Ossefort-Russell will explore how traditional methods of working with grieving clients can lead to misunderstandings and misattunements that ultimately isolate and pathologize the very people we are trying to help. With a lively combination of warm, engaged lecture and videotapes of actual psychotherapy sessions, Candyce draws on attachment theory and interpersonal neurobiology to place grief in a context that engenders compassion and eliminates pathology and fear. You will learn a natural way of working with grief that also heals psychodynamic and attachment wounds.

All proceeds from this event will directly benefit Austin IN Connection’s ongoing programs. We extend heartelt gratitude to Candyce for donating her time, energy, and expertise to support AINC’s mission.

Candyce Ossefort-Russell, LPC-S, is a clinician, supervisor, therapist trainer, and writer in private practice in Austin, Texas. Her therapeutic perspective has emerged from over 20 years of actively living and studying psychological and spiritual perspectives of suffering and transformation. She is the founder of The DEEP Center for Counseling and Psychotherapy Training, where she brings her warm, emotionally engaged style to intensive trainings and study groups that make attachment-based experiential therapy come alive in useful ways.

This workshop is about a counter-intuitive approach to personal and professional development known as kaizen. Kaizen is “brain-savvy” in that it bypasses the brain’s fear response by designing very tiny changes in order to stay below the amygdala’s radar. Kaizen is effective in supporting change efforts that can be large and transformative with less risk of self-sabotage, failure, and erosion of self-confidence.

CEU Objectives
• Participants will understand the background and rationale for the kaizen approach to making positive changes and evolving habits
• Participants will assess opportunities for development in their professional practice or personal wellness
• Participants will design a kaizen change practice to support their professional development or personal wellness
• Participants will create an accountability support system for their kaizen experiment
• Participants will enjoy opportunities for networking and interacting with their colleagues
• Participants will take home resources for learning more about kaizen and using it with clients

Susan Keeler (she/her) is a psychotherapist, coach, and group facilitator. Susan practices as a DEEP therapist using a relational, psychodynamic approach. She is also the creator and facilitator of the Project Lab, a group coaching program. Susan has an MA from the Seminary of the Southwest and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.

Please join us as Xarissa demonstrates how, as an Emotional BodyWorker, she uses CranioSacral Therapy, Empathic abilities, Bodywork, Sound Therapy, Parts Therapy, and Spirit Guides to help release suppressed and trapped emotions within her clients’ bodies. This release allows her clients to more easily approach emotional and stressful situations in life from a more centered, grounded, and grateful state of mind, and then process through the situation calmly and easily. In short, Emotional BodyWork brings greater resilience to her clients. Emotional BodyWork can be particularly helpful for but not limited to headaches/migraines, mood balance, stress, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, OCD, autism and other mental health disorders.

1. Participants will gain an understanding of the connection between the mind, emotions, and the physical body.

2. Participants will learn about various techniques to release suppressed emotions including: Empathy, Sound Therapy, Body Work, and Parts Therapy

3. Participants will gain an understanding of the role the subconscious plays in Shamanism, Parts Therapy, and emotional growth.

4. Participants will know what the CranioSacral Rhythm is and how it can be used to identify and release suppressed emotions.

In an attempt to understand humanity’s motivation for existing, Xarissa delved into the human psyche by studying and receiving a bachelor’s degree in world religion from St. Edward’s University. A few years later, inspired by a love of embodiment, she went back to school and received a massage license and a certificate in SomatoEmotional Release/CranioSacral Therapy through the Upledger Institute. While practicing she realized her latent empathic abilities and, with guidance, learned to greatly refine and expanded them for use in her practice. She has since incorporated Sound Therapy, Parts Therapy, Shamanic Practices, and a vast plethora of other psychological, physiological and religious techniques into her body work. In so doing she has achieved her dream of creating a sacred space where her clients can be deeply touched, be brought to a state of stillness and peace, release, and transform into their most authentic brilliantly shining selves.

Freshly home from a mini-walkabout over the last 2+ months, Steve Milan, LCSW, will offer the opportunity to explore your relationship with sabbath – a traditional time of disengagement from the things of the world, and arguably, intensified engagement with each moment. We will explore the importance of the liminal space of sabbath, and the journey into that space. Since our lives do not appear timeless, we will explore the many levels of sabbath’s renewal which we might access even without the luxury of a full-on sabbatical experience. Sabbath’s presence in multiple religious traditions is testament to its importance in the process of human engagement. This Conversation will neither engage deeply nor ignore the religious and spiritual aspects of sabbath, but will explore the opportunity to experience sabbath within our ever more demanding and distracting cultural reality.

Steve Milan, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in private practice and the founder of Sol Community Counseling (a low-cost therapy provider) and Sol Healing and Wellness Center (a center housing multidisciplinary health and wellness professionals as well as workshops and trainings for wellness professionals and the general public). Steve’s clinical work is informed by Hakomi (a mindfulness-based, body centered approach), relational, systems-centered and attachment models of therapy. He works with adults, couples and groups, and often offers men’s groups focused on promoting healthy, supportive male relationships. therapistaustin.com

Join Nicole Vykoukal, LCSW in exploring how animals can foster connection, safety, and corrective relationships for your client’s growth. In addition to learning about animal-assisted therapeutic interventions, participants will be invited to embark on a personal journey to awaken their own inner connection with the ancient wisdom and healing power of animals.

Nicole Vykoukal, LCSW, RYT-200 is a psychotherapist in private practice, yoga teacher, and founder of Austin Doga: Yoga with your best friend. She has over 12 years experience and training in trauma, bereavement, the human-animal bond, and facilitating a connection with the ancient wisdom of animals and nature. Nicole works alongside her dog Snoop, and is passionate about helping people cope with anxiety, depression, grief (including pet loss and grief), and high sensitivity through a relational and down-to-earth approach. www.nicolevykoukal.com

For professional care to be ethical it must also be sustainable, and sustainable caregiving depends on both compassion and equanimity, working with a “soft front” as well as a “strong back” (Halifax).

How can we effectively regulate our own nervous systems and resource ourselves to restore resilience in the midst of working with the full spectrum of clinical trauma, as well as throughout the course of therapeutic relationship, and throughout our careers?

Join us as we collaboratively explore our caregiver shadow sides and a science-based reflective practice that builds/restores caregiver resiliency through regulating the nervous system, and minimizes empathic distress, secondary trauma, caregiver fatigue and burnout, and moral injury for professional caregivers.

Jinji Willingham, M.A., L.P.C. is a clinical psychotherapist at Jinji Willingham Psychotherapy and Stage of Life Counseling, where she works with individual, couples, and families, and offers a variety of groups, workshops, and trainings for caregivers. A secular Zen Chaplain at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, Willingham works with seriously ill and dying patients, their family members, and medical professionals. http://stageoflifecounseling.com

Art-based therapy activities tap into our earliest way of knowing and reacting to the world. Combined with verbal dialogue, art-based activities engage all our capacities to find a more successful resolution to one’s emotions. In this offering, participants will explore a variety of art-based exercises that can be used in individual and group therapy. Techniques discussed will focus on fostering shame resilience, practicing vulnerability, and ultimately using creativity as a way of healing inside and out. Flores is certified in the curriculum of Dr. Brené Brown and this presentation is based on Brown’s work.

Vanessa Flores, LCSW-S, CDWF is a therapist in private practice. She has spent the past 10 years working with teens, survivors of trauma, adults and people of color. Her training in EMDR and the curriculum of Brené Brown has helped transform the way clients heal. Vanessa is the founder of Colors of Austin Counseling, a group practice that offers varied counseling services with two locations in Austin and Cedar Park. Her practice is founded on values of diversity, creativity and courage. Vanessa is passionate about helping other practitioners grow their practice through business consultation and is a board approved Supervisor. www.colorsofaustincounseling.com

Offering an exploration of how marrying of yoga and psychotherapy techniques can empower profound healing, Nityda will guide you through an introspective practice that integrates Yin Yoga with Parts Work and approaches inspired by Somatic Experiencing® .Uniting Eastern and Western practices, Nityda will hold space for you to connect to your body’s innate wisdom, build-self compassion, and release suffering. Please bring a yoga mat, towel, or blanket for some gentle floor-based movement practices.

Since 2006 Nityda Gessel has served as a Yoga Educator working within the intersections of yoga, mental health, embodied activism, and community advocacy. Nityda is a licensed somatic psychotherapist, trauma specialist, speaker, writer, and heart-centered activist. She is the founder of The Trauma-Conscious Yoga Institute whose mission is to make embodied trauma-informed care more inclusive and accessible for trauma survivors within clinical and non-clinical settings.

Please join us for an introduction to the advanced method of Emotional Transformation Therapy® (ETT®). ETT® is an attachment-based interpersonal form of counseling whose outcomes are radically advanced by the use of precise visual brain stimulation. It can facilitate relief of emotional distress in seconds, relief of physical pain in minutes, and produce transcendent states of extreme wellbeing in a single session. ETT® is a powerful form of somatic psychotherapy that can precisely target brain mechanisms responsible for psychological or physical symptoms. You will learn about ETT® theory, supportive research, and applications through lecture-discussion and live demonstrations with volunteers.

Dr. Steven Vazquez, LPC-S, LMFT, has been in private practice for 39 years. Dr. Vazquez has taught this method in eight different countries and the US and presented at over fifty professional conferences. He is the author of Emotional Transformation Therapy, Accelerated Ecological Psychotherapy, and Spiritually Transformative Psychotherapy as well as numerous professional articles. Dr. Vazquez has trained and certified hundreds of mental health professionals to use ETT®. He originated the ETT® method during the 1990s and advanced its procedures and applications over the years.

How do we bring the research on attachment theory and neuro-plasticity into accessible embodied experiences? In this workshop we will actively explore this question by engaging with gravity, each other, and Barbara Jo’s Kinnector prop. Curious? The workshop promises to be playful, grounding, and refueling.

Barbara Jo Stetzelberger, LCSW, BC-DMT, is an award-winning Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She specializes in the use of movement, dance, and somatic psychology to help individuals access their natural capacity for healing. She is Artistic director for Move It! Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company’s Outreach program for adolescents. Barbara Jo is in private practice and is a Certified InterPlay leader and trainer. She offers clinical supervision, trainings and workshops

Too many of us feel overwhelmed by and alone with the growing reality of climate change. It stirs deep feelings in us, especially fear, which means that it can also trigger our biggest emotional defenses and leave us feeling paralyzed or wanting to look away. How do we soften this emotional bind? By coming into supportive, authentic connection with others. There, we can discover an increased sense of clarity, well-being, resilience, and community. Come join us for heartfelt exploration of how you and others are experiencing this unprecedented challenge for humanity, which is calling all of us to a new level of consciousness.

Amanda Norcross is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice in north Austin, and she has over a decade of professional and personal experience in working with emotions and core experiences in ways that lead to an expanding, deepening, and solidifying of self. She studies climate change as a psychological issue, and she seeks to foster dialogue that creates space for both the visible and hidden emotions that underlie it. She often turns to nature for inspiration and healing, and she has, to her surprise, found relief and courage by also turning toward climate change.

For years in popular culture, the terms left-brained and right-brained have come to refer to personality types, with an assumption that some people use the right side of their brain more, while some use the left side more. Brain research has debunked this myth of brain hemisphere dominance so why does it still persist? Join us for a conversation on the neuroscience of creativity with hands on art activities to spark conversation and connection.

Jill Adams is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice in south Austin. Her work as a therapist is informed by 20 years of experience as an art educator. Jill integrates the therapeutic power of the creative process into interventions grounded in attachment theory and interpersonal neurobiology. Jill particularly enjoys working with adolescents, creative professionals, and is a SIMS Foundation provider for musicians and their families.

What does it mean to be a practitioner of the healing arts in a world of clashing politics? How can we be supportive in a way that honors both our desire to be empathic and our desire to uphold what’s right?

In this workshop, we’ll explore the histories and relative strengths of a variety of political groups while observing our own emotional reactions. In doing so, we’ll see that a thoughtful engagement with political diversity is really an engagement with different ways of being human–a perspective shift that can lead us to greater personal serenity, more effective engagement in the world, and better results with clients.

Adrian Lory is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice in Austin. With a background in music, theater, and philosophy, and a special interest in the philosophy of psychotherapy, he has led therapist trainings, guest lectured at local universities, and is currently writing a book entitled Seven Stripes: On the Nature of Political Diversity.

Eidetic Images are visual pictures in the mind much like a video clip or holographic unfolding that reveals our story in a powerful dramatic experience. This image can move and change through maneuvers that remove stuck places and restore our original, healthy selves. Through an Eidetic image it is possible to experience yourself fully, to deal with problems and to reconnect with the person you were meant to be.

Katy Swafford, PhD is a psychologist who works with images rather than words. Her early training in Family Therapy gave her a strong understanding of systems theory and how important internal experience is in relationships. She has always been interested in physical aspects of psychology, which led her to study brain science and body oriented approaches. She was on the Board of Directors for the United States Association of Body Psychotherapy for over ten years and served two years as President. She is trained in several modalities of body psychotherapy but found a home in Eidetic Imagery.

There are times when the decision to enter or re-enter therapy is prompted by an unforeseen and/or unwanted life event that brings us to our knees in a great tectonic plate shift of the soul. The navigation of such territory often involves an underworld journey into the Sacred Feminine that is beyond or possibly pre-dates words. This unfamiliar journey often requires us to “see” with different eyes, “hear” with different ears and express through the language of the primal – the language of rhythm and movement and sound. This is an exploration of seven cross-cultural “spokes” of shamanic practice – the directions, the elements, movement, sound, animal energies, plant energies, and the ancestors – to taste in your very tissues the resources available there to help support this kind of depth journey in yourself and others!

Heather Davies is a clinician, artist, shamanic practitioner and dance/movement therapy alternate route student who weaves the gifts of these different lenses into the mind, heart, body and soul work she is privileged to do with both clients and consultees. From her connection to Celtic shamanism through her Welsh and Scottish lineages, flows a passion for helping others to reconnect with the sacred within themselves and the world around them as a contribution to the restoration of balance within the collective and the earth itself.

Is it ethical and appropriate to use touch in your therapy practice? We often struggle to support the use of touch when the needs of our clients are mixed with the concerns of adhering to the LPC Code of Ethics. While the essence of touch is really about communication, it’s possible that deciding not to touch can in fact impose limitations to the therapeutic relationship. So perhaps it is not a question of whether to use touch but of how and when to use touch. Join us for an experiential discussion and presentation as we explore the answer to this complex question.

Monique is a body-centered Gestalt psychotherapist and counselor educator in Austin. She owns Austin Embodied Therapy, a private practice where she specializes in working with addiction, long-term recovery, and adult survivors of childhood abuse and trauma. Monique is a visiting faculty member at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and has presented internationally on topics in Gestalt and somatic approaches to psychotherapy. She teaches and supervises graduate level clinicians in working from an embodied approach to psychotherapy.

The need for connection is universal. What could possibly matter more than finding deeper connections? Come explore some experiential exercises designed to focus on an experience of self within the environment.

Influenced by Larry Heller’s NeuroAffective Relational Model, we attempt to integrate a somatic felt sense (bottom up), with an awareness of patterns (top down) that may separate us from our here and now experience. The intention is to shift life-long patterns and adaptations developed in childhood, which may presently inhibit us from connections, to find a life of greater ease and life energy.

Sue Snyder Pederson added her understanding of the importance of the somatic to her earlier foundation in feminist relational theory. Somatic Experiencing training led to a decade of inquiry in that modality, assisting in training, providing personal sessions and consults, and also exploring additional advanced trainings in SE touch and NARM’s healing developmental trauma. Currently ending direct service practice to clients in Austin, but maintaining an on-going practice of supervision and consultation at Living In Connection Counseling, PC.

How can we support the body’s inherent capacity for healing while also honoring the relational, cultural and spiritual aspects of the therapeutic journey? Join us for a lighthearted conversation and experiential presentation on how Trauma-informed somatic touch incorporates interpersonal neurobiology and facilitates the emergence of a sense of self.

Isabell is a Neuromuscular Therapist, Somatic Touch Therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in private practice in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. A longtime SE practitioner, Isabell has collaborated to launch SE trainings here in Austin as well as in Australia and Taiwan. Her therapeutic perspective has been shaped by patients, clients and teachers in Integrative, Psychiatric and Orthopedic Medicine, Somatic Touch Therapy, the healing traditions of her native land, the Dominican Republic, Benedictine spirituality and Buddhism, and other wisdom traditions.

Join us for an experiential exploration of ways to work with dreams and ritual in clinical practice. Though dreams have many facets, dimensions and levels of meaning, the key to working with dreams is right brain to right brain attunement, as dreams are a direct communication from the client’s right brain. Sometimes, the dream speaks in images particularly resonant with the therapist—in fact, dreams may comment on and help guide therapy. Regardless of your familiarity with dream work, Jennifer will provide practical and accessible ways of entering this fascinating and meaningful portal to the client’s Deep Self and to the wisdom of the client’s psyche as a guide to growth and transformation in therapy. She will also introduce ways of enacting dream images through ritual, as a means of honoring and engaging the dreaming process.

As a lawyer-turned-therapist, Jennifer practices in Austin as an LPC Intern under the supervision of Candyce Ossefort-Russell. In her clinical work, Jennifer weaves together a strong foundation in the neuroscience of relationships and attachment theory, built on her DEEP training, a holistic understanding of healing, dream work, somatic awareness, family systems and eco-therapies/connection to nature. Jennifer has worked with her own dreams as a guide to her inner process work for about 25 years. She holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, where dream work was an integrated part of the curriculum.

Join us for an afternoon exploring the nature of imagination as we weave our way through the science of the mind. Through dynamic discussion and experiential exercises, you will begin to discover a new respect for what I call the “Raw Horsepower of the Mind” accessed through the point of imagination.

Learning to evolve your use of imagination by pushing the boundaries of its “there are no rules” perspective, you will begin to develop a fun, creative way to use this “tool of the mind.” Your mental energy will naturally lead to new insights into the most difficult issues in your life.

James Ochoa, LPC, author of Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD, is founder and director of The Life Empowerment Center in Austin, TX. James offers action-focused counseling and executive coaching to help his clients discover ways to empower themselves in all areas of their lives. His passion is treating the emotional distress of ADHD so clients can begin to build internal worlds in their imagination to manage their attention challenges. Visit www.jamesochoa.com to sign up for his monthly email newsletter and to learn more about The Life Empowerment Center.

In trauma work we often hear that “the relationship is the vehicle for change.” But what kind of relationship creates the healing change we are seeking? What does a good relationship really entail? Kate and Kathleen will explore the neurobiological foundations of “good” relationship–and what practice with horses can teach us about not just the theory but the actual mechanics of good relationships as well.

Kate Naylor is an LMFT practicing in the Austin area. Her work focuses on trauma healing for both individuals and families and takes place almost exclusively outdoors and with horses. Kate is a certified Natural Lifemanship clinician, horse professional, and trainer; when she is not in session she is teaching and supporting other professionals across the country in learning Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Kathleen Choe is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor practicing in Austin, Texas. She is a certified clinician and trainer in Natural Lifemanship’s Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Kathleen has been in practice for 20 years, specializing in trauma, eating disorders, and the treatment modality EMDR.

Come immerse yourself in Inanna’s Descent, an epic poem about a Warrior Queen, Priestess of Seven Temples, and mother of two sons, who chooses to undertake a soulful, dangerous Journey so that she can gain the greatest power of all, to know her truest Self. Anyone experiencing great transitions or crossing thresholds of life, including becoming new parents, can relate to this powerful story!

Lanell Coultas is a childbirth and early parenting mentor, having worked with families for more than 20 years, guiding them over the threshold with great care and love. Also a mother of two sons, ages 9 and almost 2, Lanell gets daily mindfulness practice and the art of letting go.

Through combining non-touch energy healing with the best of psychological counseling, a new synergy for exceptional healing has been produced. Instead of focusing on procedural formulas, the use of elevated states of consciousness can be used to maximize the healing impact. Please join us to explore the theory and research and participate in discussion and live demonstrations.

Steven Vazquez, Ph.D., LPC-S, LMFT has been in private practice for over 37 years, authored three books, published numerous peer-reviewed articles, spoken at over fifty conferences and has been a subject for scientific studies on healers. www.ettcenter.com

If Bessel van der Kolk is correct that trauma recovery is ultimately about imagining new possibilities, there may be no greater resource to help our clients envision a safe, validating, empowering, and meaningful reality than TED Talks. For the first time, trauma-informed practitioners and related providers will learn how to bring these educational, insightful and inspiring presentations into therapy and other venues as tools for positive change.

Laura Bafford Leslie, LCSW, created a Trauma-Informed Group Therapy program at Austin Lakes Outpatient Services 3½ years ago and conducts similarly focused individual and group therapy in her South Austin private practice. As a longstanding enthusiast of ted.com, she integrates TED Talks into her dual focus of treatment- a choreography that flows between meaning making about an unfair past and exploring a strengths-based present and future.

Personally-driven, experiential exercises as well as discussion to review and deepen the most interesting, favorite and updated concepts of interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB)- this is a session for everyone. As always, there will be a focus on real-life application for ourselves and our clients.

The development of the the new Austin-based podcast, Therapist Uncensored, uses the flat interweb to mindfully share information and resources to those who might otherwise not have access (the show is now heard across the US and in 76 countries), and is an extension of IPNB in play.

In this YofC session, during one portion we will turn the mics around for those of you who would like to speak so that we share the wide range of rich AINC experience in the room world-wide, another IPNB concept.

Please don’t be shy, you will not be recorded without your consent, and the topic itself will be fresh and interesting.

So let’s grow our community connections and spread the word about secure relating as far and wide as possible. We hope you join us, it’ll be fun!

Patty Olwell, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and former President of Austin IN Connection who in her spare time is trying to perfect her salsa and bachata.

Ann Kelley, PhD, co-creator of Therapist Uncensored, is a psychologist specializing in couples counseling and avid trail runner.

Sue Marriott LCSW, CGP, is a group psychotherapist, mother of 3 teens, co-founder and former President of Austin IN Connection.

Therapist Uncensored co-hosts Patty, Ann, and Sue, can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, Android or your favorite podcast platform and www.therapistuncensored.com

We invite you to join us to explore a concept referred to as The Five Fundamental Actions- The Satisfaction Cycle. Each action represents a motor function that is necessary to giving and receiving. If these actions were interrupted or not fully developed, one might not experience fully what it is to receive and give in the world. Exploring and re-patterning this developmental movement sequence can support getting needs met and a healthy relationship with one’s inner and outer world.

Wakelyn Malitz, LPC-Intern has a Master’s in Somatic Counseling Psychology. She is a Dance Movement Therapist and former professional dancer. She believes that with support and guidance we can utilize the body as a vehicle to navigate through wounds and patterns that no longer serve the goal of healthy living.

Deanna Miesch, LPC-S, ATR-BC and Anita Stoll, LCSW, E-RYT will share inspiration from their recent, in-depth study of Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM), a powerful therapeutic approach shown to contribute positive change with all levels of trauma, including complex PTSD, medical issues, and mood disorders. Participants will be inducted into breath work, and protective space/power animal resourcing—three layers of CRM—and will explore incorporating these CRM layers into art making.

Participants who have access to a smart phone and headphones may bring them to experience a fourth layer of resource with bilateral music from YouTube during the process.

Deanna Miesch, LPC-S, ATR-BC is an Art therapist in private practice and founder of Art Therapy Austin, www.arttherapyaustin.com

Anita Stoll, LCSW, E-RYT is a psychotherapist and yoga/meditation instructor in private practice in Austin, www.yogaandtalk.com

In our time together, we will discuss and experience vibrational healing and some of the forms through which it can occur such as light, color, sound, and food. Whether it’s laying on of hands in energy healing, essential oils, crystals, music, lasers or a huge gong, the frequencies transmitted have an impact on matter. Like an opera singer whose voice can reach a certain note and glass will shatter, so can the vibrations from a gong break up stuck energy in one’s body. Beginning with an intention and visualization, the gentle sounds of the gong will carry you into a meditative state. Dress comfortably for some gentle stretches to relax the body and allow the life energy to help you heal as the vibrations wash over you.

Joy Sablatura Rockwell, MA, LMT is a wellness coach, massage therapist, and a Kundalini and Gong Yoga teacher. Joy has a private wellness practice offering 10 Day Transformation Cleanses, private sessions and group classes.