63rd Annual Conference

Friday, February 24

Afternoon Open Sessions

3:00-4:00 P.M.

Session 221

Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse Group Psychotherapy: Different Patterns, Different Approaches

Presenters:         

Cara Beames, M.A., Private Practice, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Noel Larson, M.S.W., Ph.D., Private Practice, Meta Resources, P.A., St. Paul, Minnesota

This presentation will present a model for understanding differing personality patterns that develop from childhood abuse trauma, and outline the structure of two different types of groups designed to deal with the various patterns, one interactive and one non-interactive (self-oriented). 

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Identify and differentiate different personality patterns emergent from childhood abuse trauma.

2. Describe and structure two group formats designed to addresss the different patterns.

3. Select abuse survivors appropriate for each format.

4. Formulate and implement therapist roles that effectively avoid the traps inherent in working with this fragile, volitile, reactive, highly symptomatic population of clients.

Course References:

1.  Abbott B. (1995). Group Therapy: Treating women molested as children.  In C. Classen & I. Yalom, (Eds.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 95-127.

2. Perry, B., Pollard, R., Blakeley, T., Baker, W., Vigilante, D. (1998). Childhood Trauma, the Neurobiology of Adaptation and "Use-Dependent" Development of the Brain: How "States" Become "Traits". Infant Mental Health Journal, 1998: 16(4):271-289.

3. Herman, J., Schatzow, E. Time-Limited Group Therapy for Women with a History of Incest.  International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 34(4), 6605-6616.

4. Maddock J & Larson N. (1995). Incestuous Families: An ecological approach to understanding and treatment.  New York: Norton.