“Why can’t I live here anymore?” Assessing and treating the effects of complex trauma and multiple placements on young children in foster care

May 9, 2008
9:00am – 12:00pm
Jessica Lipkind, PsyD and Margaret Husbands, PsyD, Presenters
Suzy Spradlin, PhD, Discussant

This presentation explores the connection between complex trauma and multiple placements, and its impact on the functioning of 6-year-old Bi-racial twins in foster care. Within the context of the Therapeutic-Collaborative Assessment model, the presentation discusses the twins’ experiences of attachment, loss, separation, trust, and posttraumatic stress. These experiences form part of their complex clinical picture, and reflect the impact of severe and repeated physical and sexual abuse by family members, as well as of multiple placement transitions from the age of 2. Both twins completed psychological assessments using this model, which evaluated their cognitive, academic, and emotional functioning. An additional topic that will be covered is “vicarious trauma” as it relates to mental health professionals who assess and treat victims of abuse.

Integrating Psychotherapy and Therapeutic Collaborative Assessment: Splitting the Therapist and the Assessor

June 6, 2008
9:00am – 12:00pm
Joy Malik, MA and Tracy Ryaru, MA, Presenters
Toni Vaughn Heineman, DMH, Discussant

This presentation describes the integration of psychotherapy and Therapeutic-Collaborative Assessment in treating an adolescent biracial boy. This case reveals issues related to working with a family dealing with the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Themes arising in psychotherapy including symptoms related to PTSD, attachment difficulties, avoidance, and caregivers’ ambivalence are described. A Therapeutic-Collaborative Assessment was conducted through individual sessions that underscored the continued impact of early trauma, and family assessment sessions illustrated family dynamics of splitting and interpersonal cut-offs. Collaboration between therapist and assessor emphasized family’s acting out of these dynamics, specifically the family’s splitting of the therapist and the assessor. The effectiveness and barriers to integrating treatment and assessment approaches are highlighted.

"I Just Want to Be a Kid": The Therapeutic Journey Toward Integration Following Complex Trauma

August 22, 2008
9:00am – 11:00am
Presenter: Brooke Guerrero, PsyD
Discussant: Lenore Terr, MD

This presentation explores the long-term therapy of a young girl who experienced complex trauma and the challenges involved in treatment within the context of family stress and retriggering of trauma. This case illuminates verbal and nonverbal expressions of past traumatic experiences though the use of the therapeutic relationship. Countertransference reactions to trauma-specific play that includes aggression and violence are also discussed, as well as the therapist¹s challenge of holding this girl¹s traumatic story that includes witnessing severe domestic violence and suffering neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. The experiences of trauma in the entire family are also examined.

Case Presentations from the Advanced Training Workshop on Therapeutic Assessment of Children

Friday, September 12, 2008
9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Presenters:
Brooke Guerrero, Psy.D., Marianne Haydel, Psy.D., Jessica Lipkind, Psy.D.,
Barbara L. Mercer, Ph.D., Erin Rosenblatt, Psy.D., Audrey Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Facilitator: Stephen E. Finn, Ph.D.

This session will consist of case presentations by participants in the advanced training workshop on Therapeutic Assessment of children. Two cases will be described for which all standardized testing is completed and family sessions have taken place. The presenters will share their plans for giving feedback to the family and child, and attendees will collaborate and consult about these plans. In this process, the techniques and principles of Therapeutic Assessment will be demonstrated. A coffee break will separate the two case presentations.