Summary
In this conversation, I have the pleasure of talking with Paris Goodyear Brown about the development and principles of her model Traumaplay, an integrative approach to play therapy that addresses the needs of families and children who have experienced trauma. The discussion covers the evolution of Traumaplay, the importance of attachment relationships, and the integration of various therapeutic models. Paris emphasizes the significance of assessment techniques, how she has integrated these principles at Nurture House, and the role of parents in the therapeutic process, and the necessity of self-care for therapists working with trauma.

Takeaways
Trauma play is an integrative approach to therapy.
Children communicate through play, which is their primary language.
Delight is crucial for healthy child development.
Assessment in trauma play serves as an intervention.
Parents need support and skill-building in their roles.
Understanding a child's grief is essential for effective therapy.
Therapists must embody nurturing roles for parents.
Wish fulfillment in play can help children process trauma.
Self-care practices are vital for therapists' well-being.
Therapeutic relationships are built on trust and understanding.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Trauma Play Model
02:25 The Evolution of Trauma Play
05:12 Integrative Play Therapy Approaches
08:28 Research and Learning in Trauma Play
11:12 Dyadic Assessment Techniques
13:59 Parenting Skills and Psychoeducation
16:58 The Role of the Therapist
20:17 Self-Care Practices for Clinicians

Resources Mentioned in Episode:
Traumaplay Certification Process

Books: 

Parents as Partners in Child Therapy

Big Behaviors in Small Containers

Polyvagal Power in the Playroom
Parent Child Interaction Training (PCIT)

Jessica Stone, PhD

Garry Landreth, PhD

The Self Careapist Podcast is a weekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us reach more therapists who love to learn. See you next week!

This episode was timed the week of Dr. Aaron Brinen's new book, Living Well with Psychosis.  One of the lines I liked in his book is "in order to talk about Living Well, we have to talk about living," and, we do! From developing goals and aspirations to supporting and encouraging the family, and discussing how to incorporate activity, and plenty of it, we cover some key elements of treating psychosis in addition to discussion about how to support some of the specific obstacles that our clients living with psychosis may be facing.  We talk about the development of the Recovery-Oriented Cognitive model in collaboration with Aaron T. Beck, the father of cognitive psychology.

If authoring books is in your future, we also get some unexpected gems about the process and considerations of writing!

Dr. Brinen's supportive and optimistic attitude as well as his mention of the need to advocate for our clients dealing with psychosis make this a hopeful informative listen, and I think you'll find some takeaways to consider whether you are new to this treatment population or have been treating psychosis for decades. 

To access a copy of Living Well with Psychosis

To access the activity tracker we discussed in the episode

If you're interested in learning more about CT-R

The Self Careapist Podcast is a weekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us reach more therapists who love to learn. See you next week!

Melissa Lapides, LMFT (@getsecurelyattached) discusses the profound effects of complex trauma, particularly in early childhood, and how it manifests in adult relationships. She emphasizes the importance of understanding attachment theory and how early experiences shape our emotional responses and relationships. Melissa shares her personal journey of healing from trauma and the significance of trauma-informed care in therapy. The discussion also touches on the role of attachment in relationships with pets and the importance of co-regulation. Overall, the conversation highlights the need for deeper understanding and healing of attachment wounds to foster healthier relationships.

Whether you're a therapist who is hearing more curiosity about the impact of complex trauma from your clients, or a person making their own connections about your early experiences, this is a great episode.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Complex trauma is often misunderstood and widespread.
• Trauma is about the impact of events, not the events themselves.
• Adaptive mechanisms from childhood can become harmful in adulthood.
• Boredom can be a sign of peace, not dysfunction.
• Healing from trauma is possible at any age.
• Trauma-informed care emphasizes being present with clients' pain.
• Clients are the experts of their own experiences.
• Attachment styles significantly influence adult relationships.
• Co-regulation is essential in relationships with pets.

Resources:

The Attachment Project

Thomas Zimmerman (boat metaphor)

The Self Careapist Podcast is a weekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us reach more therapists who love to learn. See you next week!

For the therapist who might incorporate a DBT skill here or there but has always wondered what else there is to know...

In this conversation, Dr. Kiki Fehling a clinical psychologist and Dialectical Behavior Therapy Certified researcher discusses her journey into Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), its structure, and its application, particularly within the LGBTQIA+ community. She explains the importance of consultation teams, the role of mindfulness, and the dialectical approach of acceptance and change. Dr. Fehling shares insights on key DBT skills, such as distress tolerance and opposite action, and highlights the goal of building a life worth living. The discussion also touches on self-care techniques and resources for clinicians interested in DBT.

We left you on a a cliffhanger, but the show Dr. Kiki enjoyed and recently finished was...drumroll please...Dying for Sex.

Takeaways:

• DBT was created to help those struggling with BPD and suicidality.
• The therapy consists of individual sessions, skills groups, phone coaching, and consultation teams.
• Consultation teams provide essential support for DBT therapists.
• DBT is effective for various mental health issues beyond BPD, including anxiety and PTSD.
• Mindfulness skills help individuals reconnect with their emotions and identities.
• Dialectics emphasizes that acceptance and change can coexist.
• The goal of DBT is to help clients build a life worth living.
• Distress tolerance kits are practical tools for managing crises.
• Opposite action is a powerful skill for changing unhelpful emotional responses.
• Self-validation is crucial for personal well-being and self-care.
• Using Skillfull Means to become aware of the being mind vs. the doing mind

Keywords:
DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mental Health, LGBTQIA+, Coping Skills, Mindfulness, Self-Validation, Consultation Teams, Emotion Regulation, Therapy Techniques

For More Information, check out:
https://www.kikifehling.com/
Want to learn more about DBT?
Self Directed DBT Skills Workbook
DBT Skills Training Manual- Dr. Marsha Linehan

And, the book Dr. Fehling is reading is Queer Dharma...
Skillfull Means

00:00
Introduction to DBT and Dr. Kiki Fehling

01:53
Understanding DBT: Structure and Purpose

04:54
Th

The Self Careapist Podcast is a weekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us reach more therapists who love to learn. See you next week!