Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

Practical ways of working with trauma using Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), including processing painful/traumatic experiences using focusing

2^nd International Conference on Clinical and Counseling Psychology

OCTOBER 16-17, 2017 OSAKA, JAPAN

Melissa Harte

Counseling Psychologist, Australian Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy, Australia

Keynote: J Psychol Psychother

Abstract :

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the most rigorously researched forms of humanistic practice and has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Working trauma requires careful consideration around avoiding re-traumatization and recognizing dissociation. This workshop will provide participants with introductory knowledge and theoretical understanding of the EFT model and an expanded focusing model for trauma processing will be briefly presented. Practical skills taught include grounding, developing dual awareness as proposed by Barbette Rothschild, developing a safe place to promote self-soothing and simple but effective methods to assist with hyper-arousal. This model proposes that if a traumatic memory is accessed via bodily felt-sense in conjunction with emotional arousal and activation of other schematic elements, it is possible to reprocess the event in such a way that the person is no longer plagued by the painful aspects of it and not re-traumatized by the re-remembering that occurs when asked to retell their story. If the person is able to express the appropriate primary emotion and articulate their needs within the remembered experience the associated painful emotional charge is lessened. The event is remembered as having occurred but the emotional intensity is greatly reduced. This reprocessing of the traumatic event is more than a desensitizing of that traumatic experience. Participants will be able to apply knowledge gained from this workshop and integrate into their work with their trauma and non-trauma clients immediately as no prior knowledge of EFT is required. Recent Publications Harte M (2012) Change processes in therapy: Case studies in process-experiential/Emotion-Focused Therapy. La Trobe University, Melbourne.

Biography :

Melissa Harte is an experienced Psychologist and presenter, passionate about dealing with psychological issues from a whole-of-person perspective. She has completed her Doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology and is pursuing Masters in Clinical Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. She has established the Harte Felt Centre to ensure a safe environment for client-centered healing practices in Australia that provides a supportive community for both practitioners and clients.