Master Class in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

A new Master Class for Therapists is planned for 2010.
This class is designed to teach therapists how to provide Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, which is an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment.

MASTER CLASS

Dyadic Developmental Therapy
(An attachment-based therapy)

Training for Therapists in the Treatment of Children with Trauma-Attachment Problems

2010

This workshop is for professionals who have a working knowledge of attachment, how it develops, how attachment disorders develop, and a general knowledge of treatment principals and attachment theory.

Early deprivation, neglect, abuse, significant early health problems and hospitalizations, repeated moves, or more than one year in an orphanage can create attachment problems that require specialized treatment. Traditional forms of therapy are ineffective with attachment-disordered children. This workshop will provide the therapist and other professionals with an opportunity to learn and practice effective treatment methods for trauma-attachment disordered children.

Participants are encouraged to bring in videotapes of sessions or to make arrangements to have a family attend a session for a consultation with the therapist and Dr. Becker-Weidman. .

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment, effective, and empirically validated treatment that is grounded in current thinking and research on the etiology and treatment of Complex Trauma or Developmental Trauma Disorder. Treatment had an educational dimension, designed to help parents understand their child’s attachment disorder: how the child feels and thinks, and the child’s internal psychological dynamics. Second, teaching parents about attachment-facilitating parenting methods and the importance of attunement and responsive, sensitive parenting is essential. Direct work with the parents regarding their own family or origin issues is another componen5t of treatment. Finally, intensive emotional work with the child in a manner consistent with sound treatment principles is vital.

The workshop is led by Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, who is certified by the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute as a certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist, Certified Consultant, and Certified Trainer. This workshop provides training hours that may be used by the participant to meet the required training hours necessary to become a Certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist.

Purpose of Workshop

This workshop is for therapists who want to learn how to treat trauma-attachment disordered children. Participants will learn effective therapy principals for helping traumatized children. Participants will learn:

Initial assessment and treatment planning.

Beginning, middle, and ending phase interventions.

Developing attunement and maintaining attunement.

Practical implications of the relationship between neurobiology and attachment.

Effective therapeutic techniques to use with traumatized and attachment disordered children.

Effective parenting principals.

Participants will have the opportunity to view videotapes of actual therapy sessions with traumatized children that demonstrate therapeutic principals, present their own video tapes or bring in a client for a consultation, and view live therapy sessions.

SCHEDULE

A Six-month 42-hour Master Class.
10:00 am – 5:00 pm, March 27 – August 28, 2010 (3/27, 4/24, 5/22, 6/26, 7/24, 8/28). The schedule may be adjusted if all the participants agree, so contact the office for the most current schedule. Limited to 7 professionals.

OUTLINE

Evaluation & parenting preparation.
First session, beginnings, attunement, and managing resistance.
Neurobiology of interpersonal experience
Middle phase issues & psychodrama
Facilitating parent-child attachment
Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Ending phase issues.

The treatment presented has demonstrated effectiveness. A follow-up study (see our website) clinically and statistically significant reductions in symptoms of attachment disorder, aggression, anti-social behavior, thought disorders, attention problems, mood, and social relationship dysfunction. Over 80% of the children treated had previously been in treatment on three or more occasions, without any noticeable improvement. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy produced measurable and stable improvements. Treatment averaged 23 sessions over approximately ten months. (Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D., Child & Adolescent Social Work, vol. 23, pp.137-171, 2006)

Click here for the brochure. http://www.center4familydevelop.com/2010MasterClass.pdf