Psychodynamic Approach to Creating Safety | Counselor Education Webinar
youtu.be
The presenter welcomes everyone to the conference in Moultrie, Georgia, and introduces pets Mojo and Lily. The presentation, updated for 2024, emphasizes the importance of creating safety in human services and its impact on behavior. The term 'psychodynamic' is discussed, highlighting the influence of schema from experiences and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on behavior. The importance of feeling safe and loved as an adult is emphasized, along with grieving the loss of an ideal childhood and the impact of childhood experiences on belief systems. Attachment trauma is mentioned as a cause of mental distress, and video topic requests are invited from the audience. Videos can be tailored for support groups or the general public, discussing separation anxiety, anxious attachment, and live continuing education requirements. The presentation covers creating safety from a psychodynamic perspective, reviewing basics of psychodynamics, transference, and comparing past trauma with present safety. The 'PIECES' strategy for safety and mindfulness is introduced, and the impact of trauma on various domains is discussed. The concept of 'unsafeness' and different types of vulnerability are explained, emphasizing the importance of feeling safe to be authentic. Social anxiety, traumatic experiences, and feeling unsafe in unfamiliar environments are discussed, along with the impact of involuntary hospitalization and disempowerment from experiences like jail or foster care. Psychodynamics involves behavior influenced by unconscious motives, with children in chaotic homes developing survival coping skills. Adult behavior and feelings are rooted in childhood experiences, and attachment styles form based on caregiver consistency. Dementia patients may exhibit behaviors due to discomfort or boredom, and clinicians should investigate the function of such behaviors. PTSD and mood disorder behaviors may be survival mechanisms, and childhood experiences shape adult responses to fear and anxiety. The impact of feeling unsafe is discussed, including HPA axis dysregulation as a stress response. Stress and vulnerability cause physical and emotional issues, with unresolved trauma leading to chronic feelings of unsafety. Hypervigilance results in constant scanning for threats, impacting sleep, digestion, immune system, and libido. Difficulty trusting self or others is common, and clinicians should help clients trust their intuition. Social withdrawal due to feeling unsafe around others is discussed, along with the importance of finding safe people to connect with. The pandemic increased social withdrawal and fear of verbal attacks. People respond to feeling unsafe by fighting, fleeing, freezing, or flopping, and clinicians should help clients recognize behaviors linked to feeling unsafe. Setting 'SMART' goals helps clients achieve success and build confidence. Recognizing how people impact emotions, smiling to trigger oxytocin, and identifying people who make you feel positive emotions are important. Feeling unsafe causes attention deficit and learning problems, with emotional reasoning replacing logical thinking. Hypervigilance in the environment is a significant issue, and identifying triggers for feeling unsafe and safe is crucial. Present situations are perceived through past experiences, and education shapes beliefs and knowledge. Transference can be positive or negative, with feelings transferred based on past experiences. Increasing mindfulness to recognize signs of anger, anxiety, and depression is important, along with developing emotional intelligence. Examining and moderating stress triggers in various environments, creating relaxing environments, and reprogramming harmful internal messages are discussed. Identifying and enforcing life boundaries, responding accurately to triggers, and enhancing self-esteem and assertiveness skills are essential. Reframing negative thoughts, using guided imagery, and addressing rumination are important for managing attention difficulties. Sensory cues indicate safety or threat from birth, and overgeneralized cues trigger survival behaviors. The presenter thanks attendees and mentions continuing education quizzes, discussing late diagnosis and bullying of people on the spectrum. Neuroatypical individuals feel overwhelmed in neurotypical environments, and unintentional trauma can occur due to overstimulation. Differentiating between gut warnings and trauma-based feelings is important, along with examining facts in the current situation to assess danger. Spectrum signs may resemble PTSD symptoms, and difficulty with eye contact can indicate spectrum or abuse. The session ends with a reminder to see everyone at the Moultrie conference or next Wednesday.
The presenter welcomes everyone to the conference in Moultrie, Georgia, and introduces pets Mojo and