Mindfulness & Compassion for Mental Health Professionals

A five week online course, to support you in bringing mindfulness and compassion into your one to one work… as a resource for you and for your clients.

Facilitated by Dr Tony Bates, Prof Brendan Kelly, Erica Balfour, Rachel Ardagh and Barry Lee (from the Mindfulness & Compassion Centre)

Dates: Thursday evenings (17^th October 2024 – 14^th November 2024)

Time 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm

About the course:

• Establish a personal practice (30 day mindfulness & compassion challenge).
• Experience a variety of different mindfulness and compassion practices, drawing from a range of evidence based mindfulness and compassion programmes (MBSR, MBCT, MSC, MBCL, MBRP and more).
• Learn how mindfulness and compassion can support us as therapists, sustain us in our work and help mitigate against secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue
• Learn how to skilfully bring elements of trauma informed mindfulness and compassion into your work with clients.
• Learn a variety of simple practices, tools and models that can be helpful in one to one work with clients. 
• Learn some of the “dos and don’ts” of using mindfulness to help clients ground.
• Learn the importance of language when guiding others in mindfulness practices.
• How embodying mindfulness and compassion can facilitate deeper work and healing in our clients.
• Learn how to adapt mindfulness for neurodiverse clients (emphasis on autism and ADHD).
• Learn about the types of clinical situations, when mindfulness is not helpful and may cause harm.

CPD Hours: 10 Hours Awarded 

For further information - https://www.mindfulness.ie/mindfulness-compassion-for-mental-health-professionals

www.mindfulness.ie Email: info@mindfulness.ie

Practitioner Certificate in Multi-Sensory Trauma Processing and EMDR Principles across the lifespan

This exciting training programme, utilises two core models to address and resolve trauma.

1) Multi-Sensory Trauma Processing Model (MTP)

2) Eye movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

MTP was initially created, by Dr Nancy Davis, after the tragic events of 911 in NYC to help reduce residual trauma symptoms in first responders and their families. It has since been expanded to address trauma with multiple other populations. Multi-Sensory Trauma Processing (MTP) focuses extensively on the sensory and somatic aspects of traumatic experiences and how blockages in these areas interrupt successful processing.

MTP combines many types of therapies:

• Cognitive therapy
• Visual imagery/hypnosis
• Therapeutic stories
• Narrative therapy
• EMDR-bilateral stimulation
• Client centered Rogerian therapy
• Neuro linguistic programming

EMDR also relies on the power of bilateral stimulation (BLS) and has been widely researched and proven to be an effective therapy for trauma survivors. It is also useful in the psychotherapeutic treatment with a wide range of clients who struggle with debilitating psychological and physiological symptoms.

Both modalities are designed to assist with the processing of unresolved issues and to activate the client’s internal healing processes. Treatment may be a single session or may span multiple sessions. It may also be incorporated as an ongoing or intermittent part of the treatment being provided. Clinical decisions are made in accordance with the complexity of PTSD symptomology that the client is struggling with.

As this is a practitioner award, engagement in 20 clinical practice sessions, and 5 supervision sessions, are required. This supervision is included in the course.

Suitable Applicants

This training is suitable for trainee and qualified play therapists, counsellors, psychotherapists, expressive arts therapists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals working within the range of psychotherapeutic modalities with clients of all ages.

Course Leader

Linda McGuire MA, MIACP, is an EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner and Consultant and certified trainer of MTP. Linda has led university level degree programmes in the field of

counselling and psychotherapy, addiction counselling and art psychotherapy throughout Ireland and is an experienced lecturer and course developer. She has worked extensively with young people and their families coordinating clinical services in these dedicated areas for over twenty-five years.

Dr Nancy Davis is the former head of psychological services with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In addition to development the MTP model, she is also the creator of Therapeutic Stories that Teach and Heal Series (3^rd Ed) and is an international trainer. Nancy will zoom in briefly during 2 sessions.

Course Structure

This course runs over 7 full days (10am – 5pm). Days 1, 3, 6 and 7 are in person and Days 2, 4 and 5 are online. There will be 3 additional online small group supervision sessions spread over the duration of the training for each participant. Full day sessions take place from 10am – 5pm.

Overview of Content

Day 1: Introduction to MTP and Trauma
Day 2: Theory, Practice and Bilateral Stimulation, Therapeutic storytelling
Day 3: Fishbowl Supervision (single incident trauma)
Day 4: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s), Parental/ Caregiver inclusion, Healing the Healer
Day 5: Job-Related Trauma, Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, and Letting Go
Day 6: Integrating Therapeutic Stories with MTP, BLS and Expressive Arts: Putting it all together –
Day 7: Case Presentations/Supervision

The 2024-2025 course will run on 16^th Nov 24, 14^th Dec 24, 18^th Jan 25, 15^th Feb 25, 15^th March 25, 12^th April 25, and 24^th May. Dec, Feb and Mar modules are online, 3 onsite dates are in Limerick, and the Jan day is in CTC, Ballymore, Co Westmeath.

Usual Course Fee is €1200. Launch offer: €200 Discount to first 10 participants to enrol!

Please return completed application form, with €50 application fee (payable to Children’s Therapy Centre) to: CTC. Stewart House, Lonsdale Road, National Technology Park, Plassey, Co. Limerick, V94 KN70.

Further enquiries: ctclinda1@gmail.com

IACP CPD approved for 48 CPD Points

Dear pre-accredited and accredited fellow professionals,

Are you interested in joining a new supervision group ? They are found to be “great support”, giving “valuable perspectives from experiences of other group members” and “safely contracted spaces”.

This new group will meet on Thursdays at 7pm the first one will take place on 17th October.

I, Jim FitzGibbon, will be the facilitator. I am a supervisor accredited with IAHIP. I am a gestalt psychotherapist. I recently completed further supervision training for supervisors at the Gestalt Institute at HCC Italy.

Delivery will be on-line with approximately ten meetings per year. My fee is 60 euros per person for each two hour session.

In line with accreditation criteria set by IAHIP and IACP, groups will have a maximum of four members.

Assessment reports and re-accreditation applications will be included.

The group is also a good fit for additional supervision support and CPD and you may even find that belonging to a group of others meets a personal need.

If you are interested please contact me at jamesfitzgibbon57@gmail.com.

Best wishes
Jim

[CPD Opportunity] Challenging Presentations in Couples Therapy | IACP-approved CPD Webinar

Are you feeling stuck and unproductive in your Couples Therapy Sessions? Join us for this live and recorded webinar with Charlie Stevens, an experienced couples therapist, to gain practical tools and insights into overcoming these challenges.

What you’ll learn:

• How to de-escalate conflict and foster open communication between partners.
• Techniques to break the cycle of avoidance and hostility in therapy sessions.
• Tools for creating safe spaces for vulnerable interactions and long-term healing.

Details:

Date: Monday, 30th September 2024
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Price: €25
Where: Online (Live & recorded access available)

2 Hours of IACP-approved CPD Certificate

Charlie Stevens brings over 20 years of experience in couples therapy, including a background in family constellation work, yoga, and meditation. This is a valuable opportunity to learn from an expert and enhance your therapeutic practice.

Register now to secure your spot and take your practice to the next level! Spaces are limited.

Find out more via: InstituteOfCouplesTherapy.com

Therapy Rooms
Available to Share

Cork City Centre

Two Lovely Spacious Rooms

Very Centrally Located 

We are seeking another person to join us for two days/ evenings

Thursday & Friday available 

Very reasonable rates.

 Ring Mary on 087 797 0804 if years oldu are interested.

Professional Diploma in Sandtray Therapy and Symbolic Expression

This exciting,one-year, Diploma course will bring you deep into the world of projective play and the use of symbols as therapeutic agents with psychotherapy and counselling clients. You will engage in experiential sessions utilising sandtray therapy, spectrograms, and the use of symbols. The training is relevant for therapists working with adults, adolescents, and/or children. Making use of right-brain processes and accessing implicit memories will deepen the therapy process and facilitate healing from unresolved issues that have their roots at any life stage. Accessing a direct route to the unconscious bypasses defences and maintains a felt sense of safety by providing dramatic distance from disturbing thoughts and feelings. This allows the social engagement system to stay active, and protects the client from being triggered into a hyper- or hypo-aroused state. Creative expression, with a therapist who communicates strong safety cues, allows the player to experience a neuroception of safety even when processing difficult experiences.

This is a blended learning course which makes the best use of the onsite training days for experiential learning, while facilitating your work/life balance by providing for a mixture of live online sessions, directed study tasks, and self-directed learning (including access to interactive learning opportunities for you to engage with at times to suit your own schedule. The experiential nature of this course will support you own personal and professional development, and you will acquire knowledge, skills, and competence that will enhance your clinical practice.

Suitable for:This training is suitable for trainee and qualified psychotherapists, counsellors, play therapists, expressive arts therapists, and psychologists, working within the range of psychotherapeutic modalities

Course Schedule

Both Zoom Introductory and Orientation sessions take place from 7 – 8.30pm. Full day sessions take place from 10am – 5pm. There will be morning and afternoon tea/coffee breaks and a one hour lunch break.

Dates:

11^th December 2024 (Zoom)

28^th January 2025 (Zoom)

27^th & 28^th February 2025 (F-F)

29^th & 30^th March 2025 (F-F)

10^th April 2025 (Online)

8^th & 9^th May 2025 (F-F)

7^th & 8^th June 2025 (F-F)

5^th July 2025 (Online)

28^th August2025 (F-F)

Self-directed learning and directed study tasks to suit individual learners.

All Face-to-Face sessions are held in CTC, Slievenagorta, Ballymore, Co Westmeath, N91 CC65

IACP CPD approved for 84 CPD Points

Course Fee: €1700

This includes a starter sandtray kit (miniature tray, sand, 50+ symbols) and the course book: Homeyer, L. E. & Sweeney, D. S. (2022) Sandtray Therapy: A Practical Manual, 4^th Ed. London & NY: Routledge

Course Leader

Emer Mc Donagh, SIAPTP, MIAPTP, MIAHIP, ECIP, is the leader for this course. She holds an MA in Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy and Play Therapy and a BA (HONS) in Applied Social Studies in Social Care. Emer is also Assistant MA Course Leader at CTC and is a fully accredited psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer with the European Association of Integrative Psychotherapy

Details and application form to download HERE

Further enquiries: email: ctcemer@gmail.com

Specialised Training Course for Therapists: Certificate in Working Therapeutically with Sexual Abuse and Complex Trauma

At One in Four, our vision is an Irish society where children are safe from the threat of sexual harm. For over two decades we have been a support, a refuge and a lifeline to thousands of women and men who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. Our nationally and internationally recognised professional and specialised counselling service is a testament to our commitment. One in Four has an established reputation for delivering high-quality, tailored training in the field of sexual violence.

Therapists in private practice sometimes refer clients to us because they don’t feel confident addressing the complex impacts of CSA. Furthermore, research (RCNI, 2022) has found that therapists working with sexual abuse should have specialist training.

Are you a qualified psychotherapist or counselling psychologist interested in enhancing your skills and competency to work with complex trauma and the impacts of childhood sexual abuse?

We have developed a post qualification Certificate in Working Therapeutically with Sexual Abuse and Complex Trauma training course. The course has a clinical focus, is experimental and structured to develop reflective practice.

Two complimentary sessions of group supervision will be offered to participants after the course. 

Course Modules

The following modules will support the learning outcomes, providing a comprehensive overview of complex trauma from a clinical perspective:

• Working with Childhood Sexual Abuse: Including Complex Trauma, Shame, Resourcing and Psychoeducation
• Therapeutic Modalities and their Approach to Trauma: Including Body Work, Integrative, Using Creativity, and Sexual Intimacy after Abuse
• Systemic Context: Including Family Support, Group Work, Prevention/dynamics of offending behaviour, impact of pornography, and working with male survivors
• Practitioner Focus: Including Self-Care and Effective use of Supervision

Learning Outcomes

• An operational understanding of complex trauma and its developmental impact including the psychological, emotional and physiological impacts of child sexual abuse
• Ability to adapt therapeutic techniques to individual client needs in the moment
• Navigate the complexities of transference and countertransference in the context of trauma and abuse
• Reflect on personal values and biases to ensure ethical practice
• Increased confidence in identifying, understanding and containing trauma dynamics
• Implement strategies for self-care to protect against vicarious trauma and burnout

The Practicalities

When? The course will run monthly for 10 months on the fourth Saturday of each month beginning in January 2025 (first module on Saturday, 25^th January 2025).

Where? One in Four, 35-36 Arran Quay, Smithfield, Dublin, D07 E221

Cost? €2,800 for the full ten training days to be booked before 19^th December 2024.

Early bird booking rate €2,700 to be booked before 22^nd November 2024

Fee payable in two instalments: January 2025 and May 2025

All of the proceeds from this course will be used to help fund the services that we provide.

How to Apply? Please complete an application form here.

In the event of the course being oversubscribed, a selection process will apply.

Eligibility for CPD points TBC.

Join us in acquiring the necessary skills to support individuals impacted by sexual abuse and complex trauma.

Out, About & In Touch...

Expect A Warm Welcome

Creative Wellbeing
& Mental Health
Weekly Workshop

24th Sept - 10th Dec, 2024
Twelve Tuesday afternoons 2-4pm

Glasthule, South Co. Dublin
Close to Dart Station, bus routes and parking

Engage with fresh faces, flex creative muscles, discover those you didn't know you had. Participate in gentle writing and other art related exercises. Explore wellbeing creatively.

BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES: Mail: creativewellbeingsl@gmail.com.
FEE: €175.Payable in two instalments, if agreed in advance
Deposit €50.00 (Non-Returnable). N.B. Places Limited.
More information: https:/susanlindsayauthor.blogspot.com/

Facilitator Susan Lindsay is a retired psychotherapist and the author of four books. Her poetry, essays & creative non-fiction have been published in journals & anthologies. She facilitates Conversations inspired by poetry at festival sand in the community.

It's never too late to discover meaningful creative activity
& the benefits of flow

ONLINE WORKSHOP – COST: €125
DATE: SATURDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2024
TIME: 09:00h to16:00h (Dublin - London time)
6 CPD CREDITS AWARDED BY EMDR ALL-IRELAND ASSOCIATION

Consistent with the EMDR Standard protocol when working with neurodiversity, treatment is informed by the AIP Model, 8 Phases of EMDR, 3 Prong Past – Present – Future. Application can require distinct differences in approach, sequencing and target selection, including ABLS methods with very distinct critical differences as to how we apply and engage through 8 phases. The presenters will primarily focus on working with Autism as a continuum within neuro-diverse presentation however, they will also highlight how the treatment principles apply to adult & younger presentations with relevance to learning disabilities and range of neuro-diverse client presentations.

Neuro-diverse people have many strengths, which can often benefit society despite the challenges that may be experienced by this population trying to navigate a neurotypical social world. Where neuro-diverse people experience trauma, therapists need to be neuro-diverse aware and affirming in order to create a positive, emotional connection with their client, in which the client feels seen, heard and valued.

The Adaptive Information Processing model, which informs and underpins EMDR therapy, is completely consistent and applicable to using EMDR therapy with neurodiverse presentations. Similarly, the EMDR developmental exceptions to the Standard Protocol applied working with younger populations can inform and support working effectively with EMDR adult neuro-diverse presentations.

In EMDR processing, the neuro-diverse client may need additional modifications to the standard EMDR protocol to help make EMDR more accessible, to help them self-regulate in ways which are sensitive to their neurodiversity and to help the experience of unpredictable emotions become tolerable. The client’s neuro-diversity can be utilised (with or without the storytelling method) as a unique opportunity for resourcing. The use of an extended preparation phase may help the client manage trait anxiety and the modification of EMDR to take into account the client’s strengths as well as their challenges (e.g. Making EMDR more novel and breaking it into shorter sections or more active sessions for the client with ADHD presentations) can make all the difference.

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Understanding of origins and prevalence of neurodiversity, in particular Autism (ASD) both in your clinic and in the wider population, including comorbid presentations and how this might impact / inform your EMDR practice. 
2. Recognise the features of neurodiversity in particular ASD features, how they might manifest in your clinic and how they might be harnessed so as to enhance and develop your clients’ experiences of EMDR therapy.
3.  Appreciate the sensory aspects of Autism. How sensory differences can lead to both fight / flight and dissociative responses, with consideration of their impact on your client’s window of tolerance and your EMDR management strategies. 
4. Understand the inter-relationships between interoception, alexithymia and masking and the links between them and depersonalisation / somatic dissociation, with ideas for ways of working to bring previously inaccessible body sensations into EMDR reprocessing and thence your clients’ lived experiences. 
5. Working with avoidance, including avoidance of body sensations / interoceptive phobia in EMDR therapy. 
6. Use alternative sensory aspects of memories in EMDR phases 3 and 4, when visual images are unavailable due to Aphantasia. 
7. Recognise the similarities between aspects of complex PTSD and in particular ASD, how developmental trauma (trauma during the attachment phase of development) can lead to neuro-developmental features such as those found in Autism and ADHD, with consideration of how this can result in diagnostic overshadowing and difficulties in deciding when trauma treatment is complete. 
8. Reframe the unique presentation characteristics and parameters of neurodiversity presentations beyond symptom expression, to refresh your AIP case conceptualisation to inform your EMDR treatment.
9.  Consider the ways Neurodiversity and Autism may impact AIP case conceptualisation, including the impacts of over diagnosis, labelling, moral injury including iatrogenic traumas and those arising from inadequate, inappropriate therapy. 
10. Through understanding of the aims within each of the 8 phases of the standard EMDR protocol and the challenges each individual clients’ differences bring, justify the small adaptations needed to provide a bespoke service to each of your clients whilst maintaining fidelity to the standard protocol. 

Presenters:

Johnny Moran:

Johnny Moran, Clinical Director Open Minds Centre www.openmindscentre.ie , clinic specializing in treatment of Trauma. Johnny is an accredited EMDR Europe Trainer and Consultant, an Accredited EMDR Europe Child & Adolescents Consultant, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, EMDR Institute Training Facilitator. Johnny is accredited Psychotherapist and accredited Supervisor with IAHIP (Irish Association Humanistic Integrative Therapy). He is National Director for Trauma Response Network Ireland www.trnireland.ie and is actively involved in Trauma Research Projects, serving on the Boards of Trauma Aid Europe and EMDR All Ireland National Association.

Clare Smith:

Clare Smith is an EMDR Europe accredited practitioner and consultant in training with an MSc in EMDR therapy. She works in independent practice with an all-age population and has a particular interest in working with those who experience the world differently, including those who are neuro-diverse or have a lived experience of dissociation, especially the complex dissociative disorders. In her former role as an associate specialist child & adolescent psychiatrist, she developed and led a specialist multidisciplinary team which considered the impact of attachment and traumatic / adverse experiences on children and young people who had pre-diagnosed developmental differences such as ADHD or autism, but whose highly complex presentations were indicative of additional unassessed or unmet needs. A former associate lecturer at the University of Worcester, she has lectured for many years on a range of topics including neurodiversity, disability, human development, trauma and mental health.

For more information: www.openmindscentre.ie

Contact Email: info@openmindscentre.ie

Payment Link: https://buy.stripe.com/eVa7tf8rPbf5f0QdQS

As part of my dissertation for the program, I am currently conducting a research study on the experiences of Psychotherapists and Counsellors in managing childbirth-related psychological trauma symptoms, and I would like to invite the relevant members of your professional accrediting body to participate.

The full title of the study is: "Exploring effective Psychotherapeutic Interventions to Manage ChildBirth-Related psychological Trauma Symptoms – A qualitative study on the lived experiences of Psychotherapists and Counsellors in the Irish context"

The study aims to gain insight into the psychotherapeutic interventions used by psychotherapists and counsellors, their perceptions of effectiveness, and the challenges they encounter in tailoring interventions for the perinatal population in the Irish context.

Your cooperation and input will contribute to a better understanding of the complexities involved in providing support for individuals experiencing childbirth-related psychological trauma symptoms.

The participants of this study are:

Psychotherapists and Counsellors working in the public or private sector in Ireland.

They are required to have at least three years of experience working as a therapist AND have worked with individuals who have experienced a traumatic birth experience, and/or presented with trauma symptomatology related to that traumatic birth at the time of seeking help.

The participants will need to be accredited by a professional body like IACP, IAHIP, APCP, NAPCP, BACP.

If the participant has experienced a traumatic birth experience in the past or has witnessed somebody having what they perceived as a traumatic birth, they will not be able to take part in the study as there would be a risk of re-traumatisation for them.

Participation in this study will involve a one-to-one interview, which will last approximately between 40 and 50 minutes. The interview will be conducted either online through Zoom or at a location of your convenience, at a day and time that best suits you. The interview will be recorded for transcription purposes but all the information shared will be confidential, and only me, the researcher, and my academic supervisor will have access to it. Your name or any information that might reveal your identity will not be shared. A pseudonym will be used to refer to some of your quotes in the findings of the study.

Your participation is voluntary, and you can withdraw from the study at any time without consequence.

I would greatly appreciate your willingness to participate in this study.

If you are interested in taking part or have any questions about the study, please feel free to contact me at 0831462444, or 20205310@ichas.ie.

• Participant Information Sheet