Friday Workshops 2010-2011

Achy-Breaky Heart
Friday, October 1, 2010
9:30am - 12:30pm

Dr. Cortina will review some basic concepts in attachment theory, particularly those concepts most useful for the practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Attachment theory adds to our understanding of motivation, affective regulation, defenses, and developmental and interpersonal processes. Clinically, it helps us work with many kinds of challenging patients: patients who remain preoccupied and enmeshed in the past with attachment figures, and/or who remain entangled in the present with romantic relations; patients who avoid, idealize or dismiss the importance of close intimate relationships; and patients with highly controlling interpersonal patterns. Dr. Cortina will illustrate these concepts with clinical vignettes and will also welcome cases that demonstrate disruptive or traumatic attachments.
Presenter: Mauricio Cortina, PhD

When You Walk Through A Storm
Friday, November 5, 2010
9:30am - 12:30pm

Sometimes our best intentions with trauma clients backfire or do not work. We’re challenged to find ways to help them stabilize, find a glimmer of hope, or even trust us. Innovative trauma treatment approaches can increase our effectiveness but they seem foreign to our traditional training as psychodynamic therapists.  We’ll look at basic principles and some tools which can be integrated into traditional therapy.  Bring your most difficult cases and we’ll explore how some of these tools could make a difference.  
Presenter: Cynthia Margolies, PhD

I Can See Clearly Now
Friday, January 28, 2011
12:30pm - 3:30pm

This workshop will help us understand how mindfulness can transform both the therapist and the therapy. In many instances, we can find it difficult to stay grounded and centered with our clients – the client may be challenging, or we may be preoccupied with our own concerns. Therapists need an enhanced capacity to hold anxiety and intense affects. Mindfulness skills help to develop embodied self-awareness and emotional resilience. They also increase our ability to sit with and hold affectively charged material, to remain calm, and to regulate anxiety and uncertainty. Through experiential exercises and discussion, we will explore together the complementary relationship between psychotherapy and mindfulness and the ways they support each other to help relieve emotional and physical suffering.
Presenter: Susan Drobis, LICSW

Both Sides Now
Friday, March 18, 2011
9:30am - 12:30pm

Dr. Melamed has looked at drugs from both sides now, as psychotherapist and as clinical psychopharmacologist. He has been on both sides of the medication debate. What is the proper role of psychotropic medication in psychological treatment? What are the psychotherapist’s responsibilities for recommending a medication consultation, in making the referral, in addressing the patient’s concerns, and monitoring the effects of medication on the patient and on the psychotherapy? This presentation will discuss the meanings that medication can have for the patient and the therapist, the illusions that surround the use of psychotropic medication and outline the real limitations and real benefits of psychotropic medication.
Presenter: Jack Melamed, PhD, MS (Clin. Psychopharm), APA-CPP

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things
Friday, May 6, 2011
12:30pm - 3:30pm

Under the umbrella of Self Psychology, there has been an expansion of theory and an exploration of many facets of Kohut’s work. Later theories include: Motivational Systems (Joe Lichtenberg, James Fosshage and Frank Lachmann); Attachment Theory and its use in adult treatment (Beatrice Beebe and Frank Lachmann); Intersubjectivity Theory (Robert Stolorow, George Atwood and Donna Orange), and Complexity Theory (James Coburn). We will refresh our minds about Kohut’s fine contributions, and explore these later theories. Later developments have expanded the focus to include couples, family and group work. Clinical examples will explicate the theories presented.
Presenter: Rosemary Segalla, PhD