Thursday, February 28, 2013

RRT Speaks For Itself! Another Client Success Story

By Tara Dickherber, M.Ed, LPC

Senior Certified Practitioner, Rapid Resolution Therapy     

I have been in the mental health field for longer than I like to admit and thus most of my friends are social workers and licensed counselors. The majority of my friends here in Missouri are not certified in Rapid Resolution Therapy. Some of them are supportive of my passion with RRT, and a few are very skeptical about the work I do. One particular friend of mine is a substance abuse counselor and he, his girlfriend (who's also a counselor) and I have had dinner together once a month for several years now.

Recently I received an e-mail from him regarding his girlfriend's college aged son. Her son had dropped out of school due to a medical issue and overwhelming anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. He asked, on behalf of himself and his girlfriend, if I could effectively treat her son (whom I had never met before) and if I would even be willing. I am not the only RRT therapist in the area and for the sake of her son I gave them the names of the other RRT practitioners in case he'd rather see someone who isn't friends with his Mom and her boyfriend. He opted to see me.

Our session went well. We accomplished what we set out to accomplish, clearing up anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and even his occasional anger. Once a client comes in for a session I explain to them that the door is now open, they can call or e-mail me with questions, etc. If a follow up appointment isn't necessary my office manager or I will follow up in two weeks.

Well two weeks came and my office manager attempted to contact him but only got his voice mail (something not unusual with the college aged clients I have seen). Two weeks also landed me on the Friday night dinner with my friend and my client's Mom; and the pleasure of meeting a counseling friend of his Mom's. I'll admit it I was a bit leery about this dinner. I was very unsure of what, if any, comments I would have to hear about the work I did. I was worried about nothing. In fact I had three people at the table asking about what RRT is, how does it compare to EMDR, and how to get trained in RRT.
Apparently the session went very well and my client had gone back to school to "test the waters" so to speak. In fact they all told me about various places they had recently heard about RRT. For example, my substance abuse counselor friend had read about it in a NAADAC e-newsletter. (Click here to see that link.)

The word is spreading about the amazing results that come with Rapid Resolution Therapy and in doing so it's building all of our credibility...even with our friends who have been very skeptical about what we do! It hasn't always been easy hearing the criticism from others about this "new process," but that night it was all worth it!

Be happy - Tara
Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, LPC
1360 S 5th St., Suite 394, St. Charles, MO 63301

Monday, February 25, 2013

Reminder: IRRT Level I Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution March 8 - 10, Tampa, FL

*REMINDER* Level I Training in Tampa, Florida



Join fellow mental health practitioners and Dr. Jon Connelly at the upcoming Level I Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution training in Tampa, Florida, March 8 - 10. 
 
When you register for the Level II training at the conclusion of Level I training, you will receive a $50 tuition waiver to Level II! The Level II training in Tampa will be held April 19 - 21. Please click here to register and for additional information. 
 
Practitioners will earn 25 continuing education contact hours throughout the three-day intensive weekend training.
 
During Level I training, you will learn to:
  • Resolve multiple traumas in a single psychotherapy session
  • Discover and resolve subconscious causes for emotional and behavioral difficulties
  • Create positive and transformational change through multi-level communication
  • Pinpoint and resolve issues contributing to medical problems
  • Promote mind/body healing
  • Expose and eliminate unconscious conflicts blocking desired change
  • Pinpoint the exact events to clear so that desired change is automatic
  • Eliminate the effect of traumatic events even if they are repressed or forgotten
  • Stop self-destructive behavioral patterns
  • Transform your client's cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns. 
Tuition Cost: $695

Registration: You may register online by clicking here or contact Lynne at 1-800-587-2623 orrtrblue@gmail.com

Thursday, February 21, 2013

New Workshop: Learn To Use Hypnosis With Children! Los Angeles, California, May 17-19

Learn To Use Hypnosis With Children



If you are looking to acquire life changing skills, enhance and grow your practice, provide and facilitate a deeper level of healing, be instrumental in advancing positive quality of life for your clients within a shorter time frame, then this is the course for you!

New Workshop: Learn To Use Hypnosis With Children!
May 17-19, Los Angeles, CA, Courtyard LAX/Century Blvd

***EARN 20 CEU'S***

 
 Learning Objectives:
  • Learn hypnotic techniques to enhance self-esteem, improve behaviors at home, increase academic performance and reduce the efforts of childhood trauma including sexual abuse.
  • Learn to identify children's own unique abilities and how to utilize their imagination for healing.
  • Review Ethical Considerations when using Hypnosis with children.
  • Examine the role of parents and how to engage them in the healing process.
  • Engage in 3 days of highly experiential skill building and coached break-out sessions.
Presented By:
 
MOLLY SANFORD, LCSW, NBCCH

National Board Certified Hypnosis Instructor, Developer of Hypnosis with Children and Heal The Healer Seminars, Trauma Specialist, Experienced Crisis Therapist, Certified EMDR, Master Practitioner RRT, RTR


 


Tuition and Registration Information



 
"Molly is amazing! I just attended my 2nd training. Not only did I take away a score of amazing techniques, but in about 10 mins with Molly she healed my trauma and accompanying long-term back pain! Molly has to be experienced to be believed."  
- L.F. Beverly Hills

TUITION:

$485 per person
$385 Early Bird (Register by 4.17.13)

REGISTER NOW:

Phone: 866-615-4325
 
LOCATION:

The training is being held at the following location in Los Angeles, California:
Courtyard LAX/Century Blvd
6161 West Century Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310-649-1400

For room reservations, please contact the hotel directly at the number provided. Refer to the name of the training, "Learning Hypnosis with Children," to receive the group rate of $89 per night. If you have questions or require assistance with registration, please contact the staff at Promote Healing at the following email promotehealinglynne@gmail.com or call 866-615-4325

CANCELLATION POLICY:
You may cancel your registration by contacting us by March 1, and you will receive a tuition refund less a cancel fee of 10% of the total tuition.
Please note: Occasionally changes are made due to speaker availability, participant demand or unforseen circumstances. While Molly Sanford, LCSW, will do everything possible to ensure participant satisfaction, Molly's liability is limited to the tuition fee.
 
We look forward to seeing you there!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Clearing Shame With RRT


By Mark Chidley, LMHC, CAP
Certified Practitioner, Rapid Resolution Therapy    
 
In this article, I would like to explore the dimensions of shame as it relates to problems we may encounter in practice, particularly with some persons who have suffered deep wounds of victimization, denigration, and humiliation and for whom making contact poses a major hurdle.

The Contours of Shame

Deep shame is not about making mistakes, but being mistake. Therefore, a person comes in with a sense of being defectiveinferior, and needing to hide. The compulsion to hide and get away from shame is crucial and modulates their ability to meet, as the person is on the lookout for further hurt, perhaps determined to not be seen or show up. For the shamed person, relationships are dangerous. If you are unacceptable and that becomes exposed, you could be further shamed, cast out or left. We have to recognize that deep attachment and therefore, survival fears are being activated at this point. What the old mammalian brain knows is that social rejection is tantamount to death. If you don't hide and let the threat pass over, it may cost you your life.

So clearly for some there is a far more debilitating experience underway than we might ordinarily suspect. Shame is a powerful force. It drives intention and behavior, which is to remain hidden and safe. It becomes paramount to prevent too close physical proximity to another and to thwart the discovery of unacceptable parts of or facts about the self.

The Client's Dilemma 

As we think about it, the person is in quite a bind. If they answer our questions, they risk exposure and the realization of their deepest fears. But if they go the other way and dodge or refuse our questions, they risk activating our administrative option to discontinue the meeting. They understand we are in authority, and they are challenging our protocol. They risk disobedience, our displeasure and termination of the relationship right at the outset. 

However, most counselors wouldn't end a relationship simply because of a client not answering. A deeper part of the mind doesn't think on that nuanced a level. It's in survival mode, and the intent is focused on getting the threat to stop. If I don't comply, I'm screwed. But if I do comply and disclose the unacceptable, I'll be screwed and lose the relationship anyway. Checkmate. The urge to withdraw or a paralyzed shutting down usually wins out.

As a side note about counselor questions, one can never know what will trigger shame. Loaded questions like "What did you go to prison for?" or "What led to your divorce?" or "How is your sexual intimacy?" are obviously tricky under the best of circumstances. But I've seen people shut down when asked even relatively benign questions such as: "Are you and your children in contact?" "How much school have your had?" "What is your family like?" "What do you do for work?" We may feel as if we are just doing our job in good faith with non-judgmental acceptance, warmth, and genuineness. But indeed, the very process of being questioned can feel to some folks like dental surgery without anesthesia.

Shame's Effect on Process: Incoherence

Shame is among the most negative and disruptive of feelings. It fragments and de-stabilizes our ongoing experience. Alexis Johnson writes, "At the most severe level of shame, we are afraid of any kind of self-expression because to be seen is to be seen as dirty, disgusting, worthless and unlovable."
The result in counseling is a progressive shutting down and incoherence. Johnson traces the following five steps in a sequence:
  • The first sign is a shift in eye contact. We lower our eyes and break off our gaze. We lower our heads and droop our shoulders.
  • Second, our ability to perceive reality shifts. We become unable to see or hear clearly what is going on around us.
  • Third, shame interferes with thinking, and we automatically defend ourselves in various ways. We try to get away from this noxious feeling to the extent that we cannot think, cannot problem solve, and certainly cannot be creative.
  • Fourth, shame interrupts our emotions and emotional communication, limiting intimacy and empathy. Shame can interfere with anything and everything from the joy of sex to the joy of ideas.
  • Fifth, I would add the explicit element of incoherence. The client may start a sentence two or three times, may show high ambivalence, may repeat out of context phrases or mix historical narrative with painful realizations and self-critical commentary, may shift contexts without a conversational point of reference, or use 'I dunno' excessively. The variants are endless, but the growing incoherence is telling.
Shame is a Powerful Tuning Fork

In the delicate business of forming a container for our work, we are using the self as an instrument of connection. This containing relationship must support both parties for a meeting to take place that may be transformative. Shame hits a note that shakes this delicate formation unlike any other and can quickly reverberate, like two tuning forks in close proximity. Counselors must be aware of the power of shame in the room and of their own shame issues and not be hypnotized by any of it. Often it will register with the therapist as a sense that the session is not going well. We can escalate, in that moment or afterward, our feelings of incompetence, stupidity, or not up being to the task. 

These are variants on the experience of being ashamed. I like Johnson's observation that more often our response is subtler. We do not feel a huge inner jolt, but a vague sense of being confused, uneasy, weird, helpless and so on. It is helpful to know when those words pop into consciousness that we are in the vicinity of shame. If we don't recognize we are carrying shame about the success of the relationship or perhaps other personal matters the client's story or behavior touches on, we are likely to slip into the trance of self-preservation. We may develop unhealthy polarizations like the "healthy-therapist-and-sick-patient" (p.235).  Overt or covert pathologizing is a sure signal that we've lost our way. And if we aren't aware of what's happening, we can surely become poisonous in our need to defend ourselves. I find in such moments the thing that always brings me back on track is my single-minded intention for the participant.

Conclusion

The implications of shame and its workings in the first sessions are many. In Rapid Resolution Therapy we are taught several ways of clearing shame. But here I simply want to hold the spotlight on how disruptive to forming the connection that shame can be. The person may not "get" your question about what they want to accomplish. They may not "get" a lot of things you are saying to them. As cognition and the emotional ability to read another breaks down and shame ramps up, you'll see a rising discomfort or a confusion about steps of the method or your statements. You'll notice the incoherence, both expressively and receptively. They may stumble with the request to form a design or not catch hold of the model because they are cognitively narrowed, overwhelmed, and intensely concerned with how far short of the model they fall, and how they'd appear, particularly if they did it "wrong." They may feel easily offended by some of our metaphors and stories, such as wolf and rabbit or references to the goat part of the brain. They may not be able to trust an induction procedure, for fear of losing control.

All of these are signs to drop back and take care of the connection. It's good to develop a repertoire of ways to get the client present, such as kidding with them, with gentle warmth and humor, to get with you or check out if you are treating each other okay. You can give them the upper hand by casting them in the role of teacher to a hypothetical younger person whose thinking is held hostage to one of the forms of stuckness or other disturbing beliefs.

At its extreme, shame can form a fork in the road. If the Rapid Resolution Therapist plows ahead through the steps of the method, he or she goes down one road and risks dragging a participant along for the ride who remains silently scared or stiffening into their habitual mindset, which ultimately doesn't let the shift occur. You risk tripping on the hoop of disagreement and your client sitting there with an internal IT'S NOT HAPPENING mindset. If the counselor takes the other fork, the session or progression of sessions may take longer, because of the need for safety. We may have to "slice it thinner," i.e., move toward tiny, provisional targets that are within the participant's bandwidth of tolerance. Or spend some time just building up experiences of successful understanding. We may have to drop back at various points and take care of the alliance and provide safety, through our humor, reassurance, uplift, and repeated demonstrations of interest and understanding.

(Alexis Johnson. Healing Shame. THE HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGIST, 34(3), 223-242. Copyright © 2006, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.)

Mark A. Chidley, LMHC, CAP, a fully licensed mental health counselor and certified addictions professional, offers counseling services at his office Kelly San Carlos Executive Center in Fort Myers, Florida.He has been in private practice since 1997. He holds certifications in Rapid Trauma Resolution (2010), Imago Relationship therapy (2001), and now specializes in the treatment of couples as well as individual trauma recovery and anxiety issues. He brings rich experience from a combined 26 years of hospital work and mental health counseling.   

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Dr. Connelly Guest Blog - Disassembling Anxiety



 By Dr. Jon Connelly

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent problems of our time. Anxiety happens when the body's protective responses to perceived threat are themselves perceived as a threat by the individual. This may include physiological changes experienced by the individual as bodily sensations and mental activity experienced as troubling thoughts. When someone is experiencing anxiety, she is likely to believe that her body's innate and protective responses to perceived threat are threatening rather than an indication that her body is getting stronger in preparation for flight or fight.

Further, when the individual experiences an emotional response, she is likely to attribute it to a situation. Perceived like this, the problem has two parts, the situation and the emotional response to that situation. There is another way to view the problem. The emotional response triggered by the situation associates with other similar emotional responses from past events. The mind automatically attaches meaning to events and the meaning attached to the event associates with similar meanings. Multiple factors, many below the level of conscious awareness, are combining to create the feeling or sensation. Instead of the problem only having two components, it has many multifaceted and complicated pieces. This is a good thing because the more complex it is the easier it will be to destroy.

Consider a clock that is intricate, multifaceted and quite complicated. If we remove one tiny gear, we have turned the clock into a dust catcher. When we remove one component of the troubling emotional response, separating it from the rest, the entire response will be disabled. Certain forces hold a cloth together. If we reverse these forces, the cloth will disassemble and disappear. Indifference is the anti-matter ray that will destroy the complex structure that has been required to support the troubling feeling or bodily sensation experienced by the individual.

Jon

Monday, February 11, 2013

RRT Study 2 Deadline Extended Through April 2013


IRRT Research Update

Our research study deadline has been extended through April to allow for more participation by qualified therapists. We have passed the halfway mark and are closing in on the finish. Our goal is to have at least 60 volunteer clients who have experienced trauma, sign a consent form and complete pre and post treatment assessments (the Post Traumatic Checklist PCL-C, the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition BDI-II and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)).

This critical study is open to any RRT Certified Practitioner (CP) who has had at least 100 hours of training (any combination of Level 1 & 2 weekends and/or retreats within the past 2 years) or one who has been practicing  RRT for at least 2 years. CP therapists can submit up to 5 client packets. If you qualify for the study and can treat even one client, we would be grateful to have the utmost in diversity of therapists. If you would like to volunteer for the study (or can recommend another therapist), please contact me at Drsrichie@earthlink.net. If you still have the original client packets, please remember that our Study Administrator is Shanley Lawler, and she can be reached at 845-499-8573

If you missed the January 31st case review conference call, be sure to read the transcripts and listen to the conference recording. Dr. Jon provided several new illustrations to help everyone better understand and work with clients with addictions and those who want to get their mind to work with focused intention.

Warmest!
Sharon

 
Article courtesy of Dr. Sharon Richie-Melvan, MSN., Certified Rapid Resolution Therapist, Colonel, US Army Retired. Dr. Sharon also co-authored the book, "Angel Walk: Nurses at War in Iraq and Afghanistan," with Dr. Diane Vines, Ph.D, Certified Rapid Resolution Therapist. Within the book, Dr. Sharon recommends Rapid Resolution Therapy as a PTSD treatment approach.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Advanced Training Opportunities


***RRT Certified Practitioner Tuition Discounts at Advanced Trainings***

Level III Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution

One of your benefits as a Certified Practitioners is that you receive attendance with tuition-waived at two 25-hour trainings including Level III per year! If you have already used your two tuition waivers, you are still eligible to receive tuition at a 50% discount. We have five Level III trainings scheduled thus far for 2013 with opportunities for you to refine and enhance your RRT skills in one-on-one sessions and small group forums. 

Cost:

  • Early Registration before 2/22/13: $450                      
  • Late Registration after 2/22/13: $550          
  • (Travel & Accommodation cost separate)  
Location:

  • The Breakers of Ft. Walton Beach
  • 381 Santa Rosea Blvd., Ft. Walton Beach, FL
  • To reserve a condo, please call 850-244-9127and use the group #62403 for the discounted rate. 


Our next two trainings are:

Feb. 8 - 10: Fort Lauderdales, Florida

April 5 - 7: Corona, California

For more details and information on Level III trainings, please click here or email/call Lynne at rtrblue@gmail.com / 1-800-587-2623 for any questions.

Heal The Healer Retreat 













The Heal The Healer Retreat this March 8 - 10 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, is a workshop designed to heal and support therapist who work with trauma. As you collaborate and continue to learn with fellow clinicians in this peaceful environment, you will feel re-energized in your craft. 
Certified Practitioners who attend the Heal The Healer Retreat are eligible for a full tuition waiver to the Military Competency Workshop on March 8 from 8 a.m. to noon just before the Heal The Healer Retreat begins. 

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle at Crossroads Care, LLC. For more information on the Heal The Healer Retreat, please click here.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Grow Personally and Professionally at the Spring 2013 Heal The Healer Retreat in Fort Walton Beach, Florida


Master Practitioner, Rapid Resolution Therapy 

There are many training institutes focused on research and training for mental health clinicians, but none of these include a community of skilled healers, like the IRRT, gathered in the interest of personal and professional growth for themselves and others. Seven years ago I began as an RRT practitioner and remember the clinicians, Deb Barham and Gloria Payne, who patiently sat with me as I stuttered and stumbled in the early days of my training. 

Now RRT language has become second nature to me. As I immerse myself in the art of creating a transformative experience for my clients, I'm still amazed at the healing that happens. I am grateful to Deb and Gloria for those early moments in my training and am committed to creating that same space for other practitioners to learn and grow as RRT practitioners. Everyone of us can do this work! 

Jon has gifted us with a healing language tailored to emotional and physical wellness and honed over 30 years in clinical practice with thousands of participants. The IRRT has been created to support you and your learning on your journey to mastering your craft.   

Please feel free to reach out for support as you learn this special way of healing others. Molly, Courtney, Sharon, Elizabeth and I are a phone call or email away. We are also gathering for our second Heal the Healer Retreat in March 2013 and will do so every six months in a fun and relaxing environment to care for each other and ourselves and provide a supportive space to grow your skills. I look forward to hearing you on the next conference call and can be reached at cleartrauma@gmail.com and 561-284-4357

Warmly,


Melinda


 









Cost:
  • Early Registration before 2/22/13: $450                      
  • Late Registration after 2/22/13: $550          
  • (Travel & Accommodation cost separate)  
Location:
  • The Breakers of Ft. Walton Beach
  • 381 Santa Rosea Blvd., Ft. Walton Beach, FL
  • www.breakersfwb.com 
  • To reserve a condo, please call 850-244-9127and use the group #62403 for the discounted rate. 
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle at Crossroads Care, LLC. For more information on the Heal The Healer Retreat, please click here.

Friday, February 1, 2013

REMINDER: Upcoming Heal The Healer Retreat in Ft. Walton Beach, FL, March 8 - 10!



Enroll Today For The Heal The Healer Retreat!



A Workshop To Heal and Support Therapists Who Work With Trauma 
March 8 - 10, 2013  The Breakers  Ft. Walton Beach, FL 

Join trauma specialists Melinda Paige, Ed., S., LPC, Molly Sanford, LCSW, Courtney Armstrong, LPC, Dr. Sharon-Richie Melvan, and Dr. Elizabeth Michas for a Heal the Healer Retreat this spring at The Breakers in beautiful Ft. Walton Beach, Florida!
  • Transform your clinical skills through one on one coaching in a supportive learning environment.
  • Clear issues blocking personal and professional growth and vitality.
  • Join with fellow practitioners in activities designed to nurture and restore such as massage, relaxing by the pool, or beach walks.
  • Connect and build relationships with fellow therapists engaged in personal and professional transformation
  • Learn from Master Practitioners during breakout sessions held throughout the weekend.
Retreat Schedule
Earn 20 CE Credits Upon Completion
Day 1: 
Applying Trauma Informed Treatment in the Real World
Friday, March 8, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
***Bonus Session: Military Competency Training (8 a.m. - Noon)*** 
Day 2: 
Honing Your Hypnosis Skills 
Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Day 3: 
Taking Care of your Practice and Yourself 
Sunday, March 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

To register and for more information on the Heal The Healer Retreat, please visitwww.thehealerretreat.com or contact Michelle at Crossroads Care, LLC, throughwww.thehealerretreat.com/contact.

 

Registration, Tuition Cost and Location

REGISTRATION / TUITION COST


Please visit www.thehealerretreat.com and click on Register to sign up.

Early Registration before 2/22/13: $450                      
Late Registration after 2/22/13: $550          


(Travel & Accommodation cost separate)  


LOCATION
The Breakers of Ft. Walton Beach 
381 Santa Rosea Blvd., Ft. Walton Beach, FL

To reserve a condo, please call 850-244-9127and use the group #62403 for the discounted rate.

If you have any questions, please contactMichelle at Crossroads Care, LLC. 
Heal The Healer Retreat