Childhood trauma is often followed by shame, silence, confusion, secrecy, and unrelenting fear that continues into adulthood.  Looking away works for a while, until it doesn’t.
In Looking at Trauma: Leveraging the Power of Visual Learning in Therapy, trauma therapists, Abby Hershler and Lesley Hughes will share their approach to working with survivors of complex trauma, with an emphasis on establishing relational safety, pacing and creativity in repairing interpersonal wounds.
They will introduce the use of comics as a therapeutic tool in helping individuals understand how trauma impacts the brain and body. Using clinical examples and sharing images, they will explore the use of comics for supporting the paced exploration of highly emotional personal experience and as entry point for self-compassion.
This workshop is suitable for attendees who are open to learning about comics and visual learning as a meaningful entry point for self-discovery and for engaging in trauma focused work with clients or supporting supervisees developing their skills as therapists.
Join us in disarming the powerful forces of shame and stigma associated with trauma to promote trauma-informed care, one comic at a time.
Learning Objectives
•    To review the concept of Complex PTSD (diagnostic framework and approach to treatment)
•    To explore the value of visual learning (psychoeducational comics) as learning tools in trauma-focused psychotherapy
•    To deepen understanding and contribute to skills for supporting clients who have experienced childhood trauma.