Treatments

Question 1

What are the primary objectives of treatment? (Hint: 6)

Answer 1

Improve adaptive functioning:
Process trauma(s)
Understand family background
Identify the triggers of dissociative episodes
Reduce intensity and frequency of amnesic episodes
Reduce periods of ‘spacing out’
Increase capacity to stay in the present

Question 2

What is the focus of treatment? (Hint: 3)

Answer 2

Problems that are expressed in the present
Identify particulars – e.g., nature of symptoms, how affects daily functioning, factors that affect levels of symptomology
Allow exploration for above to go where the client takes you and explore different facets – e.g., trauma history

Question 3

What are interventions?

Answer 3

Means of helping to gain capacity to handle difficulties as they come up.
Improve capacity to reduce distress
Improve skills as well as work through developmental issues contributing to maladaptive development

Question 4

What is Gold & Seibel 2014 theory?

Answer 4

Triad of Affect, Cognition and Behavior. In dissociation, strong emotions override cognitive processing leading to dissociative reaction

Question 5

What are the therapeutic goals? (Hint: 3)

Answer 5

Foster capacity for emotional self-regulation. i.e., reduce unchecked emotional escalation.

Increase cognitive ability for awareness of emotions, to identify and label emotions and to monitor intensity.

Increase ability to control own behaviour by refraining from reacting to intense emotions in the moment.

Question 6

What are the 2 major sources of affective, cognitive and behaviour impairment?

Answer 6

1) Disruptions of capacities due to impact of trauma

2) Developmental of these capacities hindered due to environment not conducive to ‘normal’ development

Question 7

What are some treatment techniques? (Hint: 4)

Answer 7

Therapeutic alliance. Quality not quantity. Clients often desperately wish for interpersonal connection. Therapist needs to continue therapeutic work vs relying on ‘time’ together.

Relaxation – learn how to relax in moment. Need a lot of practice

Grounding (anchoring). Learn to direct attention by focusing on environment in present and subjective experience.

Learn triggers and early warning signs for dissociative responses. Employ relaxation and grounding to disrupt dissociative reaction or before dissociates.
May need to ask about last thing remembers before amnesia and work back from there to understand context.