Integrative Trauma Treatment: Expanding the Psychoanalytic Frame

Authors

  • Gregory Dean Carson National Institute for the Psychotherapies http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4728-4664
  • Peggy Reubens National Institute for the Psychotherapies
  • Sandra Shapiro National Institute for the Psychotherapies

Keywords:

Trauma, Memory Reconsolidation, Extra-analytic techniques, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR

Abstract

Psychological trauma is a human condition that has been much addressed in psychoanalytic theory and clinical practice both historically and contemporaneously. Our purpose in discussing extra-analytic ideas and techniques and presenting clinical examples of their use is to introduce recently developed efficient and effective ways to resolve traumatic experiences that can be readily incorporated into psychoanalytic/psychodynamic practice. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) are the two primary modalities described in the two integrative trauma treatment cases presented. Both of these modalities utilize focused points of entry into implicit memories and self-states and both offer a significant expansion in clinical effectiveness to the authors’ shared relational psychoanalytic orientation. The cases, which include process notes, illustrate two different ways of moving patients along a trajectory to trauma resolution and post-traumatic growth.

Author Biographies

  • Gregory Dean Carson, National Institute for the Psychotherapies

    Chair, NiP, Integrative Truama Program's Clinical Affiliate Program

    Co-Founder, NiP, Integrative Truama Program's  Trauma Group Program

    Member of the Executive Committee, NiP, Integrative Truama Program.

    Associate Instructor, The Coherence Psychology Institute

    Faculty, NiP, Integrative Truama Program

    Faculty, NiP, Psychotherapy Integration Program

    Faculty ICP, Trauma Program

    Publications:

    Lepak, M.M. & Carson, G.D. (2021). Presence psychotherapy: A novel integrative trauma treatment model for thorough memory reconsolidationJournal of Psychotherapy Integration. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/int0000273

    Carson, G. D. (2020). Greater than the sum of its parts: The value of co-led trauma group psychotherapy. In Wise, S. & Nash E. (Eds.) Healing trauma in group settings: The art of co-leader attunement. Routledge.

  • Peggy Reubens, National Institute for the Psychotherapies

    Founding Clinical Director, Integrative Trauma Program, The National Institute of the Psychotherapies

    Faculty, Integrative Trauma Program, The National Institute of the Psychotherapies

  • Sandra Shapiro, National Institute for the Psychotherapies

    Founding Director, Integrative Trauma Program, The National Institute of the Psychotherapies

    Associate Professor Emeritus, Psychology Department, Queens College, CUNY

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Published

2023-02-06

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Section

Articles