Trauma-informed care with Delphi Training and Consulting

About Delphi Training and Consulting

Founded in 1991 by Naomi Halpern, Susan Henry, and a group of forward-thinking health professionals, Delphi Training and Consulting has established itself as a pioneer in the field of trauma-informed care in Australia. Their initial endeavour, the Australian Association of Trauma & Dissociation Inc., merged with the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in 1996, signifying a significant advancement in the understanding and treatment of trauma and dissociation.

Delphi further expanded its impact in 1995 by initiating national seminar tours, connecting leading clinicians and researchers in the complex and evolving fields of complex and relational trauma, dissociation, and PTSD. This initiative not only widened the scope of trauma education in Australia but also fostered a collaborative environment for professional growth and knowledge exchange.

Embracing the ancient wisdom encapsulated in the maxim “Know Thyself” from the Delphi temple in Greece, Delphi Training and Consulting’s philosophy resonates with the unification and integration of mind, spirit, body, and soul. This guiding principle underpins their approach to training and consulting, emphasising the importance of introspection and self-discovery in achieving a meaningful life experience. Delphi’s methodology recognises the complex nature of human personality, seeing our ‘parts’ – a blend of personal characteristics, genetics, and life experiences – as intrinsic to our self-protection and benefit. Their approach to trauma therapy respects these natural defence mechanisms, acknowledging their role in survival during overwhelming stress and guiding individuals to work constructively with these aspects of themselves.

Central to Delphi’s ethos is the concept that while we cannot control many life events, including trauma, abuse, and neglect, we can develop resilience and agency in our responses. They advocate for an empathetic and respectful approach to healing from pain and distress, focusing on transformation and adaptation rather than pathologization or resolution. With a holistic and humanistic approach, Delphi combines various therapeutic strategies, including discussion, education, sensorimotor awareness, emotional expression, and spiritual fulfilment. This comprehensive methodology not only aids those seeking help but also supports therapists in managing the challenges and impacts of vicarious trauma.

Delphi Training and Consulting stands as a cornerstone in the field of trauma therapy in Australia, setting a high standard for empathic, transformative care and providing hope and direction for both therapists and clients in navigating the complexities of trauma.

Self-Destructive & Suicidal Behaviour: A Traumatic Attachment Disorder

This course delves into the intricate relationship between self-destructive behaviors, such as suicide and self-harm, and their roots in childhood abuse and trauma. It focuses on how these experiences lead to attachment failures, profoundly affecting individuals’ emotional regulation and relationships throughout their lives. The course aims to provide a deeper understanding of how to treat self-destructive behaviours as manifestations of trauma-related attachment disorders.

Key course topics

Impact of Trauma on Attachment in Children:

– The role of parents and the formation of ‘frightened and frightening’ relationships.

– Internal conflicts arising from trauma, affecting closeness and distance in relationships.

– The development of disorganised attachment in adulthood.

Understanding and Treating Trauma-Related Disorders:

– Differentiating between symptoms of personality disorders and trauma responses.

– Psychoeducation for comprehending trauma-related symptoms.

– Reframing treatment focus from behavioural changes to trauma resolution.

– Understanding dissociative behaviours and their implications in therapy.

Stabilising Unsafe Behaviours:

– Techniques to ‘wake up’ the prefrontal cortex for better emotional regulation.

– Strategies to help clients be more mindful and less reactive.

– Reinterpreting impulsive behaviours as survival responses.

– Assisting clients in distancing themselves from harmful beliefs and impulses.

Addressing Attachment Issues and Emotional Regulation:

– Facilitating healthy internal attachment relationships.

– Employing mindfulness-based and body-centred interventions.

– Techniques for calming the body and emotions.

– A ‘right brain to right brain’ approach for healing attachment wounds.

Fostering Compassion and Internal Security:

– Helping clients develop internal compassion.

– Guiding clients to ‘repair’ past traumas instead of merely recalling them.

– Establishing a sense of secure internal attachment.

Upon completion of this course, participants will have developed a comprehensive understanding of how trauma-related attachment issues influence emotional regulation, and the ability to identify the effects of disorganised attachment on interpersonal relationships. They will be equipped to explain the Structural Dissociation model and its relevance in the treatment of unsafe behaviours. Additionally, participants will learn to utilise right brain-to-right brain techniques to enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Furthermore, they will gain skills in applying body-centred and mindfulness-based interventions, which are crucial in increasing clients’ tolerance of affect and in mitigating impulsive behaviours.

The course combines lectures and video materials to provide a comprehensive learning experience. It integrates theories and practical interventions drawn from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, and mindfulness-based therapies, offering a holistic approach to treating clients with traumatic attachment disorders.

Find more details and registration here: https://app.medcpd.com/courses/3891

Treating Complex Trauma With Internal Family Systems (IFS)

This course is a comprehensive 12-hour professional development program designed to revolutionise clinical approaches to trauma treatment. Unlike traditional psychotherapy, which often views the presence of multiple ‘parts’ in the mind as pathological, IFS embraces this multiplicity as a normal and valuable aspect of the human psyche. This model is particularly effective in treating various types of trauma, including acute trauma, PTSD, complex or relational trauma, developmental and attachment traumas, and extreme or dissociative trauma.

The course is structured into four parts, each exploring different facets of the IFS model and its application. The first part introduces the origins, goals, and assumptions of IFS, highlighting its non-pathologizing, accelerated approach rooted in neuroscience. It addresses how to manage common comorbidities such as depression, panic attacks, and substance abuse by viewing these symptoms as ‘parts of the self’ that are protective responses to trauma.

The second part of the course dives into differentiating therapeutic issues from biological conditions, emphasising the intersection of biology and situation in treatment. It introduces the first steps of the IFS technique, focusing on identifying the target symptom and applying meditation practices to separate the person from the symptom and gain access to internal strengths and resources for healing.

In the third segment, participants learn about finding the fear and function of the symptom, focusing on fostering internal relationships and dealing with attachment disorders and relational trauma. This section also covers the neurobiology of trauma, including how fear circuitry and the autonomic nervous system contribute to extreme reactions like rage, suicide, and dissociation.

The final part of the course examines how neuroscience informs therapeutic decisions, with strategies that include both top-down and bottom-up approaches. It guides participants through the process of permanent healing of traumatic wounds, encompassing witnessing the pain, removing the wounded part from the past, and letting go of associated feelings, thoughts, and beliefs. This part of the training also explores the integration of IFS with other treatment approaches like EMDR, DBT, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, emphasising transformation over mere adaptation or rehabilitation.

Throughout the course, participants are provided with video demonstrations, exercises, and meditation techniques, making it a highly experiential training. The course is designed to not only enhance the therapist’s understanding of IFS but also to equip them with practical tools and skills that can be used to help clients outside the therapy room. By the end of the course, clinicians are expected to have a thorough understanding of the IFS model and how to incorporate it into their practice, aiding clients in mastering their emotions and achieving lasting healing from trauma.

Find more details and registration here: https://app.medcpd.com/courses/3888