Abuse Helpers Training Series

Working Effectively with Long-Term Issues of Sexual Abuse: Dissociative Disorders, PTSD, and Spiritual and Relational Disruption

With Dan B. Allender, Ph.D. and Gina Waggoner, M.A.

Brought to you by Life Christian Counseling Network and The Allender Center at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

Explore the valuable integration of theological and psychological categories as a means to work more effectively and holistically with issues of sexual abuse and trauma. Through professional, approachable, clinically-based instruction, your training will have profound impact on your daily engagement with those who have suffered from abuse. The 20 hours of instruction will include lecture by Dan Allender & Gina Waggoner, video of Dr. Allender counseling, and time for feedback and discussion.

This Abuse Helpers Training Series will focus on:

• Exploring the internal impact of sexual abuse and trauma, and how it affects the person’s understanding of self, their current style of relating, and the impact on relationships.
• Recognizing and working more effectively with higher levels of dissociative disorders and PTSD complications that result from abuse.
• Exploring the effect of abuse on the victim’s relational style through the lens of attachment theory.
• Understanding the impact of trauma on the body: brain processes, biochemical processes, and body memory.
• Becoming familiar with the spiritual issues related to trauma and abuse.
• Learning about Dr. Allender’s unique model for understanding the concepts of Faith, Hope, and Love as biblical categories of maturity, how abuse damages a person’s ability to experience these truths, and how to apply Dr. Allender’s model in your work.
• Considering the nature of evil, how it works through abuse to create strongholds of shame and contempt, and how to work more effectively in this realm as it relates to the person’s core identity and spiritual formation.
• Exploring the intersection of professional care givers, communities of faith, and those needing care. Discuss and learn about how church and mental health counselors can join forces to offer a network of supportive, healing community to highly traumatized people.

Who will benefit from this training?

• Professional counselors, therapists, and social workers
• Pastoral and ministry staff
• Support group leaders and lay leaders of all kinds
• Victims of abuse seeking psychoeducation

This event is designed for professionals working in the mental health field. What makes this event important for ministry and lay leaders to attend?

The number of people who have experienced some form of trauma or abuse in their lifetime is staggering. The stories lie just beneath the surface for many, and the symptoms from the unaddressed stories can be triggered throughout life. These symptoms, as varied as depression, struggles with relationships, sexually acting out, dissociation, etc., can erupt unexpectedly in everyday connections with friends, loved ones, at the workplace, and in our worship space—often causing confusion and withdrawal by the surrounding community. The person experiencing the disruption is often clueless as to what has triggered their symptoms. We need to develop a better understanding of the harm of sexual abuse and its effects, as well as a theology of presence that enables us to intervene with the wisdom of God. Attending this training will help you recognize and engage these issues more effectively within your communities and groups.

Non-professional attendees: While this event is a professional continuing education training opportunity, completion of the workshop does not constitute any formalized certification to work beyond your current scope of educational training. You will gain a clear understanding of both the opportunities to help and limitations of treatment by non-professionals, and will learn when to refer and how to refer.

Preparation for the Workshop

Required Texts

• The Wounded Heart By Dan B. Allender
  This requirement may also be met by either attending or listening to the audio recording of The Wounded Heart Conference
• The Stranger in the Mirror by Marlene Steinberg and Maxine Schnall

Required Film

• Lars and the Real Girl

Recommended Texts

• The Healing Path by Dan B. Allender
• United We Stand by Eliana Gil

Schedule:

Thursday, March 8:

• 9:30am-10:00am: Check-in & Registration
• 10:00am-1:00pm: Session 1
• 1:00pm-2:000pm: Lunch Break
• 2:00-5:00pm: Session 2

Friday, March 9:

• 9:30am-12:30pm: Session 3
• 12:30-1:30pm: Lunch Break
• 1:30pm-3:30pm: Session 4
• 3:30pm-4:00pm: Break
• 4:00pm-6:00pm: Session 5

Saturday, March 10:

• 9:30am-12:30pm: Session 6
• 12:30pm-1:30pm: Lunch Break
• 1:30pm-3:30pm: Session 7
• 3:30pm-4:00pm: Break
• 4:00pm-6:00pm: Session 8

Cost & Registration:

• Early Bird: $330 (ends January 31, 2012)
• Regular Rate: $350 (begins February 1, 2012)

ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. We have very limited space for a few walk-in registrants on the first day of the event. Walk-In Registration will open at 9:30am on Thursday, March 8 on site and is first come, first served. No reservations of tickets can be made prior to this time. Thank you.

-Cancellations made by February 29, 2012 will be refunded, less a $35 cancellation fee. Any cancellation made on or after March 1, 2012 will forfeit entire conference fee.

Continuing Education:

This training includes 20 hours of instruction. The Seattle School will issue the participant a certificate of completion at the end of the workshop/conference. This class has been submitted to the the state of Maryland for approval as a Continuing Education class. For other states, it will be up to the participant to apply for recognition of the CEU credit with their licensing agency. The Seattle School has national accreditation with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), who is a member accrediting agency of the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology will not be held responsible if individual state or any other professional licensing boards do not recognize the requested CEUs.

Professors:

Dr. Dan B. Allender

Dr. Dan B. Allender has pioneered a unique and innovative approach to trauma and abuse therapy over the past 25 years. Read more.

Gina Waggoner, M.A.

Gina received a BA in Psychology from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA and earned her Masters of Arts degree in Counseling from Western Seminary Seattle (now The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology). A Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a private practice, Gina is co-owner of 3rd Street Therapies with her husband, Byron, in Marysville, WA. As a psychodynamic therapist and clinical supervisor, Gina works from a relational orientation drawing from Object Relations, Attachment, and Existential theories and techniques. She has specific training in sexual abuse issues, dissociative disorders, personality disorders and PTSD. She is a member of the Masterson Institute and the International Society of the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISST-D), and is trained in Lifespan Integration, and EMDR. At the Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, Gina is the Director of Practicum and has been part of the Clinical Faculty for 11 years.