Emotional Neglect And The Adult In Therapy Lifelong Consequences To A Lack Of Early Attunement

A clinical examination of the ways in which early neglect can impact adults throughout their lives, and suggestions for therapists on how to help. People who have experienced emotional neglect in the first months and years of life suffer negative consequences into adulthood. As adult psychotherapy clients, they require long-term work and delicate emotional attunement as well as a profound understanding of the experiences that have shaped their inner worlds. This book provides therapists with an in-depth view of the subjective experience of such “ignored children” and a range of possible theoretical models to help understand key features of their psychological functioning. Kathrin A. Stauffer presents do’s and don’t’s of psychotherapy with such clients. She draws on broad clinical experience to help psychotherapeutic professionals deepen their understanding of “ignored children” and outlines available neurobiological and psychological data to assist therapists in designing effective therapeutic interventions.

Grounded in 40 years of clinical practice and research, this book provides a systematic yet flexible evidence-informed framework for treating adult survivors of complex trauma, particularly those exposed to chronic emotional abuse or neglect. Component-based psychotherapy (CBP) addresses four primary treatment components that can be tailored to each client's unique needs--relationship, regulation, dissociative parts, and narrative. Vivid extended case examples illustrate CBP intervention strategies and bring to life both the client's and therapist's internal experiences. The appendix features a reproducible multipage clinician self-assessment tool that can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size. See also Treating Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents, Second Edition, by Margaret E. Blaustein and Kristine M. Kinniburgh, which presents a complementary approach also developed at The Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute.

An anatomy textbook on the mind-body connection designed for psychotherapists. Kathrin Stauffer—a biochemist and seasoned body psychotherapist—takes a look at organ systems of the human body to illuminate the connections between body and mind, exploring the body as both the ground of our physical experience and as a metaphor for our emotional life. Beginning with a discussion of the basic building blocks of the body, cells and molecules, Stauffer works through the body system by system, showing through clinical case examples that an understanding of each system can greatly enhance the art of psychotherapy: The Central Nervous System, The Skeletal Musculature, The Respiratory System, The Skin, The Digestive System, Fluids and Connective Tissue, The Endocrine System, The Reproductive System, and The Respiratory System. Throughout, Stauffer presents human anatomy and physiology in clear, simple terms, with facts selected for interest and relevance to psychotherapists. Many links are made between physical and psychological function to give readers a taste of how body psychotherapists work in clinical practice to integrate body and mind, and thus help their clients become more whole. Anatomy & Physiology for Psychotherapists invites psychotherapists, complementary therapists, and anyone else interested in the mind/body connection to engage with the physical body to bring more depth into their therapeutic work.

A large segment of the population struggles with feelings of being detached from themselves and their loved ones. They feel flawed, and blame themselves. Running on Empty will help them realize that they're suffering not because of something that happened to them in childhood, but because of something that didn't happen. It's the white space in their family picture, the background rather than the foreground. This will be the first self-help book to bring this invisible force to light, educate people about it, and teach them how to overcome it.

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Implicit communications analyzed alongside verbal communication in therapy. Body language, facial expression, and tone of voice are key components in therapeutic interactions, but for far too long psychotherapists have dismissed them in favor of purely verbal information. In Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication in Psychotherapy, Gill Westland examines the interrelation of the verbal and the non-verbal in the context of clients and therapists working together. The physiology of communication is also discussed: from overwhelming emotions that make it difficult to speak to breath awareness that makes it easier. Therapists will be able to cultivate non-verbal communication through mindfulness practices and “right brain to right brain communication.” It is not just the client’s actions and emotions that are significant; it is important that therapists relate in a way that makes it clear to their clients that they are receptive and inviting, and Westland expertly depicts the bodily dimensions of this encounter between client and therapist. The book brings together insights from a range of psychotherapeutic traditions, including psychoanalysis, arts psychotherapies, humanistic psychotherapy, and, in particular, body psychotherapy, for clinicians who want to expand their communication abilities. Drawing on 30 years of clinical experience, and providing illustrative clinical vignettes, Westland has written a guide both for those who might not have any experience in the theory of non-verbal communications and for lifelong psychotherapy practitioners. She lays as groundwork recent research into the neurobiology of interaction and the foundations of non-verbal communication in babyhood, continuing throughout from a bodymind perspective that pays due attention to the physicality of the body. Westland urges therapists to learn how to leave their comfort zone and try new ways of helping their clients. Writing in a richly evocative, lucid language, Westland seeks to bring about change in both psychotherapist and client as they navigate both the verbal and non-verbal aspects of embodied relating.

Designed to meet the formidable challenges of treating personality disorders and other complex difficulties, schema therapy combines proven cognitive-behavioral techniques with elements of other widely practiced therapies. This book--written by the model's developer and two of its leading practitioners--is the first major text for clinicians wishing to learn and use this popular approach. Described are innovative ways to rapidly conceptualize challenging cases, explore the client's childhood history, identify and modify self-defeating patterns, use imagery and other experiential techniques in treatment, and maximize the power of the therapeutic relationship. Including detailed protocols for treating borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder, the book is illustrated with numerous clinical examples. See also Experiencing Schema Therapy from the Inside Out: A Self-Practice/Self-Reflection Workbook for Therapists, by Joan M. Farrell and Ida A. Shaw.

Should a therapist ever shake hands with a client, or touch a client's hand or shoulder? There are taboos against erotic touch in psychotherapy, for excellent reasons, but what about nonerotic touch? These latter forms of physical contact are not explicitly taboo and they can be powerful forms of communication. Research and clinical experience indicate that they can contribute to positive therapeutic change when used appropriately. What, then, is appropriate use?

Parentification - the assumption of responsibility for the welfare of family members by children and adolescents - is increasing as a result of various forces both inside and outside of the family. Evidence suggests that pathological parentification of children has serious consequences for them, and for succeeding generations, as do other forms of maltreatment.; This work is an exploration of the forces at work in families with parentified children - and the treatment strategies that hold the promise of interrupting a cycle of destructive behaviour.; The author begins by guiding the reader from conceptualization to possible causes and manifestations of parentification, facilitating a clear understanding of how and why this scenario is common. The second part of the book builds on this foundation to introduce methods of assesment, treatment, and prevention. This part of the text includes insights into the professional, ethical and personal challenges faced by therapists who themselves have a history of pathological parentification.

The groundbreaking guide to self-healing and getting the love you missed “Years ago, I was on vacation and read The Emotionally Absent Mother. That book was one of many that woke me up. . . . I began the process of reparenting and it’s changed my life.”—Dr. Nicole LePera, New York Times–bestselling author of How to Do the Work Was your mother preoccupied, distant, or even demeaning? Have you struggled with relationships—or with your own self-worth? Often, the grown children of emotionally absent mothers can’t quite put a finger on what’s missing from their lives. The children of abusive mothers, by contrast, may recognize the abuse—but overlook its lasting, harmful effects. Psychotherapist Jasmin Lee Cori has helped thousands of men and women heal the hidden wounds left by every kind of undermothering. In this second edition of her pioneering book, with compassion for mother and child alike, she explains: Possible reasons your mother was distracted or hurtful—and what she was unable to give The lasting impact of childhood emotional neglect and abuse How to find the child inside you and fill the “mother gap” through reflections and exercises How to secure a happier future for yourself (and perhaps for your children).