Use of the Therapist’s Self
SueAnne Piliero
Working with trauma and attachment wounds requires a strong therapeutic presence. When clients see and feel only darkness, it’s up to us to lead boldly, attune closely, and fiercely champion their capacity to heal and be whole. Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) emphasizes the undoing of aloneness as a major healing mechanism, and the therapeutic relationship—affectively engaged, authentic, relationally courageous—is the sine qua non in transforming trauma and the Self. In this workshop, with the help of recordings of actual client sessions, you’ll discover:
- How to use your Self as a healing mechanism through disclosure about your feelings, explicit sharing of your clients’ impact on you, and providing a corrective emotional experience in the here and now
- How to work with clients’ wounded child parts to build self-compassion and reduce shame
- Specific tools, such as cognitive restructuring and uncoupling techniques, to transform maladaptive beliefs about the self
SueAnne Piliero, PhD, is senior faculty and a founding member of the AEDP Institute. She provides AEDP training and consultation to mental health professionals around the world.