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Post-Traumatic Growth and Tools for Healing for Adult Survivors
Survivors of interpersonal violence often grapple with a diminished and distorted sense of self, manifesting themselves in chaotic and conflicted relationships. This distortion is frequently a result of adapting to the narcissistic demands and controlling behaviors of abusive partners, which disrupts normal developmental processes and creates inauthentic self-states. Structural dissociation views the self as an evolving process shaped by experience, affect, and behavior. Trauma, betrayal, and disorganized attachment significantly impact the developing self. McCann and Pearlman emphasize that the self evolves through relational interactions, and Herman's three-stage phasic model for trauma recovery highlights the need to address more than just the impact of the abuse. Effective recovery involves facilitating the emergence of an authentic self that can connect meaningfully with the world and others, forming the core of post- traumatic growth. This presentation will explore the healing and recovery model tailored for victims of interpersonal violence, focusing on how to support their journey from surviving to thriving after the abuse.
This session was previously recorded at IVAT's 29th Annual San Diego Summit.
*Camera glitch 1:40 into recording for about 2 minutes, but sound works.
Kevin J. Connors, MS, MFT, Senior Vice President, Hecht Trauma Institute
Kevin J. Connors, MS, MFT is the Senior Vice President at Hecht Trauma Institute in Costa Mesa, California developing a training for clinicians, first responders, and others treating interpersonal trauma. Kevin is also a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in Long Beach, California and a frequent national and international presenter on complex trauma and dissociative disorders. He is co-author of Treating Complex Trauma and Dissociation: A practical guide to navigating therapeutic challenges.
He is a Member-at-Large to the Board of Directors of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence. He is a Fellow and Past President of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) and served as Chair of their Annual Conference Committee for 8 years. Kevin also serves as Co-Chair of the Institute on Violence, Abuse, & Trauma’s International Summit Planning Committee’s Adult Survivors of Childhood Maltreatment Track.
Susan Omilian, JD, Attorney, CEO, Thriver Zone
Dr. Elizabeth Gilchrist, Ph.D., University of Edinburg
I am Professor of Psychological Therapies at the University of Edinburgh, Chair of the Scottish Advisory Panel on Offender Rehabilitation and past Chair of the Division of Forensic Psychology - Scotland. I have been Chartered for over 20 years, and have spent the majority of my research, practice and academic life involved in criminal justice responses to offending and in developing, delivering and evaluating offence focused interventions and risk management with a specific focus on intimate partner abuse. I have 15 years experience of planning and managing risk for high risk offenders and prison release and recall on Parole Boards. I am a trainer in risk assessment tools and have delivered and evaluated domestic abuse, anger management, stalking, parenting, thinking skills, substance use related abuse, child protection focused IPA, violence reduction, suicide reduction, CBT for young people and forensic mental heath programmes for over 20 years.
Jessica Silsby, PsyD, Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma
Dr. Silsby is the Director of Clinical Training at IVAT for Professional Clinical and Forensic Services. She graduated with a Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology and has gained expertise working with individuals who have extensive trauma. Dr. Silsby maintains a private practice focusing on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Prolonged Exposure for trauma, and working with gender-expansive youth and adults. Passion for addressing and reducing trauma exposure in clients, community, and future psychologists guides her focus.
