District Meeting | The Art of Psychotherapy, Workshop 6: The Middle Phase Continues: Clinical Work with Emerging Patterns

This workshop series of the Art of Psychotherapy has been organized by Dr. Tanya Moradians, CSCSW Coordinator of the San Fernando Valley District and Dr. Wanda Jewell, Professor at the USC School of Social Work. The series focuses on the traditional psychodynamic framework that has been the underpinnings of Clinical Social Work since its beginning. Currently, the Schools of Social Work throughout the country are no longer offering classes on psychodynamic psychotherapy. The psychodynamic framework is replaced with short-term, evidenced based methods of treatment. By offering this series, we hope that the psychodynamic framework will continue to be learned and understood by new Social Work students, and shared among more experienced practitioners. It is a framework that can also include use of short-term therapies. Although this series is not an exhaustive explanation of psychodynamic psychotherapy, it is offered as a stimulus for those who may be interested to pursue further knowledge of this framework. In this workshop #6, Dr. Jewell will continue the discussion of middle phase issues. People tend to get stuck in default patterns of behavior and reactions to life situations, likely learned as safety measures in childhood. The therapist can identify and work with these and other issues as they emerge in the therapy as shifting patterns within clients, helping clients to acquire insight and new strategies for a more fulfilling life. Dr. Jewell will go into more depth with some of the concepts mentioned in workshop #5: ego functions and defenses, use of theory, and typical stress responses, with examples of how these elements play out as typical coping strategies. We will include a discussion of the neurobiology of trauma and recovery including an introduction to polyvagal theory. As in past workshops, our format will include a panel of experienced clinicians to respond to audience questions and comments. Please join us for this discussion on the middle phase of the therapeutic relationship.