A significant body of evidence now shows that the majority of individuals seeking mental health and addiction treatment are primarily dealing with the impact of psychological trauma both complex and specific (PTSD). Neurobiology evidence shows that trauma impacts sub-cortical areas of the brain, making them inaccessible through cognition alone. Consequently, there is a growing awareness of the need for clinicians to have therapeutic skills that support clients in regulating their nervous systems. This workshop will provide an understanding of the need for these skills and an introduction to them in practice.

Brendan McKiernan is a registered Family Therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner whose work is grounded in neurobiology, particularly how trauma affects the subcortical brain in ways traditional cognitive therapies often miss. A certified addiction counsellor and clinical supervisor, he lectures on the Systemic Psychotherapy ProfMasters (NFQ Level 9) at UCD and spent over a decade as Director of Keltoi, an HSE residential rehabilitation facility for addiction and trauma. He specialises in equipping clinicians with the embodied skills needed to regulate the nervous system.

This workshop is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, family therapists, students and other clinicians working with clients presenting with trauma, complex trauma or addiction who wish to develop embodied, nervous-system-regulation skills to complement their existing therapeutic approach.

See https://ginkgocollective.ie/an-embodied-approach-to-trauma/ for further details.