Distinguished Clinicians Series with Peter Fonagy, Ph.D. - Mentalizing and Trauma

Trauma – particularly in the form of childhood maltreatment in the context of attachment relationships – is perhaps the most consistently implicated predictor of mental health disorder. This talk will consider what it is about trauma that makes it such a disruptive experience and, often, so complex to treat. It will be argued that there are three, related processes at work. The first is the impact of traumatic experiences on the attachment system as a basic biobehavioral system that plays a key role in the regulation of distress.  Second is the effect of such experiences on subsequent problems in mentalizing. The third potential impact of trauma on social learning and the emergence of epistemic mistrust, that is, the closing off of the mind to the possibility of accessing other people’s minds as safe and reliable sources of knowledge about how to navigate the social environment. The presentation will explore aspects of therapies that have been shown in outcomes studies to be effective in helping individuals struggling with the long term effects of adversity.

At the conclusion of this live presentation, participants should be able to:

• Attendees will be able to identify the link between trauma and the emergence of the non-mentalizing modes.
• Attendees will be able to interpret the manifestations of post-trauma phenomenology and behavior in terms of the impact of trauma on self-structure.
• Attendees will recognize the relevance of social referencing to the framing of a frightening and otherwise overwhelming experience.
• Attendees will be able to pinpoint components of a range of psychosocial clinical interventions which lead to the reduction of post-traumatic effects of adversity.

$25.00 Student Rate

$50.00 Professional Rate

Forms of payment accepted are Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Registration will be finalized with receipt of payment. Payments must be made in advance. No checks or cash will be accepted at the door.

Registration is limited to 80 attendees; so sign up today.

2.0 contact/credit/clock hours have been designated by The Menninger Clinic for the following disciplines:

Physicians

Psychologists

Social Workers

Licensed Professional Counselors

Addictions Professionals

For ADA or lactation needs, please email directly to: 

Michelle A. Taylor: 

mataylor@menninger.edu