Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma
A 3-Month Online Training, beginning April 8
A 3-MONTH ONLINE TRAINING:
13 Teachers
Practice Facilitators
55 Hours in Total
14 Workshops
Live + Recording
EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES:
14 Guided Somatic Explorations
Demo Sessions
Case Consultations
13 Practice Circles
Q&A Sessions
Understanding
and Addressing Complex Trauma
Being aware of the challenges in treating clients with complex trauma, you may have asked yourself these questions:
How do I navigate the intricate dynamics of attachment trauma, dissociation, and emotional dysregulation?
What therapeutic techniques and strategies are most effective for clients who have experienced prolonged trauma, multiple traumas or pre-verbal trauma?
How do I support clients who are experiencing intense symptoms of complex trauma, including depression, rage, shame, self-hate and self-destructive behaviours?
How can I address the somatic manifestations of trauma, such as chronic tension, hypervigilance, shutdown responses, chronic pain or physical illness?
How can I integrate multiple therapeutic modalities and tailor trauma-focused interventions to meet the unique needs of each individual?
How do I gain confidence and competence in handling difficult cases?
How do I take care of my own wellbeing and avoid therapist burnout?
This 3-month (55-hour) online experiential training, led by experts in complex trauma therapy, will provide you with the techniques and insights to address these questions in practice.
About Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma
Training in a nutshell
The program spans a total of 55 hours, including 14 sessions, each lasting 3.5 hours. It also features 6 hours dedicated to case consultation studies.
World-class faculty
Linda Thai, Janina Fisher, Deran Young, Joanne Twombly, Frank Anderson, Lisa Ferentz, Pat Ogden, Tracy Jarvis, Michelle Richardson, Bruce Ecker, John Read, Cindy Shrigley, Tina Shrigley.
14 Experiential Workshops
with hands-on learning, demonstrations, Q&A, group work and sharing.
13 Practice Circles
meetings for guided experientials, student connection, and support from Practice Facilitators.
14 Guided Somatic Explorations
to move, open up to your body and create a deep relationship with it.
A Certificate of Completion
after completing the training for all participants.
6 hours of Case Consultation Calls
for personalized guidance with complex trauma therapy issues that arise in your practice.
By attending this training, you will:
- Experience interactive sessions and hands-on practice to refine your skills in real-world scenarios.
- Hear real examples of working with clients in longer term therapy that may span over months or years.
- Develop skills in recognizing and addressing the nuanced emotional, cognitive, and somatic impacts of trauma on clients.
- Acquire an understanding of effective techniques from modalities like IFS, Coherence Therapy, EMDR, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and learn how to adapt them to treat complex trauma effectively.
- Learn strategies to manage and mitigate common challenges, such as emotional overwhelm, dissociation, and avoidance behaviors.
- Understand how to integrate trauma-informed practices seamlessly into your therapy sessions, whether in-person or online.
- Gain confidence in creating a safe therapeutic environment that facilitates trust, openness, and healing.
- Connect with fellow mental health professionals to share insights, strategies, and resources in a supportive learning environment.
Program Structure
The program spans a total of 55 hours, including 14 sessions, each lasting 3.5 hours. It also features 6 hours dedicated to case consultation studies.
14 Live Sessions
3.5 hours each
Case Consultation Calls
6 hours
55 hours in Total
Session Structure
Workshops
1 hour 55 minutes
Short Break
15 minutes
Guided Somatic Explorations
30 minutes
Practice Circles
50 minutes
Each session kicks off with an engaging one-hour and fifty-five-minute workshop. Afterward, you’ll have a chance to reconnect with your body during a guided somatic exploration. Following a brief fifteen-minute break, join our practice circle to collaborate and deepen your skills in small, facilitator-supported groups*.
All Workshops and Guided Somatic Explorations are taking place live and will be recorded.
*The only exception will be session 8. After the somatic exploration, there will be a 1-hour interview with Janina Fisher.
During this 3-month training, we will meet once a week on Tuesday.
Date & time
Dates:
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April 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025
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May 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025
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June 3, 10, 17, 24, 2025
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July 1, 8, 2025
Start hours:
All the Workshops and Guided Somatic Explorations followed by meetings in Practice Circles will start at:
08:00-11:30 PDT
Los Angeles
11:00-14:30 EDT
New York
16:00-19:30 BST
London
17:00-20:30 CEST
Warsaw
Check the training calendar and see all the events in your timezone
Meet the teachers who will lead the training
Janina Fisher
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor at Harvard Medical School. An international expert on the treatment of trauma, she is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation.
Dr. Fisher is the author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation (2017), Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists (2021), and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022).
She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based and somatic interventions into trauma treatment.
More information can be found on her website: www.janinafisher.com.
Linda Thai
Multi-Modality Trauma Specialist
Linda Thai LMSW (she, her) is a trauma therapist who specializes in cutting-edge brain- and body-based modalities for the healing of complex developmental trauma. As an educator and consultant, she is gifted with the capacity to contextualize, synthesize, and communicate complex and nuanced issues pertaining to trauma, attachment, and the nervous system, including the impact of oppressive systems on identity, mental health, and well-being.
Linda is passionate about breaking the cycle of historical and intergenerational trauma at the individual and community levels and deeply believes in the healing power of coming together in a community to grieve. Born in Vietnam, raised in Australia, and now living in Alaska, Linda is a former child refugee who is not only redefining what it means to be Vietnamese, to be Australian, and to be a United States-ian… she is redefining what it means to be wounded and whole and a healer.
Frank Anderson
IFS Therapy
Frank Anderson is a world-renowned trauma expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, global speaker, and acclaimed best-selling author of Transcending Trauma. Dr. Anderson has a long affiliation with Bessel van der Kolk at the Trauma Research Foundation and is a lead trainer at the IFS Institute under Richard Schwartz. He is passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with cutting-edge models of therapy.
Dr. Anderson believes that traumatic events can have a lasting effect on the health and well-being of individuals and that addressing these events will help lead people down a path of hope, love, and forgiveness.
He is the director and co-founder of the Trauma Institute and Trauma-Informed Media, organizations that provide educational resources and promote trauma awareness. As a result of his early childhood experiences and personal journey transformation, he is dedicated to bringing more compassion, unity, and trauma healing to the world.
He splits his time between Boston and Los Angeles where he lives with his husband and two sons.
To explore Dr. Anderson’s work and discover his latest book To Be Loved – a deeply personal memoir about healing – visit his website at FrankAndersonMD.com and follow him on Instagram at frank_andersonmd.
Joanne Twombly
IFS Therapy, EMDR
Joanne H. Twombly, MSW, LICSW (Pronouns: she/her/hers) is a psychotherapist in private practice in Arlington, MA, USA. She has over thirty years of experience working with C-PTSD and dissociative disorders and provides trainings and consultation.
In addition to her book, “Trauma and Dissociation Informed Internal Family Systems,” she has written on EMDR and Dissociative Disorders, on EMDR and Internal Family Systems, and on working with perpetrator introjects. Her commitment to helping her clients heal and to providing quality training has resulted in her becoming an EMDR Consultant and a Trauma and Recovery Humanitarian Assistance Program Facilitator, Internal Family Systems Certified, and an American Society for Clinical Hypnosis Consultant.
She is a past president of the New England Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. In recognition of her achievements and her service on committees and the Board of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), she was honored with ISSTD’s Distinguished Achievement Award and is an ISSTD Fellow.
Bruce Ecker
Coherence Therapy
Bruce Ecker, MA, LMFT, is co-originator of Coherence Therapy, co-founder and co-director of the Coherence Psychology Institute, and coauthor of Unlocking the Emotional Brain: Memory Reconsolidation and the Psychotherapy of Transformational Change; the Coherence Therapy Practice Manual & Training Guide; and two other books and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. Since 2006 he has driven the clinical field’s understanding of memory reconsolidation as the core process of transformational therapeutic change, and has developed the application of this brain research breakthrough for major advancements in therapeutic effectiveness and psychotherapy unification. He has taught in clinical graduate programs, is a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops internationally, co-leads the Institute’s annual training intensive, leads several ongoing case consultation groups, and leads the Institute’s team of research associates.
Pat Ogden
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Pat Ogden, PhD, (she/her), is a pioneer in somatic psychology, the creator of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy method, and founder of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute (~sensorimotor.org~). Dr. Ogden is a clinician, consultant, international lecturer and the first author of two groundbreaking books in somatic psychology: Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment (2015). The card deck, Body of Knowledge: Sensorimotor Practices for Awareness, Regulation and Expansion was published in 2022. Her third book, The Pocket Guide to Sensorimotor Psychotherapy in Context, advocates for an anti-racist perspective in psychotherapy practice. She is currently working on a fourth book Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Children, Adolescents and Families with Dr. Bonnie Goldstein. Dr. Ogden’s current interests include couple therapy, child and family therapy, the relational nature of shame, social justice, and the philosophical/spiritual principles that underlie her work.
Deran Young
Racial Trauma, Psychedelic Assisted Therapy & Belonging Expert
Deran Young, LCSW, Capt/USAF (retired) is a licensed therapist specializing in racial trauma and legacy burdens. She is also a Co-Author of the New York Times Best Seller, You Are Your Best Thing, a retired military officer, and founder of Black Therapists Rock.
Black Therapists Rock is a non profit organization with a network of over 30,000 mental health professionals committed to reducing the psychological impact of systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma.
She obtained her social work degree from University of Texas, where she studied abroad in Ghana, West Africa for two semesters creating a high school counseling center for under-resourced students. Deran has visited over 37 different countries and her clinical experience spans across four different continents.
Her passion for culture and people has led her to become a highly sought after diversity and inclusion consultant working with companies like BBERG, Facebook, Linked In, and YWCA. She resides in the Washington DC area with her young son.
Lisa Ferentz
Strengths-based, de-pathologized treatment of trauma
Lisa Ferentz, MSW, LCSW-C, DAPA is a recognized expert in the strengths-based, de-pathologized treatment of trauma and has been in private practice for over 40 years. She presents workshops and keynote addresses nationally and internationally, and is a clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies in the United States, Canada, the UK, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and Israel.
She has been an Adjunct Faculty member at several Universities, and is the Founder of “The Ferentz Institute,” now in its eighteenth year of providing continuing education to mental health professionals and graduating thousands of clinicians from her two Certificate Programs in Advanced Trauma Treatment. In 2009 she was voted the “Social Worker of Year” by the Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work.
Lisa is the author of “Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Traumatized Clients: A Clinician’s Guide,” now in its second edition, “Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors: A Workbook of Hope and Healing,” and “Finding Your Ruby Slippers: Transformative Life Lessons From the Therapist’s Couch.”
Lisa also hosted a weekly radio talk show, writes blogs and articles for websites on trauma, attachment, self-destructive behaviors, and self-care, teaches on many webinars, and is a contributor to Psychologytoday.com. You can follow Lisa’s work on her website, theferentzinstitute.com, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Tracy Jarvis
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Tracy Jarvis, MSc, UKCP, is a registered psychotherapist and trauma specialist, and has more than 20 years’ experience in the field of psychology and mental health. As an Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) trainer, with a specialism in neuroscience, Tracy studies how SP intersects with other trauma modalities such as Deep Brain ReOrienting (DBR), Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, as well as the interface between science and trauma treatment.
More widely, Tracy is a senior consultant to the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at University College London. She is the former managing director of PESI UK (previously founder and director of Psychotherapy Excellence), a not-for-profit organisation and the largest clinical content provider in the UK and Europe. In addition, Tracy has a specialist private practice in PTSD and complex trauma. She teaches, advises and consults on trauma for various organisations worldwide, emphasising the importance of a bio-directional treatment approach to treating trauma.
John Read
Clinical Psychology
Dr John Read is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London. He has published over 200 research papers, primarily on the relationship between adverse life events and psychosis; the negative effects of bio-genetic causal explanations on prejudice; anti-psychotic and anti-depressant medication; electroconvulsive therapy; and the toxic influence of the pharmaceutical industry on clinical research and practice.
John is Chair of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal and on the Board of Hearing Voices Network, England.
He is the founding editor of the scientific journal ‘Psychosis’ and the editor/author of several books, including:
Read J, Sanders P. (2022) ‘A straight talking introduction to the causes of mental health problems’. PCCS Books.
Read J, Dillon J. (eds) (2013) ‘Models of Madness’, Routledge.
Michelle Richardson
IFS, EMDR
Michelle Richardson, LCSW (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified IFS Therapist, and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She is the co-founder of Syzygy Institute, a training organization offering experiential learning for therapists integrating EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Michelle is also the founder of Mindful Soul Center for Wellbeing, a group practice based in southern New Jersey. Michelle’s clinical focus is on trauma and dissociation, and she finds great fulfillment in supporting therapists as they deepen their skills. Her journey into IFS-informed EMDR grew from her own curiosity and a desire to find harmony between two highly effective approaches. Today, she is passionate about helping therapists cultivate clarity, confidence, and Self-leadership in their work.
A lifelong learner, Michelle remains inspired by the resilience of the human spirit and the growth she witnesses in clients, consultees, and herself. Michelle lives in southern New Jersey with her husband and three active children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and visiting her family’s cabin in Maine, embracing the balance between meaningful work and the simple joys of everyday life.
Tina Shrigley
EMDR, DBR
Dr. Tina Shrigley, C. Psych. has worked with clients with trauma-related issues, complex trauma, and dissociation for the past 15 years. She had previous training in EMDR therapy and the structural theory of dissociation before learning DBR in 2020. She remains an EMDRIA-approved consultant and also provides DBR consultation. She primarily uses DBR in her clinical practice. Tina has a background in kinesiology, giving her a unique understanding of the brain-body connection. Tina works in private practice and is the Clinical Director of the Centre for Trauma and Stress in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
Cindy Shrigley
EMDR, DBR
Cindy Shrigley, MSW, RSW has specialized in the treatment of complex trauma and dissociation for over 35 years. She has provided consultation and presented on treating complex trauma and dissociation with EMDR therapy nationally and internationally. She is an EMDRIA-approved consultant and trained in EMDR therapy in 1999. Cindy has used DBR since 2020. She is also a DBR consultant, offering a deep knowledge in the clinical application of DBR with dissociative disorders. She works with adult clients and has found DBR to be profoundly healing and well-tolerated. She founded the Centre for Trauma and Stress in 2022, where she works in private practice in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
Elia Mrak
Workshop Schedule
- Defining complex trauma & describing its differences from single-incident trauma.
- A brief review of trauma theories (e.g., PTSD vs. Complex PTSD).
- Overview of the impact on the brain and body.
- Establishing the neurobiological basis of trauma (brief mention of Polyvagal theory, window of tolerance).
- Brief overview of attachment theory and developmental trauma.
- The role of the therapeutic relationship.
- Complex trauma being deeply rooted in both personal experiences and systemic forces such as oppression, privilege, and intergenerational burdens.
- Cultural burdens.
- The unique role of systemic oppression in shaping shame and trauma.
- How shame protects and limits us in the face of complex trauma.
- Increase self-awareness of personal biases to foster more inclusive therapeutic relationships and environments.
- Actionable tools to create safe, inclusive, and effective therapeutic spaces.
- Bringing Self-energy into therapy to create trust, safety, and resilience.
- Applying IFS concepts such as Self-energy, un-blending, and un-burdening to address the effects of complex trauma in diverse populations.
- Using IFS tools to un-blend from shame-based parts and move toward healing.
- Understanding the first stage of trauma treatment: stabilization.
- Learn practical tools for creating safety for clients with complex trauma.
- Importance of psychoeducation for clients: explaining trauma symptoms.
- Developing internal and external resources (grounding, containment).
- Managing emotional dysregulation: strategies like diaphragmatic breathing, somatic awareness.
- Creating a safe therapeutic alliance, boundaries, and trust-building.
- Therapist flexibility around approach, length, and pacing of sessions.
- Being dropped by the previous therapist.
- Understanding relational trauma and attachment disruptions in complex trauma.
- The impact of early relational trauma and attachment injuries on development.
- How clients show up in the therapeutic relationship.
- Attachment-based approaches in trauma therapy (Corrective Emotional Experiences).
- Utilizing the therapeutic relationship for attachment repair (reparenting, attunement, recovering from rupture).
- Can a client really feel safe in the long-term therapeutic relationship if they don’t have a history of secure relationships?
- Introducing the window of tolerance model and its practical application in therapy.
- Identifying when clients are in hyperarousal vs. hypoarousal.
- Understanding how to use Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) to treat the somatic memory and symptoms of trauma.
- The principles of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
- Learning body-based approaches to trauma recovery.
- Working with somatic symptoms of trauma and understanding how trauma is stored in the body.
- Practical interventions for increasing body awareness and releasing stored trauma.
- Relational embedded mindfulness – mindfulness in session.
Diagnostic labels
- The relationship of life events to the development of mental health problems.
- Challenging the science and utility of diagnostic labels.
- Explaining some of the history of the DSM and how it was created.
Medication and treatment
- The influence of the pharmaceutical industry on public opinion, research, and clinical practice.
- Big pharma and the chemical imbalance myth.
- Anti-psychotic drugs being the first resort and when they should be the last.
- The best way to support people coming off drugs.
- Recognizing the risks of misinterpreting withdrawal symptoms as relapse.
- Long-term side effects of drugs – adverse effects can remain even when you have come off them.
- Explore how EMDR therapy can be enhanced with IFS principles to address the needs of complex trauma clients effectively.
- Understand key considerations for ensuring safety and minimizing backlash or re-traumatization risk in EMDR sessions.
- Examine the interplay between EMDR and IFS to create a cohesive and compassionate approach to trauma healing.
- Learn IFS-Informed EMDR preparation strategies for working with extreme protectors and wounded parts.
- Phase-oriented treatment planning for the treatment of complex developmental trauma: How to know what to do, when to do it, and when to refer out
- How long complex developmental trauma therapy can really take
- Bringing together different modalities as an integrative therapist
- How to synthesize and integrate all the trainings that you have done and find your own identity as a therapist
- How to plan your trainings as a therapist who specializes in the treatment of C-PTSD
- Clients dropping out of therapy when things get hard (getting closer to vulnerability) or when they experience a little improvement
- Clients who want to speed up the process of healing (for example through taking psychedelics) but without titration and without clarity of intention within a treatment plan, they make things worse
- Hopelessness of clients – When will this therapy end? They need a picture of recovery, hope for the end result, promise and timeline
- Why some tools won’t work with some clients
- Gain an understanding of dissociation as a central feature of complex trauma.
- Understanding the continuum of dissociation, including Frank’s 4 forms of dissociation and its manifestations in clients.
- Introduction to Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) as a method to treat dissociation.
- Overview of DBR and how it differs from traditional trauma therapies.
- Understanding structural dissociation theory.
- Clinical approaches to managing dissociative symptoms.
- Grounding techniques and integration strategies.
- Understanding the brain’s capacity for memory reconsolidation and how it relates to trauma healing.
- Learning how to facilitate memory reconsolidation for lasting trauma resolution.
- Exploring Bruce Ecker’s Coherence Therapy model in the context of complex trauma.
- Techniques for uncovering emotional truths that maintain traumatic symptoms.
- Using Coherence Therapy to create deep change by unlocking implicit memories.
- Overview of IFS with Dissociative Disorders
- Why Phase Oriented Trauma Treatment
- Why coping skills
- Why Phase Oriented Trauma Treatment
- Why coping skills
- Overview of extreme protectors and the role of dissociation (protects the part and the system)
- What they look like
- Where do they come from: introjects, trauma, programming, etc.
- Recognizing extreme parts
- What they look like
- Where do they come from: introjects, trauma, programming, etc.
- Recognizing extreme parts
- Self-destructive and risky behaviors, homicidal, suicidal, dangerously addictive, dangerously numbed out
- Firedrill for Working with Extreme Parts
- Get into Self
- Recognize when you’ve slid out of Self
- ID countertransference and non-verbal communication
- Get into Self
- Recognize when you’ve slid out of Self
- ID countertransference and non-verbal communication
- Practicum
- Didactic on Burnout/Compassion Fatigue/Vicarious Traumatization
- The reality of burnout: not if, when!
- Work and personal life balance
- Have adequate training/support/consultation
- Permission to choose who you work with, and permission to stop working with a client if necessary
- The reality of burnout: not if, when!
- Work and personal life balance
- Have adequate training/support/consultation
- Permission to choose who you work with, and permission to stop working with a client if necessary
- Identifying Burnout: Cumulative vs Secondary Trauma Response
- Identify your Danger Signs
- Therapist Needs and Preparation
- How to think about therapy with Complex Trauma clients
- Know about non-verbal communication
- How to prepare for sessions
- Firedrill
- Bubble/Umbrella imagery
- Cue panel of advisors
- Identify your Danger Signs
- Therapist Needs and Preparation
- How to think about therapy with Complex Trauma clients
- Know about non-verbal communication
- How to prepare for sessions
- Firedrill
- Bubble/Umbrella imagery
- Cue panel of advisors
- How to think about therapy with Complex Trauma clients
- Know about non-verbal communication
- How to prepare for sessions
- Firedrill
- Bubble/Umbrella imagery
- Cue panel of advisors
- Know about non-verbal communication
- Firedrill
- Bubble/Umbrella imagery
- Cue panel of advisors
- Using the Firedrill: Demo
- Treatment Trajectories
- Identifying Progress
- Identifying Progress
- Understanding the function of self-destructive behaviors (emotion regulation, dissociation).
- Addressing self-harm, suicidal ideation, and risky behaviors commonly associated with complex trauma.
- Developing strategies for working with these behaviors in a trauma-informed way.
- Harm-reduction strategies.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and other strategies for reducing self-destructive impulses.
- Reviewing key concepts and interventions from the program.
- Offering space for case consultation and questions.
- Integration of stabilization, processing, and relational strategies.
- Summarizing therapeutic approaches and planning long-term trauma treatment.
- Discussing further supervision options and training paths to deepen competence in working with trauma.
- Closing: Community ritual for ending the training in an experiential way.
Navigating the Complexities of Trauma Therapy
As a mental health professional, you may already recognize the profound impact trauma can have on your clients’ lives. However, implementing effective strategies for complex trauma presents unique challenges.
Individuals with complex trauma often struggle with trust, self-regulation, and emotional expression. They may have unrealistic expectations, fail to recognize that their issues stem from trauma, or be overwhelmed by intense emotions and somatic experiences. They can get stuck in the process, fearing change or feeling trapped by external circumstances.
You may also find it challenging to manage your emotional responses when working with severe trauma cases. It can be emotionally demanding, requiring careful pacing, adaptability, and confidence in choosing the right therapeutic approach.
Addressing Common Challenges
This training responds to key challenges shared by our community of therapists, including:
- Building credibility and confidence as a therapist, especially when experiencing imposter syndrome.
- Supporting clients who drop out of therapy when facing vulnerability or resist further sessions after initial progress.
- Navigating long-term therapy processes, such as establishing trust and readiness to engage deeply.
- Maintaining professional boundaries to avoid compassion fatigue or overcaring tendencies.
- Helping clients feel secure in the therapeutic relationship despite a history of insecure attachments.
- Managing clients’ desires for rapid progress, including the potential risks of using psychedelics or other intense interventions in an untitrated, poorly integrated manner.
- Stabilizing clients to safely explore trauma without triggering avoidance or dissociation.
- Addressing therapist fears related to suicidal ideation or clients’ dangerous behaviors.
Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma
This training is a 3-month, online training about working with Complex Trauma. This 55-hour experiential program is focused on understanding and treating complex trauma using a variety of psychotherapy frameworks. It will cover theoretical foundations such as attachment theory, dissociation, and neurobiology while introducing practical interventions like Internal Family Systems, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR adapted for complex trauma, and Coherence Therapy.
Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma
This training is a 3-month, online training about working with Complex Trauma. This 55-hour experiential program is focused on understanding and treating complex trauma using a variety of psychotherapy frameworks. It will cover theoretical foundations such as attachment theory, dissociation, and neurobiology while introducing practical interventions like Internal Family Systems, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR adapted for complex trauma, and Coherence Therapy.
Learn how to work with complex trauma and address dissociation, shame, and resistance.
By signing up for our 3-month Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma you get:
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Live access to 14 Online Workshops led by 13 experienced teachers,
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14 Guided Somatic Explorations (30 minutes each) with Elia Mrak,
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13 Practice Circles (each 50 minutes long) – a space for practicing somatic techniques in small groups guided by a Practice Facilitator,
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All-time access to the Workshops and Guided Somatic Explorations recordings – no time limits,
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Bonus worth $147 – Introduction to IFS Course,
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A Certificate of Completion.
Super Early Bird (300$ discount) is available until January 27th or until the first 100 seats are sold out (whichever comes first).
Satisfaction Guarantee
Up to 7 days after the first workshop, if you are not completely satisfied just let us know about it. We will give you a full refund. You are not required to give any reason.
You have nothing to lose!
Upgrade Skills at a Fraction of Cost
If you were to purchase each component individually, it would cost a total of $5,145:
- 14 Live Workshops (1h 55min each): 14 × $197 = $2,758
- 14 Guided Somatic Explorations (30min each): 14 × $50 = $700
- 13 Practice Circles (50min each): 13 × $70 = $910
- Live Q&A with Janina Fisher: $150
- 6 Hours of Case Consultations: 6 × $80 = $480
- A 12-day ‘Introduction to Internal Family Systems’ course: $147
We include every component in our “Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma” for a single cost of $1,087, instead of $5,145.
Each module complements the others, so we only offer this as a complete package—allowing you to save money and expand your knowledge in a structured, effective way.
*All values above are approximate and reflect typical market rates.
Skills and tools that will be presented and practiced include
- Establishing safety and stabilization with practical strategies like grounding, somatic awareness, and trust-building in the therapeutic relationship.
- Using body-based approaches such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to address somatic symptoms and release stored trauma.
- Applying Internal Family Systems (IFS) techniques to un-blend from shame-based parts, engage extreme protectors, and foster healing.
- Adapting EMDR for complex trauma to avoid re-traumatization while integrating IFS principles.
- Understanding dissociation and using approaches like Deep Brain Reorienting to support the release of shock stored in the mid-brain, that may be the source of overwhelm in the system.
- Facilitating memory reconsolidation through Coherence Therapy to create deep, lasting change.
- Addressing self-destructive behaviors with harm-reduction strategies.
- Prioritizing therapist self-care, managing compassion fatigue, and maintaining appropriate and flexible boundaries to sustain resilience in trauma work.
Case Examples
A unique component of this training is the inclusion of case examples, that will be woven through the training, spanning the entire therapeutic process with clients experiencing complex PTSD.
These in-depth presentations will cover multiple therapy sessions, beginning with the initial formulation and progressing through key stages of treatment, including significant transitions and critical moments. Participants will gain insights into the techniques used at different points, such as externalization exercises, and understand the rationale behind these choices. The training also delves into common challenges, including therapist mistakes, rupture and repair processes, and the emotional responses of therapists, as discussed in supervision.
Attendees will actively engage in discussions, reflecting on interventions, exploring alternative approaches, and collaborating in small groups to deepen their understanding. By moving beyond idealized therapy sessions, this immersive approach reveals the complexities of real practice, including the “bad” sessions, setbacks, and the realities of long-term therapeutic work.
Who is this training for?
This program is intended for mental health professionals who wish to deepen their expertise in treating complex trauma through learning effective therapeutic techniques.
While it is designed with mental health professionals in mind, other healthcare professionals would also benefit from this program: physicians, nurses, movement therapists, social workers, coaches, yoga therapists, breathworkers, psychedelic therapists, bodyworkers, psychologists, art and music therapists. The techniques taught in this training are for educational purposes only and should be used by qualified professionals within the scope of their practice.
How it works?
All events are taking place live, on the Zoom platform. You will receive the link to the Zoom meeting along with the password one day before each session. There will be technical support available.
The Workshops and Guided Somatic Exploration sessions will be recorded. In 5 days after live session, you will receive access to the recording. We won’t record Practice Circles meetings.
The recordings will be available in your Life Architect Account, so you can go through them at your own pace. Recordings will be available with no time limits only for those who have enrolled, with no option of purchasing access after the training ends.
Additionally, we will provide access to extensive handouts (ready for printing or using on your laptop or smartphone) to make it easier for you to engage with the theory in the most convenient way for you.
Practice Circles & Practice Facilitators
Meet with your fellow students once a week to practice and support each other.
Learning and healing experiences are most effective when they take place in a community. Each workshop will end with a 50-minute small group Practice Session (8-10 participants) guided by a Practice Facilitator.
Throughout the whole training, you will meet with the same group (and the same Practice Facilitator), having the opportunity to create relationships with like-minded professionals.
Practice Circles are an experiential component of our training, designed to foster a collaborative learning environment where participants can engage in practical skill development through interactive exercises.
These sessions offer a unique opportunity for peer feedback and reflection, allowing participants to refine their techniques in a supportive and confidential setting. Through these sessions we aim to facilitate an experience of community, hands-on practice, and the safe exchange of ideas.
Karla Amanda Brown
Couples | Touch | Psychedelic Therapy
Karla Amanda Brown (she/her), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, is the Founder & CEO of Soul Centric Counseling as well as Soul Centric Collective, a platform dedicated to increasing global interest and access to the healing power of group psychotherapy. As an African American Silicon Valley CEO, Karla leads while guided by values of gratitude, love, and belonging. She works to empower and enhance the quality of life for the clinicians and patients with whom she works.
While headquartered in the heart of technological innovation and disruption, as well as one of the world’s largest economies, Silicon Valley is also filled with systemic occurrences of micro-, mezzo- and macro-aggression, racism, and rampant inequity, which has created a profound multi-generational health and wealth gap. Karla is committed to using her life, resources, and access to provide opportunities for vastly underrepresented community members such as persons of global majority, queer, disabled, and those with other marginalized identities.
A few noteworthy advanced education mentions are that Karla has trained with:
– Internal Family Systems Institute as a Level 3 IFS Therapist for individuals and people in relationships
– Accelerated Experiencial Dynamic Psychotherapy Institute
– NeuroAffective Touch Institute
– Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy Institute
– Center for Healing Shame
– Integrative Psychiatry Institute as a Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Provider
– Center for Optimal Living as a Harm Reduction Therapy Provider
– Body Temple Yoga School
In addition to numerous Level 1 & 2 IFS offerings, Karla has assisted for Brainspotting, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Attachment Therapy, and Alchemy Community Therapy Center trainings.
Hoda Refaat Mahfouz
Somatic Experiencing | IFS | EMDR | Psychodrama
Hoda Refaat Mahfouz, M.D., M.SC., Egyptian Specialist psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, psychodramatist, and certified group psychotherapist (CGP) from the American Group Psychotherapy Association. She has more than 20 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and groups. She is trained in different modalities of psychotherapy, and she integrates them in her work. She is trained in Psychodynamic psychotherapy, Psychodrama, IFS and IFIO, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR and EFT. She assisted in many trainings in different modalities of psychotherapy in Egypt and internationally,suc as IFS level 1 trainings, Psychodrama trainings, EMDR trainings, EFT trainings, and Somatic Experience Introductory trainings. She is the chairperson of psychodrama section of the Egyptian Association for Group Therapies and Processes (EAGT). She is also a board member of the Egyptian Community of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EGCEFT).
Judith Fischer
Somatic IFS | IFS | Dance & Movement Therapy
Judith Fischer, Somatic IFS, IFS (Level 2), BC-DMT, NBCC Counselor
Judith’s initial relationship with somatic therapies was 40 yrs ago when she embarked on her training as a Dance Movement Therapist. She grew to love the artistic and healing inquiry of interfacing IFS with DMT starting in 2015. She began classes with Richard Schwartz, Frank Anderson and Pam Krause and then she dived deep into her joy of learning Susan McConnell’s knowledge and artistry with her trainings in Somatic IFS.
During her years of somatic work Judith especially has focused on devolpmental movement, the historical and cultural influence of a person’s movement patterns, as well as the interplay of music, timing, use of space, etc. This awareness entails noticing each of our own unique vibrational exchanges intuitively and purposefully. She loves the intrigue that each of our parts have their own movement gestures, choreography, etc. Introducing this awareness and guiding others of how to interact as a movement healing agent for others is her soul’s work.
Over the years she has led numerous workshops, and classes, serving individuals and groups through an integration of psychotherapy, dance movement therapy, movement consultation and coaching.
Deborah Jacobs
IFS | Somatic IFS | Somatic Experiencing | Art Therapy
Deborah Jacobs, LMHC, ATR-BC, CYT, SEP (she/hers) is a certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, Somatic IFS therapist, board-certified art therapist, expressive art therapist, yoga teacher and Somatic Experiencing practitioner with 25+ years of clinical mental health experience. Over the years Debbie has brought her creative, thoughtful, and embodied therapeutic approach to thousands of adults in community mental health settings in greater Boston and in her private practice. She is a ‘hands-on’ clinical trainer, IFS program assistant, and approved consultant weaving her professional experience with experiential to foster expression, wonder, learning and transformation.
Please check out Debbie’s website www.makearttherapy.com for more information about her practice.
Guided Somatic Explorations
This training wouldn’t be complete without a space designated solely for movement and exploration of our bodies.
Every Tuesday, we will meet for a 30-minute live & recorded Guided Somatic Exploration session led by Elia Mrak, a Qi-gong and dance teacher. During these sessions, he will guide you into a deep connection with your body, using different explorations inspired by modalities presented during workshops and other types of movement.
The goal of this experience is to open up to your body and create a deep relationship with it. Please note that these sessions are optional, and each one will be recorded for you to explore at your convenience (and as many times as you wish).
Elia Mrak
I am dedicated to the belief that everyone can dance, everyone deserves joy, and everyone can heal. I am a nervous system and trauma-informed educator trained in the fields of Dance, Body-Mind-Centering (pending), Qigong, Fitness, and bodywork/touch. And I use the integration of these practices to create safe spaces for individuals and communities worldwide.
A comprehensive Training Manual
Our training manual is an invaluable companion throughout your learning journey. It not only covers theoretical foundations but also provides practical guidance.
Edited by an experienced IFS and Sensorimotor Psychotherapist Sally Bubbers, this PDF manual, spanning several dozen pages, is easy to use and filled with valuable content that enhances both understanding and application of trauma-informed techniques in therapy. It’s structured to be your go-to resource, available whenever you need to revisit any part of the training.
The Training Manual is available in PDF format, which means you can use it however you find most convenient. You can open it on your computer or tablet, or print it out to always have it handy. The full version of the manual will be made available after the training ends.
Case Consultation Calls
Just after the training ends, participants will be able to join three 2-hour Case Consultation Calls. These calls are designed to offer personalized guidance on specific issues related to complex trauma therapy that may arise in participants’ practices.
Before each session, participants are encouraged to submit their case descriptions and questions, allowing the teacher to thoroughly prepare and tailor their responses. This structured approach aims to support participants in effectively integrating the knowledge into their practices. Additionally, it provides ongoing assistance even after the training concludes, helping address various challenges encountered when applying these techniques in real-world scenarios.
The Case Consultation Calls in 2025 will take place on Tuesdays: August 5 with Tracy Jarvis, September 9 with Bruce Ecker (No pre-submitted questions required), and October 14 with Michelle Richardson from 11:00 to 13:00 ET (New York).
Continuing Education
We are currently in the process of applying for Continuing Education (CE) hours for our upcoming 3-month Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma Online Training. Detailed information will be available soon.
Special bonus worth $147
By enrolling in this Therapy Strategies for Complex Trauma training now, you will also gain access to:
- A 12-day ‘Introduction to Internal Family Systems’ course, created by Michael Pasterski, founder of Life Architect and a Certified IFS Practitioner. IFS is an evidence-based therapy modality focusing on parts work, developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz. The course provides a comprehensive overview of this model, including extensive personal practice for you to experience parts work on yourself.
- Additional bonuses to support you in working with complex trauma, will be announced soon.
Meet Sally, Michael and Andreia
“We designed the program to ensure it is practical and easily applicable in your professional practice. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore the techniques presented and start integrating them into your therapy sessions.”
What participants value in our trainings?
Parts Work
This training is parts work informed. It incorporates the understanding that we all have multiple, non-pathologized parts of ourselves. Working with parts is an important aspect of effective trauma healing, and it will be addressed throughout the training. At Life Architect, we promote Internal Family Systems (IFS), a parts work therapy modality developed by Richard Schwartz. Some of our speakers – Joanne Twombly and Frank Anderson, among others, are IFS informed or trained and will incorporate the multiplicity paradigm into their teachings.
No prior IFS training or experience is required to participate in this training. However, if you’d like to learn more about IFS before embarking on this journey with us, you will receive free access to our 12-day online course “Introduction to Internal Family Systems” after enrolling. More information is available in the “bonus” section.
If you are already IFS-informed, this training will greatly enhance your ability to work with parts. The chosen modalities and techniques work well with the IFS protocol.
Training in numbers
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14 Workshops
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13 Teachers
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14 Somatic Explorations
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13 Practice Circles
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55 Hours in total
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are not applying for the CE hours, you do not need to be present at all live workshops. You can watch their recordings. After completing the training, you will receive a certificate of attendance from Life Architect (with no extra cost).
We do not offer CE hours for watching the recordings because NBCC credit cannot be provided for the recorded portions of the program. To receive CE hours for each workshop, you must participate in the live interactive online Zoom workshop.
We will ask you for invoice details before making the payment. Please note that the seller of the workshops is a Polish company Life Architect Michał Pasterski Spółka Komandytowa, registered for VAT.
Name of the seller: Life Architect Michał Pasterski Spółka Komandytowa (Company registered under laws of Poland)
- Address: ul. Narcyzowa 11, 60-175 Poznań, Poland
- National Court Register Number: 0000973301
- Tax Identification Number: 7792539585
- e-mail address: kontakt@lifearchitect.pl
- Phone: +48 518 501 701
The Seller is a company registered under the laws of Poland and issues VAT invoices in accordance with Polish law. If you are purchasing services from the Seller as an entrepreneur and you need a VAT invoice, consult your tax advisor on the necessary requirements for invoices for the purchase of services.
The GTC found on this website shall apply respectively, with the stipulation that Polish law shall apply to contracts concluded with the seller.
The Data Controller of your personal data is Life Architect Michał Pasterski Spółka Komandytowa based in Poznań, Poland. The owner of this website collects and transfers your personal data to the Data Controller as the processing entity, acting under documented instructions from the Data Controller. Information about the processing and protection of your personal data by the Data Controller can be found here: Market Place Information Clause.
Below you will also find the document outlining the terms under which our trainers will provide you with the training materials and recordings from the “Integrating Somatic Techniques in Therapy” training (commonly known as an End User License Agreement, or EULA). Please note that this document does not affect the workshop itself, including its schedule or delivery. If you agree with the content, no further action is required on your part. Please read the End User License Agreement.
The techniques taught in this training are for educational purposes only and should be used by qualified professionals within the scope of their practice.
Participants are responsible for their own clinical use of these techniques and must adhere to professional standards and local regulations. Life Architect is not liable for the misuse of these techniques or any resulting harm to clients. This training does not constitute certification or licensure in trauma therapy.
