An Introduction to Complex Trauma 101 – 7 March 2025

- Stance of the therapist: Understand the key principles and implications for changes in practice when working with complex trauma and beginning to look at dissociation.
- Unfortunate consequences: Grasp the implications and risks if these adjustments are not made. This will be illustrated by the washing machine of chaos, the avoidance void, and the rabbit in the headlights.
- Pacing the work and timing your interventions will be demonstrated with the ISSTD Tri-phasic model for working with complex trauma (International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation). The pacing is there for the safety of the client and of you!
- Establishing a framework for best practice. A few guiding principles are recommended and illustrated within this tri-phasic approach to help build your client's window of tolerance.
- Resources that can assist phase 1 are offered and considerations about readiness for phase 2 will be discussed.
- Anonymised cases are used to illustrate.
- Caring for you too! Understanding how hearing about trauma can traumatize you (vicarious traumatisation) is a crucial part of the work. This will be discussed as how you too can manage within your own window of tolerance, and to gradually expand it over time.

Counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other therapists and mental health workers who are engaged in general counselling practice currently but who want to gain more confidence working with complex trauma and dissociation. If you often have people who consult with you, but you are not sure how to frame a suitable approach, this webinar may also help you to pace the work effectively and safely.

- BA, MA (Hons), Dip. Clin. Psych., AFBPS
- Memberships: NZCCP, MNZAP, ISSTD
-Accredited Practitioner in EMDR (she served on the EMDRNZ Board for over 5 years including as Vice Chair).
- Fellow of ISSTD (International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation).

Diane Clare is a registered Consultant Clinical Psychologist who trained at the University of Canterbury. Diane has worked in mental health and counselling services since 1981, first as a grief counsellor then as a psychotherapist, before becoming registered as a psychologist in 1993. She has worked in leadership and Director level roles across a range of services in both NZ and the UK including primary care, adult mental health, forensic, intellectual disability and tertiary student services.

While in the UK in 2005 she developed the Alternatives to Self-Harm programme and has presented her work internationally since 2012. Diane is a seasoned presenter and provides a range of workshop options with an emphasis on practical solutions for clinical staff. She has a specialist interest in working with people recovering from the effects of complex trauma.

As a Fellow of ISSTD, Diane has been recognised as offering an outstanding contribution to this field and to the work of ISSTD.  As  an Accredited EMDR-NZ Practitioner, she continues to offer support to others through supervision, training and complex assessments.