VIRTUAL TRAINING – Progressive Counting, a Memory Reconsolidation Process for Resolving Trauma: A Two-Part Workshop

Part I – Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Part II – Wednesday, December 9, 2020

About the Course – Part I

Provides participants with the theory, skills and practice of Progressive Counting (PC), an intervention to fundamentally transform the mental models and emotional memories that underlie presenting problems and symptoms of clients presenting with unresolved trauma.  By learning the principles and process of PC, participants will learn how to activate the brains information processing system to resolve and appropriately digest, assimilate and store memories of disturbing experiences rather than just helping clients manage symptoms and emotional reactivity.  Progressive Counting is a transformative approach to healing trauma because it works with the brain’s natural ability to reconsolidate memory which permanently modifies the underlying implicit memories which maintain the symptoms of trauma.  This workshop will include the presentation of information, experiential exercises, and small group practice of the Progressive Counting with their clients.  The goal of this two part workshop is that attendees feel competent to start the use of Progressive Counting with their clients.

Course Objectives- Part I

1. Participants will be able to identify the basic components of implicit memories and how they related to the experience of trauma and the activation of the threat response of fight / flight / freeze / faint
2. Participants will be able to identify the two-step Memory Reconsolidation Process
3. Participants will be able to identify the importance and benefits of connecting presenting problems and symptoms to earlier unintegrated experiences
4. Participants will be able to conduct a Trauma and Loss History and use the Trauma and Loss History to identify target memories for Progressive Counting
5. Participants will be able to prepare for and accurately assess a client’s readiness for Progressive Counting
6. Participants will identify the steps in the Progressive Counting process and practice the Progressive Counting process in small groups
7. Participants will be able to differentiate the steps of Progressive Counting for children and Progressive Counting for children in small groups

Course Objectives – Part II

1. Participants will be able to assist clients to construct the three part set-up memory for Progressive Counting
2. Participants will be able to use the counting rules when doing Progressive Counting
3. Participants will be able to recognize and intervene successfully when the client is stuck and progress is halted during a Progressive Counting session
4. Participants will be able to apply problem-solving strategies to common problems that may arise during a Progressive Counting session
5. Participants will be able to assess the efficacy of the Progressive Counting process and determine whether the target memory has been erased
6. Participants will be able to do Progressive Counting on memory clusters, or when there is not a specific memory or when the distressing experience occurred in very early childhood

Target Audience

Target audience includes social workers, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, recovery coaches, peer specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and substance abuse counselors for this intermediate level of instruction.

CEs

• 2.0 Continuing Education Credits for Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
• 2.0 Continuing Education Credits for Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)

There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.

All attendees must log into Zoom promptly at the beginning of the training and remain for the duration of the training to receive continuing education credits.

About the Presenter

Barbara Kopystecki, MA, has worked with children and families for over 20 years as a family therapist.  She is currently the Director of the Family Based Program at the Penn Foundation in Sellersville, PA, where she serves as the Director of Trauma Services.  She holds a certification in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center in Brookline, MA.  Most recently, Barbara has taught workshops in Attachment and Nonviolent Communication, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), as well as conducted various trainings in topics related to trauma awareness and trauma treatment.

References

1. Badenock, Bonnie, The Heart of Trauma:  Healing the Embodied Brain in the Context of Relationships, Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, 2020.
2. Ecker, Bruce, Ticic, Robin, et al.  Memory Reconsolidation in Psychology, 2015.
3. Greenwald, Ricky, Child Trauma Handbook:  A Guide for Helping Trauma Exposed Children and Adolescents, 2017.
4. Greenwald, Ricky, Progressive Counting Within a Phase Model of Trauma Informed Treatment, 2013.
5. Siegel, Daniel J., The Developing Mind, Second Edition:  How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are, 2020.
6. Siegel, Daniel J., The Mindsight Approach to Well-Being:  A Comprehensive Course in Interpersonal Neurobiology, 2018.

For more information, contact Karen M. Kern at 215.453.5171 or kkern@pennfoundation.org

If you do not receive the professional benefits described in our program materials or you have some other professional complaint, please let us know in writing within 7 days of the training and we will honor your request for a refund.