In this two-part workshop, two therapeutic tasks, self-soothing and empathic affirmation, will be detailed, outlined, demonstrated, discussed, and practiced.
Part One (9am-12:30pm): The first task is the self-soothing task that encourages clients to offer themselves compassion, soothing, and calming. It is undertaken within the therapy process when clients present with emotional distress and helps to increase automatic emotion regulation outside of the therapy session. It is a task that can be undertaken in both individual and couple therapy and both applications will be discussed. Fee: $100
Part Two (1:30pm-5pm): The second task is the empathic affirmation task, wherein a client presents with a vulnerable, often shame-based self and the therapist offers radical and intensive empathic affirmation, staying closely empathically attuned as the client drops down into this difficult feeling, goes through the ‘painful-awful’ and re-emerges, reaching for interpersonal connection with the therapist and able to carry forward a stronger, calmer sense of self. Therapists responses that aid in the tasks will also be outlined and practiced. Fee: $100