Vicarious Trauma (VT) impacts us as healers of trauma, and recognizing, preventing and mitigating the effects of VT is a part of our work as trauma therapists. The VT SIG is the place where we focus on the therapist and seek to resource therapists through support, information, case consultations and more. VT impacts all trauma […]
The Creative Arts Therapy (CAT) SIG has been incredibly active and engaged during a year of “virtual” creative connections! In response to the COVID 19 pandemic and the numerous global, social, and political challenges of 2020, a small but consistent group of CAT SIG members got together for zoom meetings on a regular basis. Compared […]
The Transitional Aged Youth Special Interest Group is a special interest group for members of ISSTD who are interested in the treatment of complex trauma in Transitional Age Youth (TAY), generally defined as clients between 18 and 24 years old. The need for mental health workers who specialize in this age range has been highlighted […]
The mission of the RAMCOA SIG is to further dialogue, knowledge, research, and training on the etiology, evaluation, and effective treatment of trauma and dissociation in clients reporting histories of ritual abuse, mind control and/or organized abuse. The RAMCOA SIG provides a listserv for its membership which aims to create a comfortable and confidential setting […]
PNES, also known as dissociative seizures, are paroxysmal events that to an observer can look a lot like epileptic seizures. However, they are called “psychogenic” because their origins are psychological. The most common risk factor in this group of patients is psychological trauma. The PNES SIG was formally approved this year and ISSTD members who […]
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic are felt deep and wide by many of our clients who are affected by trauma and dissociation. Some noted themes of the work in response to the pandemic may include: fears for personal health and safety, loss of control; increased anxiety; feelings of loneliness; experiences of helplessness and hopelessness; […]
As Chair of the Vicarious Trauma SIG, one of my goals is to raise awareness of the importance of therapist self-care not only at the ISSTD, but also in my local therapy community. In Knoxville, TN we have an informal online mental health professionals Facebook group that includes over 460 members. This is an active […]
The TAY/ Emerging Adult SIG is a special interest group for members of ISSTD who are interested in the treatment of complex trauma in Transitional Age Youth (TAY), generally defined as clients between 18 to 24 years old. This group has specific developmental needs, as brains are still developing and they are working to understand […]
Our beloved Creative Arts SIG has once again had a very busy year. Here we provide you with an update for 2018/19, focusing on two key events: our annual conference and the Webinar. Creative Arts at the 2019 Annual Conference At the annual conference in NYC this year, the CAT SIG facilitated the second Create […]
Gender is a complex aspect of human development and identity, which forms in concert with, but independently from biological sex and sexuality. Yet, gender is often equated with biological sex and/or reduced to a simple rigid, binary construct which imposes separate, distinct sets of norms on those deemed men or women. More and more, with […]
