ISSTD’s Deep Brain Reorienting Special Interest Group (DBR SIG) is completing its first full year of membership. Now at 88 members, we are strong and growing. The 2025 DBR SIG offers a space for ISSTD members with an interest in learning, understanding and using DBR therapy in the treatment of complex trauma, dissociation and dissociative disorders to come together and learn about this novel trauma psychotherapy created by Dr. Frank Corrigan of Glasgow, Scotland. DBR is a psychotherapeutic approach that emphasizes the importance of tracking a distinctive neurophysiological sequence embedded in ‘deep brain’ systems.
ISSTD is offering a 2-day DBR Level 1 Training in person, led by Dr. Frank Corrigan as a preconference training preceding the 2025 ISSTD Annual Conference in Boston, MA.
Early in 2025, the DBR SIG and ISSTD Virtual Book Club (VBC) launched a joint venture book club highlighting the newly released publication: Deep Brain Reorienting: Understanding the neuroscience of trauma, attachment wounding, and DBR psychotherapy, by Frank M. Corrigan, Hannah Young, and Jessica Christie Sands. This book delves into the profound effects of shock, trauma, and neglect on the brain, exploring how these experiences shape behavior and impact the architecture of the brain itself. The authors blend cutting-edge science with clinical practice and offers new perspectives on trauma treatment, with a particular focus on dissociation and attachment wounding. Deep Brain Reorienting, which is written at the intersection of neuroscience and psychotherapy, is a must-read for clinicians seeking innovative approaches to trauma recovery. With its clear theoretical framework, rich case studies, and actionable insights, this book is not only essential for psychotherapists but also holds significant value for researchers and clinicians in related fields. In the book club’s virtual discussions and meetings with the authors, we will unpack these complex ideas, examining how they can transform therapeutic practice and expand our understanding of trauma’s far-reaching effects on the brain and body.
The DBR SIG/VBC will conclude with an in-person combined DBR SIG and ISSTD VBC meeting on Friday, March 14, at the 42nd ISSTD Annual Conference in Boston. There will be a Q & A with the creator of DBR and primary author, Dr. Frank Corrigan, along with co-author and creator of the AT Interweaves for DBR, Martin Warner.
The 2025 dates for DBR SIG meetings are Friday, March 14 at 5:15pm US Eastern Time (in person at the Annual Conference in Boston) and Sunday, June 1, from 1 to 2pm US Eastern Time on Zoom. Future dates will be announced later in the year.
The DBR SIG is open to new members. ISSTD members interested in joining the DBR SIG can contact the DBR SIG Secretary, Alexis Castle, at alexis@stillwaterscs.com. Welcome to you all!