The impact of trauma is far-reaching and work with survivors of trauma can be intense and confusing for both therapist and client. Overwhelming emotions at times lead to dissociation, therapeutic rupture, and poor outcomes. The challenge is to create an experience of safety for clients so they can explore distressing emotional experiences that have felt unapproachable.

In this experiential workshop, learn how to create the safety that enables clients to transform their emotional experiences using the Extended Focusing Task, as outlined in Dr Melissa Harte’s book Processing Emotional Pain Using Emotion Focused Therapy: A guide to safely working with and resolving emotional injuries and trauma. The Extended Focusing Task can have a profound impact on the lives of people living with the consequences of trauma and help them to feel empowered by their emotions and better equipped to live an enriched life.

This training will include trauma intervention principles and the foundations for safe trauma processing, key Emotion Focused Therapy skills for working with trauma, a step-by-step guide to using the Extended Focusing Task, and a full video demonstration by Dr Melissa Harte.

Working alongside Dr Melissa Harte for over a decade, Lou has been part of creating a vibrant EFT community in Melbourne and, since Dr Harte passed in February 2021, is honoured to be able to continue Dr Harte’s trauma-informed training using the Extended Focusing Task

No prior experience with Emotion Focused Therapy is required to attend.

Learning Outcomes:

Identify Trauma in your clients: Recognise how trauma manifests in clients emotionally, behaviorally, and physically.

Create a safe therapeutic environment: Establish and maintain a secure space for clients to process traumatic memories.

Maintain client safety during processing: Learn strategies to keep clients safe while addressing traumatic memories.

Understand the protective function of emotions: Learn how emotions protect against pain and how to work with these emotions therapeutically.

Build therapist resilience: Develop your capacity to hold and respond to clients’ emotional pain effectively.

The Expanded Focusing Task: Learn and practice the steps of Melissa Harte’s Expanded Focusing Task for trauma processing.

AIEFT members receive a $50 discount on this event - to access this discount please enter your membership code on(provided to you on email as part of your membership) on registration.

Working with Trauma and Emotional Pain: Melissa Harte’s Expanded Focusing Task

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