Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD:Approaching What Matters w/Tiffany Hopkins, PhD - UNC School of Social Work Clinical Lectures and Institutes

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work Clinical Institute

When:
October 18, 2018, 9:00am – 4:30pm Thursday

Where:
UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work Auditorium, 325 Pittsboro St, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 Directions and Parking.

**LIVE STREAMING AVAILABLE**

Continuing Education:
6 Hours

Fees:
General: $190 | Early Bird $140 before September 28, 2018

** Current UNC-SSW students, staff and faculty**
General: $140 | Early Bird $90 before September 28, 2018

Description:
Most people want to avoid anything that reminds them of the trauma they experienced, but such avoidance reinforces their fear and traps them in a life that is inconsistent with their values. Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that teaches individuals how to approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations. By facing what has been avoided, a person can decrease symptoms of PTSD by actively learning that the trauma-related memories and cues are not dangerous and do not need to be avoided. Numerous well-controlled studies have shown that PE significantly reduces the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anger, and anxiety in survivors of varied and complex trauma.
In this workshop, Tiffany Hopkins provides background on the theory and rationale of PE and teaches specific, step-by-step procedures to help clients to control their trauma. Participants will learn the basics of all components of PE and how to modify PE to tailor its use according to client’s response to exposure. This includes teaching how to collaborate with clients using both imaginal exposure and in vivo exposure, and how to fashion and respond to experience and help clients with emotions that arise. Dr. Hopkins will convey this with a mix of didactic material, case discussion, and participant role plays.

Trainer:
Tiffany Hopkins, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Psychologist within UNC’s Center for Women’s Mood Disorders. Her current clinical specialties are in trauma recovery, women’s health, and perinatal psychologist. She has extensive experience and training in Prolonged Exposure, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and STAIR/NST for trauma. She was previously employed by the Durham VA Medical Center, where she completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Trauma Recovery Program within the Women’s Health and Male Military Sexual Trauma clinics. Additionally, Dr. Hopkins participated in the national rollout for the dissemination of Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy by the National Center for PTSD.

Learning objectives:
At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Discuss at least 1 concept of emotional processing theory as it relates to Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD
2. Name and explain 2 methods in which clients can be helped to emotionally engage in and process traumatic memories, with the aim of reducing trauma-related symptoms and difficulties
3. Construct an in-vivo exposure hierarchy that includes a range of situations that safely and effectively promote learning while expanding the client’s world.
4. Identify at least 2 principles needed to implement an in-vivo exposure to a safe but avoided trauma reminders with patients
5. Identify at least 2 principles needed to implement imaginal exposure to memories of traumatic events
6. Identify and address at least 1 avoidance behavior in PE sessions
7. Identify and address at least 1 intervention for over- and under-engagement in imaginal exposure

Agenda:
9-10:30 – Introduction to PE/Emotional Processing Theory, introducing PE to clients, along with psychoeducation on common reactions to trauma, choosing an index trauma, and breathing retraining
10:30 – 10:45 – Break
10:45 – 11:30 – In-Vivo exposure (rationale, use of SUDS, construction of hierarchy, safety guidelines, demonstration, discussion)
11:30 – 12:00 – Role plays (Rationale of in vivo, choosing SUDs, initial construction of hierarchy) and discussion/questions
12:00 – 1:00 – Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 – Imaginal Exposure (rationale, procedure, demonstration, discussion)
2:00 – 2:30 – Role plays (imaginal exposure rationale and instructions) and discussion/questions
2:30 – 2:45 – Break
2:45 – 4:30 – Further application and discussion (e.g., targeting under-engagement, targeting over-engagement, sexual/intimacy-based hierarchies, individualization for co-morbid disorders and complex trauma, flexible applications, and importance of self-care, supervision and peer consultation)

References:

Aronson, K. R., Welsh, J. A., Fedotova, A., Morgan, N. R., Perkins, D. F., & Travis, W. (2018).
Treating PTSD in active duty service members using cognitive processing therapy or
prolonged exposure therapy: Examining everyday practice at a military outpatient
clinic. Military Psychology, 30(6), 465-475. doi:10.1080/08995605.2018.1478550
Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014). Maximizing
exposure therapy: an inhibitory learning approach. Behaviour research and therapy, 58,
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reduction during prolonged exposure therapy: Moderating effects of number of trauma
types experienced, having an HIV-related index trauma, and years since HIV diagnosis
among HIV-positive adults. AIDS Care, 29(11), 1391-1398.
doi:10.1080/09540121.2017.1300625
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