Live Webinars

Browse our unique range of upcoming Live Webinars. Hear from Dr Joan Haliburn, Prof Andrew Moskowitz, Prof Onno van der Haart, Prof Warwick Middleton, Dr Nick Bendit, Dr Valerie Sinason, Dr Kevin Keith, Dr Jackie Amos, Prof Melanie Turner and others in our exclusive, thought-provoking webinar series.

Jan-Mar 2024

Psychotherapy in Troubling Times: What are we to do? (Free Webinar)

Dr Kevin Keith

Thursday, 8th February, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m AEDT

This webinar focusses on recognition of the dark clouds that may blur our horizons. How might we feel when considering pressing global imperatives — avoiding climate disaster, reversing accelerating inequality, combatting terrorism, ridding our communities of historical racism, and halting this century’s general decline in democracy? Acute and chronic fear, pervasive uncertainty and near paralysis may represent unavoidable but also dangerous byproducts. Not surprisingly, conducting therapy in these troubled times may also require something extra from each of us. The presentation offers an opportunity to reflect and clarify what that extra might be for each of us.

The webinar also provides an application of three key writings from Erich Fromm to address this challenge: Escape from Freedom (1941); The Art of Loving (1956) & The Art of Listening (1994). Of particular interest are his noted reflections hatred and authoritarianism, as well as his clinical emphases on loving and listening. The latter are particularly valuable when seeking with our clients ‘to look safely and not compulsively look away’. How do we care for healthily love our selves? Practical options for self-care will be explored, including aesthetics, spirituality, meaning-making, titrating our engagement with the news.

Reversing the Developmental Sequence – the Psychotherapy of Depression

Dr Joan Haliburn

Saturday, 10 February, 2024
11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. AEDT

The concept of depression in earlier psychoanalytic writings pointed to its origins in narcissistic vulnerability, developmental trauma and conflicted anger which had no possibility of expression. Hostility directed inwards, childhood disappointment of healthy narcissistic strivings, loss of an important other who is ambivalently regarded, difficulties with self-esteem particularly when reliant on others for regulation of self-esteem, to traumatically un-empathic parenting resulting in chronic feelings of emptiness and depression; insecure and unstable parenting, rejecting and critical behaviour on the part of parents, leading to the developmental of internal working models of self as unlovable and inadequate and others as unresponsive and punitive, causing vulnerability to later adversity or loss, and seeing such loss as failure on one’s own part; chronic devaluation from caregivers, creating shame and depression.

In this webinar, Dr Joan Haliburn will discuss the psychodynamics and psychopathology of depression, the types of depression, role of shame and guilt, and describe an approach to psychotherapy and some of the difficulties one can encounter when treating depressed individuals.

Master Class Series: Phillip Bromberg on Dissociation. A three-session webinar series (Session One)

Prof Andrew Moskowitz

Saturday, 17th of Feb, 2024
11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. AEDT

The American psychologist Philip Bromberg, more than any other contemporary thinker and clinician, built a bridge between dissociation and contemporary psychoanalytic thinking and theory. Through his writings and teachings, Bromberg emphasized the core relevance of dissociation to the interpersonal psychology of Harry Stack Sullivan and relational psychoanalysis. He quipped that Janet’s ghost had come home to haunt Freud – who had famously eschewed dissociation for repression. Bromberg argued forcefully for a central role for trauma and dissociation in normal personality, and for pre-emptive dissociation in personality disorders – which maintained interpersonal distance in order to prevent psychological pain. He also believed that effective therapy required the activation of parts of the therapist’s self that could engage with the client’s parts (essential for the enactments he viewed as necessary for therapeutic progress) all the while respecting the other (normal) dissociative parts that were in the background; in addition, Bromberg insisted on – in striking contrast to classical psychoanalysis – the necessity of periodic therapist disclosures in order for therapy to be effective. And in his use of dreams in therapy, as in many of his teachings, he echoed – without apparently realizing it – the writings of another major historical figure who locked horns with Freud – Carl Jung.

Demystifying Voluntary Assisted Dying (Free Webinar)

Prof Melanie Turner

Thursday, 22nd February, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.00 p.m AEDT

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is now a pathway of health care available in all Australian States and in New Zealand. The laws are similar Australia-wide, but differ slightly in each State, applying to people who have an incurable, advanced and progressive disease, illness or medical condition, and are experiencing intolerable suffering from that. In this webinar, Prof Melanie Turner will disambiguate the facts and myths surrounding VAD, covering key aspects including a summary of each region’s legislation and key differences; how the VAD process works and how people access it; the diverse teams of health-care professionals who provide VAD; what families and clinicians say about being engaged in the VAD process; as well as areas which need further considerations. The psychiatry/psychology view of ethics, neutrality and possible values-clashes, as well as grief and loss are also covered.

Master Class Series: Phillip Bromberg on Dissociation. A three-session webinar series (Session Two)

Prof Andrew Moskowitz

Saturday, 2nd March, 2024
11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. AEDT

The American psychologist Philip Bromberg, more than any other contemporary thinker and clinician, built a bridge between dissociation and contemporary psychoanalytic thinking and theory. Through his writings and teachings, Bromberg emphasized the core relevance of dissociation to the interpersonal psychology of Harry Stack Sullivan and relational psychoanalysis. He quipped that Janet’s ghost had come home to haunt Freud – who had famously eschewed dissociation for repression. Bromberg argued forcefully for a central role for trauma and dissociation in normal personality, and for pre-emptive dissociation in personality disorders – which maintained interpersonal distance in order to prevent psychological pain. He also believed that effective therapy required the activation of parts of the therapist’s self that could engage with the client’s parts (essential for the enactments he viewed as necessary for therapeutic progress) all the while respecting the other (normal) dissociative parts that were in the background; in addition, Bromberg insisted on – in striking contrast to classical psychoanalysis – the necessity of periodic therapist disclosures in order for therapy to be effective. And in his use of dreams in therapy, as in many of his teachings, he echoed – without apparently realizing it – the writings of another major historical figure who locked horns with Freud – Carl Jung.

The Role of Shame in Cults, From Recruitment to Recovery

Daniel Shaw

Saturday, 9th of March, 2024
10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. AEDT

Understanding the traumatizing narcissist’s relational system of subjugation is an important aspect of cult recovery work, for both the therapist and the cult survivor. In this webinar, Daniel Shaw describes the role of shame in the psychology of the traumatizing narcissist, and explains how shame is implicated in cult recruitment, in maintaining cult loyalty, and in the challenges of cult recovery. Cult survivors often resist self-referring for psychotherapy for fear they will not be understood. This webinar seeks to raise awareness within the psychotherapeutic community of the relational dynamics between cult leaders and followers, and of some of the central struggles for those recovering from cult-related trauma.

Money Talks: Ethical & Clinical Issue of Fees in Therapy (Free Webinar)

Dr Kris Rao

Wednesday, 20th March, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m  AEDT
Issues of fees in therapy is anxiety provoking for both the therapist and the client. How therapists deal with fees can influence the therapeutic relationship and outcome of therapy. Fees are indeed part of the unconscious process in therapy. Fees also reflects how therapist handles issues to treatment as they are part of the frame and boundaries. Fees are related to the therapist’s education, skill, and competence. Therefore, fees are not just a practical matter, but also a clinical and ethical one. In this webinar, Dr Kris RAO will review ethical and clinical principles around fees in therapy. He will discuss the protocols around deciding fees, raising fees, and managing fees in therapy. He will also review problems dealing with issues related to fees, and transference and countertransference issues arising out of fees.

Attachment Theory Informed Psychotherapy: A Brief Survey of Current Practice

Dr Kevin Keith

Thursday, 21st March, 2024
6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. AEDT

Attachment Theory has provided a vast research foundation for understanding lifespan development. Attachment Theory informs how therapists can create a safe and caring relational environment and how this in turn can support the exploration and reconstruction of the client’s internal working models (IWMs) of self and others. Knowledge of Attachment Theory will also foster deeper therapeutic alliance and better positive therapeutic outcome related to change and growth for a client. More recently, the field has begun to impact the practice of adult psychotherapy. After a brief general introduction to attachment theory, focus will be given to four points: (1) the use for attachment theory for general assessment in therapy with adolescents and adults, (2) attachment-informed relational/ psychodynamic therapies, (3) specific application of the ‘distance management’ within therapy for attachment anxiety and avoidance, and (4) emotion focussed therapies.  The session will identify resources for further exploration as well as briefly highlight similar trends across other contexts and earlier lifespan.

Supervision Master Class: Process Supervision & Taped Supervision

Dr Nick Bendit & Dr Kris Rao

Wednesday, 27th March, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m  AEDT

The significance of supervision in developing clinical expertise has been acknowledged since the inception of psychoanalysis. Freud hosted weekly evening meetings in his home, where he and other therapists discussed both theoretical and case-related topics, essentially conducting group supervision (Hess, 2008).

When practicing psychodynamic psychotherapy, supervision is essential. However, what happens during supervision is highly variable. In this Masterclass, Dr Nick Bendit & Dr Kris Rao will discuss ‘process supervision’, which is common to most psychodynamic models, as well as cover ‘audio tape supervision’, which is somewhat unique to supervising the Conversational Model (CM) practitioners. The webinar will emphasise managing both difficult clients and supervisees, along with other clinical challenges encountered in the supervisory relationship.

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The Psychotherapy Proces: Considerations of Phase Approach

Dr Joan Haliburn

Saturday, 30th March, 2024
11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. AEDT

There are hundreds of psychotherapy modalities practised all over the world. Consequently, which primary considerations comprise Psychotherapy, and how it works (versus how well it works) are often-asked questions. In this webinar, Dr Joan Haliburn will attempt to answer those two questions by discussing psychodynamic psychotherapy processes, as viewed through the Conversational Model lens (aka Psychodynamic Interpersonal Therapy). Given that patients/clients come to psychotherapy with a wide range of problems and an even wider range of unique life histories and experiences, ideally psychotherapists need to tailor their therapy approach to their patient’s needs.  Notwithstanding such tailoring, there are some presentations that are amenable to commonality in approach. For example, trauma is prevalent in many life histories, therefore during the assessment we heed the client’s frailty, their readiness to form a therapeutic relationship, and their capacity to “work through” defences, plus their propensity to change. These (and other) factors influence how we adapt a general therapy to the client, for no two therapies are alike.

Dividing psychotherapy into notional phases is a process-oriented way of demarcating key therapeutic tasks that both client and therapist hold in awareness. Therefore, division into an Early Phase including Assessment; A Middle Phase aka “Working Through”; and a Late Phase aka Integration, generally leads to positive outcomes. Dr Haliburn will describe how the Conversational Model (PIT) optimises each of these three phases, some typical interventions utilised in the Conversational Model, and the reasons for those interventions. Topics included are the therapeutic relationship, transference and countertransference, disjunctions and repair, impasses and ways to move through them, fear of traumatic repetitions that inherently inhibit client change, therapy separations and endings/termination.

Apr-Jun 2024 

Master Class Series: Phillip Bromberg on Dissociation. A three-session webinar series (Session Three)

Prof Andrew Moskowitz

Saturday, 6th April, 2024
11.00 a.m to 12: 30 p.m AEDT

The American psychologist Philip Bromberg, more than any other contemporary thinker and clinician, built a bridge between dissociation and contemporary psychoanalytic thinking and theory. Through his writings and teachings, Bromberg emphasized the core relevance of dissociation to the interpersonal psychology of Harry Stack Sullivan and relational psychoanalysis. He quipped that Janet’s ghost had come home to haunt Freud – who had famously eschewed dissociation for repression. Bromberg argued forcefully for a central role for trauma and dissociation in normal personality, and for pre-emptive dissociation in personality disorders – which maintained interpersonal distance in order to prevent psychological pain. He also believed that effective therapy required the activation of parts of the therapist’s self that could engage with the client’s parts (essential for the enactments he viewed as necessary for therapeutic progress) all the while respecting the other (normal) dissociative parts that were in the background; in addition, Bromberg insisted on – in striking contrast to classical psychoanalysis – the necessity of periodic therapist disclosures in order for therapy to be effective. And in his use of dreams in therapy, as in many of his teachings, he echoed – without apparently realizing it – the writings of another major historical figure who locked horns with Freud – Carl Jung.

Case Notes & Recordkeeping in Therapy

Dr Kris Rao

Wednesday, 10th of April, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

Our memory has no guarantees at all, and yet we bow more often than is objectively justified to the compulsion to believe what it says.” — Sigmund Freud

Without independent corroboration, little can be done to tell a false memory from a true one.” — Elizabeth Loftus

Our memory is not the most reliable recording keeping tool. Therapists have long relied on notes to track client progress and maintain continuity from session to session. Remembering previous sessions is a foundational demonstration of respect for our clients. However, recordkeeping is more than just a memory aid. Case notes and other records in therapy can help us track ongoing conceptualisations, make better decisions, keep our clients safe, and enable correct information sharing with other practitioners. Keeping requisite records is a requirement for all practitioners and agencies. And when diligently done, conscientious and accurate recordkeeping will shield us from legal risks and external scrutiny.

In this comprehensive webinar, you will learn about:

•            The ethical, legal, and clinical reasons for maintaining accurate records in your therapy practice.

•            Recognizing the various types of case notes commonly used in therapy.          

•            Identifying the difference between case, progress, and process notes.

•            Reviewing common errors made with case notes and recordkeeping.

•            Maintaining and securely storing these records.

•            Deciding what to include in these case notes, and what to leave out.

•            Examining the use of these records to improve client care and service experience.

•            Determining access rights, privacy, legal, and other relevant ethical considerations with case notes and recordkeeping

Prof Melanie Turner on ADHD in Children & Adolescents.

Prof Melanie Turner

Wednesday, 17th April, 2024
6.30. p.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions compromising childhood development. Although it has been conceptualized as a disorder of childhood for about fifty years, up to 90% of children with ADHD continue to experience some symptoms into adolescence and adulthood. In this webinar, Prof Melanie Turner will cover key aspects of diagnosing and therapeutically working with children and adolescents exhibiting symptoms on the ADHD spectrum. Seen through a psychiatric lens, she will also explore the overlap with other causes of similarly presenting challenging behaviours and mood changes, and how to work with those overlaps. Prof Turner will also discuss non-medication options for ADHD treatment, especially psychotherapy. In addition to her practice-based experience, she will bring a contemporary research lens to focus on the comparative effectiveness and efficacy of the various medication and non-medication approaches. She will also discuss the significance of working with families, and the importance of communication with schools and Allied Health to align on ADHD treatment approaches. Being a topic of broad interest, the webinar will allow ample time for Q&A.

Dying for Love: An attachment problem with some perpetrator introjects.

Dr Valerie Sinason

18th April 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m  AEST

In 1990 Dr Valerie Sinason had a paper published in the British Journal of Psychotherapy, “Passionate lethal attachments” concerned by the lack of progress of three children seen in three different settings, an EBD School (school for children with emotional and behavioural disturbance), a Day Unit for disturbed excluded children and an outpatient Clinic, Dr Sinason noted a particularly destructive constellation in both their inner and outer worlds when the child is left far more at the mercy of internal attachments which can be lethal. Where a child has a severe intellectual disability, it can be even harder to extricate themselves from a destructive relationship. Thirty-three years later, after further understanding of the significance of disorganised and lethal attachment patterns, and more long-term work with adults with dissociative identity disorder, Dr Sinason developed the ideas into “Dying for Love; an attachment problem with some perpetrator introjects” (2017) which was published in the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, Vol 18, (3).

In trying to understand the problem with the children Dr Sinason found profound answers in Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Nancy recognises her lethal attachment to the violent Bill Sykes as a consequence of her earlier attachment to Fagin. She knows it. `I am drawn back to him, through every suffering and ill usage; and should be, I believe, if I knew that I was to die by his hand’. Rose knows that is madness but can do nothing to help. At another point she says to her would-be rescuers `I am chained to my old life. I loathe and hate it now but I cannot leave it. I must have gone too far to turn back’.  In this webinar,  Dr Sinason will discuss the nature and impact of a disorganised attachment pattern that is in fact infanticidal (Kahr 2007) and the issues this poses for therapy.

Relational Somatic Beings (Free Webinar)

Peter McKay

Tuesday, 23rd April, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.00 p.m  AEST

This webinar will open by delving into the relational and bodily aspects of Trauma Theory and Affect Theory, examining their connection to the human experience. Using that lens as a foundation, Peter will then focus on how this understanding can deepen the working alliance to become a therapeutic relationship. The exploration will cover the essence of how “being a human”  might manifest, and the associated phenomenological processes that define it. The webinar will also shed light on the embodied/somatic relational dynamics that shape our individual and collective identities. Finally, we will investigate the interplay and influence of these complex dynamics, applying them to a hypothetical client scenario to deepen our comprehension of what “Relational Somatic Being” looks like during the therapy hour.

Clinical Case Report Writing: Best-Practice

Dr Kris Rao

Wednesday, 24th April, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m  AEST

We are sometimes called to write clinical case reports as part of our therapy practice. These reports support insurance claims, court proceedings, NDIS applications, and information sharing with agencies and other practitioners. Best practice case reports must meet a range of requirements. They must be fit for purpose (provide the needed information concisely), accessible (effective writing using appropriate clinical language), ethical (fair and accurate representation), and compliant with legal and other professional standards. Every report we write is an ambassador for who we are as a person, as well as for our proficiency. It may be the first and only source whereby others form an impression of our expertise and professionalism. It is also a vital way to differentiate ourselves business-wise, whether self-employed or representing our employer. This webinar will show you how to write best-practice clinical case reports. You will receive free templates to use in your practice.

Beyond Death: Ongoing Incest During Adulthood

Prof Warwick Middleton

Saturday, 27th of April, 2024
11.00 p.m. to  1.00 p.m. AEST

Ongoing incest during adulthood is in some ways the last frontier in our awareness of extreme and enduring trauma. It has existed as something referred to occasionally in clinical anecdotes, and any form of systematic study of this form of trauma has come very late, an extension of society’s reluctance to accept the reality of the widespread nature of incest itself. This webinar positions ongoing incest during adulthood within the spectrum of extreme trauma and highlights the reality that almost inevitably it also encompasses, in one or other of its variants, organised abuse.  The victims of ongoing incestuous abuse that extends into adult years, inevitably satisfy diagnostic criteria for dissociative identity disorder (and usually in its more extreme forms). In this webinar, Prof Warwick Middleton examines the phenomenology and abuse profiles of the victims of this sort of abuse, and explores how the therapist deals with this most challenging of clinical cases.

Supervision Master Class: Supervising Novice Practitioners

Dr Kevin Keith

Thursday, 2nd May, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

Supervision of practitioners is a requirement for most professional mental health workers. However, unlike many areas of treatment, very little evidence exists as to what might count as effective supervision. Nonetheless, this story may not be as dire as it might first read. After survey of the brief research on supervision effectiveness, the webinar focus will turn to a second more fertile discussion of supervision research. Helpful theoretical models, expert surveys and research on the developmental needs of novice practitioners will provide the concepts for discussion of a possible ‘how to’ list. What activities might be required for constructive supervision? What might be included under term, ‘contract’? What might the marks of good therapist/therapy and a good supervision look like? Engagement with both the Short Supervisory Relationship Questionnaire (S-SRQ) [supervisee view] and the Supervisory Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSQ) will permit a more granular look for possible answers for what is good supervision. A brief look at the notion of a novice closes out the webinar content. This will consider a fresh look at what might define a novice and what does a novice become after they are no longer a novice. What changes: possibly the gradual internalisation of habits of good practice? The session will close off with a Q&A where more specific questions regarding supervision practice.

Youth Interrupted: Social Anxiety during the adolescent years.

Dr Joan Haliburn

Saturday, 4th May, 2024
11.00 a.m to 12.30 p.m AEST

Since the notable paper in 1985 by Liebowitz et al, the scholarly literature still invokes their phrase “the neglected anxiety disorder”, when speaking of social anxiety (and social phobia). That is because the condition is still comparatively under-recognized and undertreated, with limited ongoing clinical research. Irrespective of which theoretical/clinical development lens is used, adolescence encompasses approximately a crucial decade of a person’s psychology that can be compromised, and even interrupted, if Social Anxiety is not correctly diagnosed and treated early. A combination of genetic, heritable, temperament, and attachment-specific interactions play a part in the aetiology of the condition. The emotional, social, academic, and behavioural impact of non-treated Social Anxiety Disorder typically results in depression, withdrawal, suicidal ideation, self-harm, eating disorders and related sequelae.  Consequently, careful assessment, competent diagnosis, and specific/targeted therapeutic strategies are required when working with adolescents struggling with Social Anxiety Disorder. In this webinar on Social Anxiety Disorder, Dr Joan Haliburn will discuss the prevalence, aetiology, assessment, diagnostic criteria, and developmental impact of the condition. She will then delve deeply (using vignettes and case studies), into the importance of early intervention and key psychotherapy treatment principles.

Digital/Electronic Case Notes & Recordkeeping: Key Ethical & Legal Considerations.

Dr Kris Rao

Wednesday, 8th May, 2024
6.30 a.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

The adoption of cloud-based software and online therapy has transformed the process of keeping therapy case notes and records from paper-based format to digital formats such as cloud-based case record systems or custom-built digital record keeping systems. While such technological advancements have improved quality, safety, efficiency, access, and provision of integrated care, there have been numerous ethical and legal concerns. For instance, the use and storage of data, issues of backup, access to case-notes post subscription, ethics and the use of Artificial Intelligence tools. Choosing a provider or platform raises further issues of confidentiality concerns, data standards, data quality, and ownership – not to mention cybersecurity breaches. It is important to assess your practice needs, templates required as a private practitioner or  as a service manager, and to consider what happens if the system is compromised, and what might be your responsibility in such cases. Additionally, it is important to consider what happens to electronic records if you move service providers or they shut down their business.

In this webinar, Dr Kris Rao will discuss and help to clarify clinical, ethical, and legal considerations of keeping digital/electronic records from the Australia & New Zealand context. You will receive free templates on digital/electronic case notes checklists, key principles chart, and checklists for transitioning

Master Class Series: Giovanni Liotti on Dissociation A three-session webinar series (Session One)

Prof Andrew Moskowitz

Saturday, 11th of May, 2024
10.00 a.m to 11.30 a.m AEST

While Philip Bromberg and Giovanni Liotti both made ground-breaking contributions to our understandings of dissociation and psychotherapy, they took very different routes. Bromberg was first and foremost a clinician, albeit one with unbridled passions for literature and psychoanalytic history. In contrast, The Italian psychiatrist Liotti was as much theorist as he was therapist, with a strong interest in childhood experiences and developmental pathways to psychopathology. Trained as a cognitive-behavioral therapist and renowned in his native Italy for his psychotherapy training and teaching, Liotti impressed John Bowlby – who was astonished that a cognitive-behaviorally-oriented thinker could understand attachment theory as well as he did. Liotti was one of the first to recognize the essential similarity between infant disorganized attachment and adulthood dissociation and dissociative disorders, and speculated on the pathways that led from one to the other, as well as to borderline personality disorder and psychotic disorders. He believed that attachment was essential to understanding traumatic reactions, which activated the attachment system along with its corresponding implicit memories and internal working models of relationships. In his therapeutic work, Liotti emphasized the activation of the ‘cooperative’ system in psychotherapy, which kept the attachment system at bay, along with a careful and measured activation of the attachment system when indicated. His nuanced understanding of evolutionary-based motivational systems provided a cutting-edge vision of not only the ebb-and-flow of psychotherapy, but also the triggering of abusive behavior.

Internal Working Models in Adult Attachment

Dr Kevin Keith

Wednesday, 15th May, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 AEST

John Bowlby (1969/1982) sought to integrate the cognitive sciences with psychoanalysis and ethology (the study of animal behaviour). In doing so, he also proposed the Internal Working Models (IWMs) concept to account for ‘predisposed developing predictive learning mechanisms’ that guide attachment behaviour across the lifespan (Bolwby, 1980). IWMs were neither pure instincts—i.e., fixed action patterns—nor simple behaviourist learned responses to care. Rather, Bowlby anticipated the changes in developmental sciences that have embraced more complex notions interactivity. IWMs are simultaneously continuous and changeable. But how exactly? Disappointingly, these notions of the IWM have hardly advanced in any systematic manner over the 50 plus years since the first 1969 Volume One of Attachment and Loss.

Despite the lack of overt theoretical progress, a broad suite of multilevel biopsychosocial findings—genetic, epigenetic, brain/central neural system perspectives, peripheral autonomic and somatic systems, cognitive priming—represents a near tidal wave of non-dualistic findings for further consideration. Indeed, Bosmans and colleagues (2020) have suggested that perhaps like the cognitive sciences from the 1960s who commenced looking inside the mind, Attachment Theory might be ready for an ‘unravelling of the black box of attachment development’. This webinar will provide a survey of developments of Bowlby’s original conceptions with an aim to look at how IWMs might be considered in change in therapy with our clients. In addition to the above-mentioned biopsychosocial research, consideration will be given to IWMs as both our unique individual specific representations and the more general emotional/relational capacities that guide our daily living. Included here will be Lau-Zhu and colleagues 2023 recent meta-analysis of Autobiographical Episodic Memory (AEM) attachment and emotion regulation/expression. Brief mention will be made of possible relations between IWMs and Maladaptive Schemas. Case examples and group input will guide the practical consideration of what may change and how in an attachment informed therapy.

Emotional World of Animals (Free Webinar)

To Be Announced

Wednesday, 22nd May, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 AEST

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Supervision Master Class: Ethical Responsibilities & Liabilities in Supervision

Dr Kris Rao

Wednesday, 29th May, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

Supervision has a crucial role in protecting clients, practitioners, and the profession. Supervision directly impacts practice fundamentals (such as informed consent and risk mitigation), therapeutic interactions (such as responding to cultural challenges, multiple relationships, defences, and transference/countertransference), safety (client and therapist vulnerabilities), and compliance confidence (confidentiality, privacy, record management, and disclosure). Effective supervision is ethical supervision. The supervision-supervisee relationship is different from the therapist-client relationship. Supervisors need to understand their ethical responsibilities and know the bounds of their legal liability. Is a supervisor liable for their supervisee’s negligence? How close and intense should supervision be? What are the reasonable responsibilities and actions expected of a supervisor?

This webinar helps supervisors understand their ethical responsibilities and legal liabilities in an Australian and New Zealand context.

Preparing for Legal Encounters: Complaints, Subpoenas, Professional Negligence & Malpractice.

Dr Kris Rao

Thursday, 30th of May, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

Run-ins with the law are only exciting in the movies. Despite your best intentions, there may come a time when the law comes knocking on your door (or inbox.) A situation may arise in circumstances such as: a client raises a complaint against you, when a duty of care is breached, you suffer a data/privacy breach, you fail to disclose an offence or failing mandatory report, you have a dispute with your insurance company, or you receive a subpoena for client notes. Do you know what is classified as an unprofessional conduct? Or what the standard is to determine reasonable care? And what could happen to your business and possibly private assets if someone sues you? What is the threshold?

Preparation is the best protection. There are proactive steps you can build into the day-to-day operation of your practice to protect you should in legal eventualities. Having the right processes in place frees you to do what you love – looking after your clients!

Adult Disorganised Attachment: Definition, Development, Assessment and Care

Dr Kevin Keith

Thursday, 6th June, 2024
6.30 a.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

Adult attachment disorganisation was initially studied in the context infancy parental relationships. The initial measure of adult attachment [employing the ground-breaking Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)] was particularly valuable in predicting future attachments of new parents. This has commonly been referred to as intergenerational transmission phenomena. However, more recent research has expanded consideration of adult attachment disorganisation for grasping both adult general risk (e.g., Personality Disorders, mood difficulties, and dissociation) alongside a more granular focus on moderating notions of self-coherence, reflective functioning and emotion regulation. Hopes for enhancement of treatment are also increasing!

This webinar will look at current definitions, lifespan prevalence and possible developmental pathways for adult disorganisation and a more detailed survey of today’s more expanded measurements adult disorganisation. In addition to the AAI, several new tools will be discussed and elaborated. Practitioners should benefit from a more pluralistic mosaic composed of the more robust old and new measures. These should also enhance both assessment and treatment considerations. Two case studies will be presented that allow a more variable application of adult disorganisation: one focussed on dissociation and self, the other on emotional regulation.

Master Class Series: Giovanni Liotti on Dissociation A three-session webinar series (Session Two)

Prof Andrew Moskowitz

Saturday, 8th June, 2024
10.00. a.m to 11.30 a.m AEST

While Philip Bromberg and Giovanni Liotti both made ground-breaking contributions to our understandings of dissociation and psychotherapy, they took very different routes. Bromberg was first and foremost a clinician, albeit one with unbridled passions for literature and psychoanalytic history. In contrast, The Italian psychiatrist Liotti was as much theorist as he was therapist, with a strong interest in childhood experiences and developmental pathways to psychopathology. Trained as a cognitive-behavioral therapist and renowned in his native Italy for his psychotherapy training and teaching, Liotti impressed John Bowlby – who was astonished that a cognitive-behaviorally-oriented thinker could understand attachment theory as well as he did. Liotti was one of the first to recognize the essential similarity between infant disorganized attachment and adulthood dissociation and dissociative disorders, and speculated on the pathways that led from one to the other, as well as to borderline personality disorder and psychotic disorders. He believed that attachment was essential to understanding traumatic reactions, which activated the attachment system along with its corresponding implicit memories and internal working models of relationships. In his therapeutic work, Liotti emphasized the activation of the ‘cooperative’ system in psychotherapy, which kept the attachment system at bay, along with a careful and measured activation of the attachment system when indicated. His nuanced understanding of evolutionary-based motivational systems provided a cutting-edge vision of not only the ebb-and-flow of psychotherapy, but also the triggering of abusive behavior.

Dr Joan Haliburn on Attachment, Narcissism & Addictions

Dr Joan Haliburn

Saturday, 15th June, 2024
11.00 p.m to 12.30 p.m AEST

It is important to take note of the complexity of psychopathologies involving addictive behaviour – eating, drugs, alcohol, sex or gambling. Psychodynamic theories of addiction suggest that there are three inter-related factors that lead to addiction: 1. Poor sense of Self and coping mechanisms 2. Unavailable care-giver soothing and failure to internalize, 3. Deviant personality as a result.In this webinar Dr Joan Haliburn will discuss what we currently know about the role of attachment in narcissism and addictions.

Supervision Master Class: Supervision with more experienced practitioners - Unique clinical challenges

Dr Kevin Keith

Wednesday, 20th June, 2024
6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m AEST

This webinar looks at supervision work with more experienced supervisees—in contrast to more novice practitioners. At this stage, supervision might be envisioned as a conversation. How might we best develop and maintain a collaborative supervisory relationship? This first in av multiple-session series addresses three relevant specific practical themes regarding supervision. (1) What contributes to an optimal supervision relationship? Included here is a review of both accepted principles of supervision and a granular look at the Short Version of the Supervisory Relationship Questionnaire. Research insights will also be included in the discussion. (2) How might a supervisor support a supervisee who possesses deeper knowledge of a preferred modality? Central here is the need for supervisors to be open to learning new aspects of therapeutic process with and from their supervisees. Two aspects of supervision would seem relevant: (a) experience and sharing of power in supervision, and (b) supervisors experience of their own limits—tolerance for uncertainty in therapy. (3) Finally, an exploration of Weitz (2020) practical, logistical and complex perspectives, asks what exactly are online supervision and supervision online? And why might those differences matter for our supervision practices? After a review of the notion of digital psychotherapy, a range of anticipated and less anticipated questions are engaged. These include (a) technological competence, (b) security, confidentiality, and possible breaches, (c) international & insurance risks and (d) online boundaries and platforms.

Dr Jackie Amos on Parallel Parent & Child Narrative

Dr Jackie Amos

Saturday, 29th June, 2024
10.00 p.m to 12.00 p.m AEST

Parallel Parent and Child Narrative (PPCN) is a story-based psychotherapy for verbal children and their primary caregivers, developed in New Zealand by early childhood educator and child therapist Heather Chambers. PPCN was developed to address the hurt that can accumulate in parent- child relationships in the face of intergenerational adversity and trauma. John Bowlby, the father of attachment theory, stipulated that to help distressed parents and children it was necessary to work with the parent and child in parallel, at the level of the internal working model. These two principles are at the heart of PPCN.  Taking a strengths-focused approach, the PPCN therapist actively works to uncover the untold story of care and connection, hidden beneath the stories of trauma and distress, whilst also addressing traumatic memories. The parallel narrative sets the relationship on a new path, where understanding precedes action, and parents and children, together, find unique solutions to the shared challenges that they face.

Jackie trained in PPCN with Heather Chambers in 2003. Jackie and Heather still continue to collaborate, with Jackie researching the mechanism of action of PPCN in her PhD. PPCN has been central to Jackie’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatric practice for 20 years. She has successfully used, and trained others in PPCN at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Southern Adelaide. Jackie has more recently supported the inclusion of PPCN into the suite of interventions offered in a family reunification service in Centacare Catholic Family Services. Heather and her colleagues enjoy success working with families in Child and Adolescent Mental health Services and private practice across New Zealand

In this webinar, speaking as highly-experienced PPCN practitioner and trainer (and mother-child relationship researcher), Dr Jackie Amos will discuss the importance of dyadic therapies for parents and their school age children, explain the role of the PPCN therapist, outline the PPCN process with reference to the postulated mechanism of action and talk about how PPCN has been used effectively in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, and in a Family Reunification Service in South Australia.

 

Jul-Sep 2024 (Coming soon)