Building Agency-wide Competence to Treat Structural Dissociation in Outpatient Settings

Abstract: There is a growing need for treatment programs, agencies, and group practices with specialized competence in treating structural dissociation. Individuals with severe dissociative symptoms often seek care in trauma treatment programs, which provide support and high quality trauma-focused intervention but are limited in managing the complexities of healing for those with structurally separate systems.

Many excellent trauma therapy centers want to develop the capacity to meet this need, but it can be difficult to find concrete pathways for developing agency-wide competence with this population. While extensive training opportunities are available for complex and developmental trauma, it remains a more significant challenge to equip large groups of clinicians with skills specific to structural dissociation.

This panel aims to bridge the gap by sharing practical strategies for expanding agency-wide capacity to treat structural dissociation in outpatient care settings. The panelists represent PHP/IOP and Outpatient programs that have invested in expanding clinical competence in this area, as well as several of the expert trainers who have facilitated the process.

The panelists will discuss the unique challenge of enhancing skillsets for large groups of staff, as well as strategies for supporting clinical team members both personally and professionally in working with individuals who are healing as systems. There will be a practical discussion of what has been effective and what has not at each of the agencies represented, as well as a review of the specific training structures that have allowed each agency to build capacity. The expert trainers will outline the key information they prioritize for developing clinical competence in this area, and the panel will review the practical steps agencies can take to support their clinical teams in learning this content and integrating it into existing modalities and treatment approaches.

Participants will emerge with tangible strategies to increase the competence of their outpatient agencies and practices in treating individuals with structural dissociation, helping increase access to targeted treatment for this community.

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