An Attachment-informed model for working with depression

Please note that all registrations have to be paid in full before the event takes place - otherwise you will miss out on receiving the Zoom link.

This event will be recorded for all those who are registered but can't make it on the day - recordings are available for a limited time (3 weeks) only.

This webinar is for those who work with clients struggling with unipolar depression. You will be introduced to a reconceptualization of Dollard and Millar’s (1945) Frustration-Aggression hypothesis for depression, integrating Dr Gordon Neufeld’s attachment-based developmental paradigm to offer three intervention points for our clients struggling with depression. We will examine how our clients may struggle with the process of adaptation and so, by default, their frustration may be expressed as aggression. This aggression may be externalised (attacking verbally, physically, emotional abuse and impotent rage) or internalised (bullying self-talk, self-blame/helplessness/powerlessness or self-injurious behaviour or suicidal ideation). The processes of registering futility, adaptation and integration are crucial for clients to avoid falling into a depressive state. We will examine the research on the role of tears in therapy leading to adaption, and the processing of mixed emotions (which involves the integrative function of the pre-frontal cortex) so that they do not spill out (externalised aggression) or inward (internalised depression). 

PRESENTER: Dr. RUTH LAWSON-MCCONNELL (NZ)

Ruth has more than 30 years of experience counselling adults, children, adolescents and families. She trained in Scotland (PhD in Counselling Psychology), has worked in the UK, Canada and now resides in New Zealand. She was a Senior Lecturer in Counselling for many years and still does adjunct lecturing as well as Professional Development workshops, speaking at conferences and clinical supervision. She is a Professional Associate of the Neufeld Institute where she trained with Dr Gordon Neufeld in his Attachment based Developmental paradigm. She is also a certified Neuro-psychotherapist and has trained in the Partners of Sexual Addicts Trauma Model (APSATS). She specialises in Attachment issues offering counselling to those experiencing relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety and trauma, as well as parent consulting on behavioural and emotional issues in children and adolescents. Ruth has authored several journal articles and enjoys distilling current research into clinical application for mental health practitioners.