Jan 17 2025, 10:00 AM – 5:15 PM EST
Bethany Brand will share cutting-edge evidence-based information about the assessment and treatment of DID on January 17th, 2025 from 10:00 am – 5:15 pm (EDT). If you can’t attend that day, the recording will be available OnDemand for 90 days.
Livestream Program: 6 CE Hours: EMDRIA, Psychologists, LCSW, LMFT, LMHC, LPC and other master’s level clinicians. Check with state licensing board to confirm acceptance of NBCC credits.
Bethany Brand will share her professional experience as she shifted from skepticism to acceptance of the validity of the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) and developing into an expert on dissociative disorders (DD). She will discuss several myths about DID, and her experience of consulting with filmmakers about DID. Dr. Brand will share cutting-edge evidence-based information about the assessment and treatment of DID. She will challenge several common myths about DID including the notion that DID is rare, over-diagnosed, and that treating DID makes patients worse. Dr. Brand will share feedback from people living with DID about the impact that media portrayals of DID have had on them and their treatment.
Learning objectives: Participants will be able to…
- Describe the approach to stabilization that is taught in the research-supported Finding Solid Ground program
- Refute 2 myths about DID with research-based facts
- Describe 3 ways to assess for dissociation among traumatized clients
- Identify 2 ways to differentiate genuine from malingered or factitious DID
- Discuss one assessment measure that is useful in helping to clarify if a client has a dissociative disorder
- List 2 functions of unsafe behavior in dissociative clients
The training will describe informal and formal methods for assessing dissociation in ways that are not leading or suggestible, and that are consistent with research and assessment guidelines for complex trauma. Dr. Brand will explain why it is crucial that assessors know how trauma impacts psychological testing. The training will also review several ways to differentiate genuine DID from other commonly misdiagnosed conditions, including clients presenting with self-diagnosed DID that is sometimes based on social media exposure, rather than severe, early childhood chronic abuse. Cases will be presented so attendees can practice determining whether, based on the presenting symptoms and assessment data, the “clients” have genuine versus malingered DID or another disorder that DID is often confused with (e.g., schizophrenia).
Dr. Brand will briefly provide an overview of a conceptualization and treatment approach for DID individuals that has proven beneficial in research (i.e., the Finding Solid Ground program). Dr. Brand will share cutting edge results from the first randomized controlled trial of this program, which has proven to be beneficial to clients with complex PTSD and dissociative disorders, as well as to therapists who are working with these clients. This training provides information and recommendations to enhance results within EMDR therapy.