NARTH Conference Set for Los Angeles on October 23-24
Article information
Volume:
Topics:
Author:
Related Entries
Resolving Trauma and Addiction: The Reintegrative Protocol™
Trauma and addictions are similar in that they both induce emotionally dysregulated trance states of altered consciousness (Miller, 2012; Shapiro & Forrest, 1997). Trauma invokes this trance state with negative, painful affect, and addiction invokes it with positive, pleasurable affects. Iraq war veterans and rape victims know this all too well when they are presented with reminders of their traumas. Addicts can often recall with vivid detail the “rush” of their first experience getting high with such clarity that it almost feels like it is happening in the present. This is not just true for drug abuse. This phenomenon can be observed with behavioral addictions like gambling addiction and sexual addictions. The resolution of these trance states can often be achieved by reintegrating the client’s core affects and unmet relational needs. The Reintegrative ProtocolTM aims to achieve this.The focus of this paper will specifically examine the protocol’s application within the context of treating males presenting with same-sex attractions and will provide instructions for using self-compassion as a method of trauma resolution, as well as instructions for EMDR-trained psychotherapists who wish to use EMDR as a method of trauma resolution.
In Their Own Words: Therapists Who Support a Client’s Right to Explore Sexual Attraction Fluidity Respond to Questions Posed by Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Therapists
In the current politicized climate concerning professional therapies that allow sexual attraction fluidity exploration (SAFE-T), meaningful dialogue between psychotherapists who support and oppose change-oriented goals is quite rare. Recently, a group of lesbian, gay, and bisexual therapists proposed a list of six questions they wished therapists who engaged in SAFE-T would answer. In order to promote understanding and the exchange of ideas over this subject, I submitted these questions to several therapists who have extensive experience working with clients who report unwanted same-sex attractions (SSA) and may desire to pursue change. Questions addressed interventions and theory associated with SSA change, accounting for potential harms of SAFE-T, and the effects of minority stress. In a concluding section, some common themes among respondents were highlighted along with the significance of these themes for clarifying controversies that currently exist regarding SAFE-T.