Dissociative? NO PROBLEM! Brief PTSD treatment (Ep. 207: Ad de Jongh & Suzy Matthijssen Part 1 of 2)

This episode, "Are we wasting our clients' time?" is a discussion with Professors Ad de Jongh and Suzy Mattijssen (part 1 of 2), pioneers in the intensive, brief, research-validated treatment of PTSD, including cases with severe comorbidities like MDD or BPD. Iconoclastic and exuberant, Ad and Suzy are accomplished academics and clinicians, and their CV's are so long as to require hyperlinks below this paragraph! The host presents common objections to their methods from therapeutic community--these generally focus on the way in which dissociative symptoms should be addressed in treatment.

Ad de Jongh's CV: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ad-Jongh Suzy Mattijssen's CV: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Suzy-Matthijssen

Highlights include:

-The largely American cultural phenomenon of treating dissociative symptoms as separate from PTSD symptoms

-Ad and Suzy's claim that there is an irrational fear of dissociative symptoms among some clinicians (especially in the EMDR world), which is not seen in the CBT world

-Highly dissociated childhood memories accessed and resolved by associations naturally made during intensive treatment of recent trauma, rather than years of therapy

-The lack of research validation for the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality, and similar conceptualizations of dissociation as "parts."

-Repression of uncomfortable memories and dissociation of troubling affect as a universal phenomenon, not related directly to trauma

-Therapists increasing the phobia of memories with "safe states," coping skills, and "resourcing."

-The PSYTREC facility, and the role of Working Memory Taxation in overcoming hypervigilance and resolving trauma

Ad and Suzy have several trainings pertaining to precisely what they speak about on this episode, at www.sfrankegroup.com. As well, you can read the PSYTREC research at www.psytrec.nl, although you will need Chrome to translate this page into English. These links also appear halfway through this episode.

In future (as in past) episodes, guests will offer counterpoints to Dr. de Jongh and Dr. Mattijssen's views, and this video is a dialogue, rather than an endorsement of their perspectives. Likewise, The Dissociative Table does not endorse the views of its hosts, nor do any professional organizations to which the hosts or guests might belong. It should be noted that the host has no connection to the guests through EMDRIA, as the Dutch have their own regulatory body for EMDR trainings and practitioners.

Join the discussion of this episode and others at the anonymous, free, clinicians-only discussion board by emailing dissociativetable@gmail.com.

The music in this episode is taken from the song "Typhon," from Cracked Machine's album Call of the Void. The band has generously donated rights to their music in support of increased global access to effective trauma treatment. Stream or download at: https://crackedmachine.bandcamp.com/