Work with self-harm, dissociation & trauma in individuals and institutions

A one-day conference with leading clinicians from the in Richmond, Surrey. The Cassel is the only centrally funded, specialist NHS service in the UK for patients with severe and enduring mental health problems on a background of complex trauma. A recurrent challenge in working with this group of patients is the way in which staff and patients can find themselves disconnected from reality, whether it is the patient’s painful internal reality, their physically damaged bodies, the realities of their lives outside the treatment, or the emotional toll it takes to try and understand the complicated interplay between these areas.

We will spend the day exploring the connections between self-harm, trauma and dissociation from different perspectives, thinking about the ways in which patients, staff and organisations may disconnect from reality, and how we can work with these experiences.

Programme:

‘Out of sight, out of mind?

Working with separation and risk when patients are away from hospital’

Sarah Miell, Psychosocial Nurse & Simmi Protab, Clinical Nurse Manager

‘Defensive Care - Social defence systems in health institutions’

Ricardo Readi, Principal Adult Psychotherapist/ Psychoanalyst

‘Double-Edged - Thinking about professionals’ responses to self-harm’

Dr Tom Dalton, Specialist Registrar in Medical Psychotherapy

You will hear presentations from the successful Cassel Summer Conference 2024. which received the follolwing feedback:

“honest, powerful and engaging”

“an inspiring, thought provoking, nurturing, awareness-raising and thoroughly enjoyable, worthwhile day”

Previous delegates who found this conference useful have included nurses, HCAs, social workers, psychiatrists, therapists, psychologists, workers in CMHTs, HTTs and crisis teams.