This course is for Beginning/Intermediate levels.
Marginalized populations and people experience high levels of stress and negative life events as a result of their minority status. Oppression denies people involvement in economic, political, cultural and social activities due to their identification in regards to race, gender, sexuality, ability, class and/or religion. The more these aspects of identity intersect, the more there can be an increase in marginalization and psychological distress. This stress occurs not only as result of direct experiences of discrimination, prejudice and oppression, but also from a lack of connection to others and the culture at large.
AEDP views trauma as being alone with and overwhelmed by unregulated affective
experiences. Oppression can not only result in disconnect from others on an institutional, societal and inter-relational level, but also from the self on an intra-relational level. The external messages associated with racism, ableism, sexism, heterosexism and classism (to name a few of the “isms”) can also be internalized and negatively affect views of self and others. In essence, an insecure attachment relationship can be formed on any or all levels of connection, causing distress, emotional suffering and unbearable aloneness.
With a focus on undoing aloneness and creating secure attachment in the
therapeutic relationship, AEDP, when employed with cultural humility, offers the
clinician the theoretical knowledge and operational tools well-suited for addressing experiences of marginalization and oppression. By authentically recognizing and exploring the effects of marginalization, and the emotions associated with these experiences, the AEDP therapist seeks to dyadically co-create new, positive experiences by deeply processing core affect in relationship to a supportive, authentic and emotionally present therapist. For the marginalized client, and perhaps even therapist, this creates the possibility of undoing internalized messages and relating to self and others in new, healing ways.
This program is for 6.5CE
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.