Expired Couples Therapy with Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) Survivors and their Partners [Online]

Couples in which one partner suffered sexual abuse in childhood often encounter unique difficulties with physical contact, intimacy, sexuality, communication, and trust, and their relationship dynamic may be marked by reenactments of past traumatic relational patterns.

This online workshop will present a clinical practice that is founded on the assumption that establishing the witnessing lacking during the traumatic event in childhood can break the traumatic reenactments in adulthood, and spur recovery. In particular, the presenter will introduce the concept of “dissociative collusion” as a helpful theoretical and clinical tool as well as describe specific clinical practices that may establish a context for witnessing within the therapy sessions.

Case presentations and role-playing will be used to demonstrate the techniques and illustrate how this approach is widely applicable to couples dealing with complex trauma and its effects.

Learning Objectives:

• Enhance the participants’ understanding of the unique difficulties and challenges that couples in which one partner suffered sexual abuse in childhood often encounter.
• Introduce the concept of “dissociative collusion” as a helpful theoretical and clinical tool for understanding and working with these cases.
• Provide the learner with a practical therapeutic integrative tool that may facilitate the context for witnessing within the therapy sessions.

Presenter:

Ron Nasim, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and certified couple and family therapist from Israel. He is a former coordinator and supervisor for the couple and family therapy program at LOTEM clinic for sexual abuse survivors, Sourasky Medical Center at Tel Aviv. Ron is also lecturer at the Barcai Institute and the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo.