Lectures will take place at the following times:

*To enable access to the widest possible audience these lectures are planned to be delivered live, but remotely, as webinars. Where we are able, a recording will be made available to all booked delegates although we encourage live attendance wherever possible. Please see the details above to see if this lecture will be recorded and available after the live event.

These lectures will be delivered remotely using Zoom.

You will need a device with a microphone and camera together with a suitably fast internet connection. Although mobile devices and tablets can be used, we recommend the use of a laptop or desktop PC for the best experience. Some devices provided by employers may have restrictions in place. Please use this Zoom test link to check your set up before booking.

You will be sent the necessary login link about a week before the course start date. Should you have any concerns about the accessibility of remote delivery please contact us to discuss how we can best help you.

Three lectures make up this spring 2025 series:

Lecture 1: Story and the Cognitive Map – the neuroscience of narrative

Thursday 16 January 2025

This lecture will be recorded.

Lecturer: Dr Richard Brockman

We tell stories. We create stories. Indeed all mammals create stories not in the form of a narrative but in the form of a ‘cognitive map’.
This lecture will explore the neuroscience of how mammals create a cognitive map and the neuroscience of how we, homo sapiens, create a narrative. It will then explore the neuroscience of how overwhelming trauma (a trauma where the outcome is totally out of one’s control) disrupts the cognitive map in the mammal and the narrative in us. It will also examine how with skill, work, time, and luck – how the cognitive map and the story can be partially if not fully restored.

Lecture 2: Treating Traumatized and Dissociative Neurodevelopmentally Disabled Clients

6 February 2025

This lecture will be recorded.

Lecturer: Katherine Reuben

Neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) are conditions present from birth or early childhood which affect how individuals perceive, make sense of, and interact with the world. Two of the most common are attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. Many individuals with NDDs have social communication differences, difficulties recognizing risks, and behaviors that are stigmatized by society. Accordingly, many have poor attachment with caregivers, are rejected by peers, and are perceived by predators as uniquely vulnerable. This leads to high rates of complex trauma, including child maltreatment, bullying, assault, and intimate partner violence. Differences in cognition, disability-related stressors, emotional health comorbidities, and lack of support subsequently increase the risk of posttraumatic stress and dissociation.

Unfortunately, the overlap of NDDs with posttraumatic stress disorder and dissociation is under-recognized. In some cases, NDD symptoms are misperceived as arising entirely from trauma — such as attention-deficit and hyperactivity symptoms being attributed solely to childhood physical abuse — which may cause confusion and frustration when trauma therapy alone fails to resolve core symptoms. If a NDD is already diagnosed, it is not uncommon for all other symptoms to be attributed to this diagnosis, and clinicians are often particularly hesitant to consider that trauma and dissociation are relevant. A major concern is the lack of training or professional support for proper screening, especially for clients who are non-verbal or otherwise impaired in reporting about their experiences. Even when a clinician recognizes that a NDD client has been traumatized and is struggling with dissociation, there are few existing resources to assist with treatment.

This presentation will review what is known about experiences of trauma, posttraumatic stress, and dissociation for individuals with NDDs, with a focus on autism. Signs of posttraumatic stress and dissociation, overlapping symptoms, and potentially unique presentations will be discussed. Finally, the presentation will cover implications for screening and treatment.

Sentenced to Life: Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating

6 March 2025

This lecture will be recorded.

Lecturer: Diane Turner

I intend to address the significant trauma of a group of patients, diagnosed with a chronic metabolic condition in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood, who refuse to accept the life sentence that they receive. I will specifically address the nihilism, the catastrophic impact upon the body and mind of this group, and the destructive strategies that they employ to disavow the reality of the condition.

I will use clinical material from my work and research into this group of patients which examines the unconscious phantasies which proliferate and condemn them to an existence literally on the edge of life and death.

There will also be a demonstration of how focussed psychoanalytic work can help.

Save £15 with a lecture series bundle

Lectures can be booked individually at £30 each or as a cost-saving bundle comprising the three spring 2025 series lectures at £75 – a saving of £15 compared to booking the lectures individually.