Conference

Family Support Line and Widener University are pleased to offer our 9th annual conference on the most current methods of treating Child Sexual Abuse.

Thursday, June 7, 2012. Mark your calendars now.

A Perspective on Therapy with Families Besieged by Child Sexual Abuse

This workshop will illustrate a framework for promoting transformation and healing in families whose children have been sexually abused.  The focus of the workshop will be threefold: one, how therapists can use themselves creatively to engage children and families who are caught in cycles of violence entanglements and interactional patterns; two, how to disrupt destructive patterns within family and the significant systems involved; three, how to promote developmental competence in the family.   

 Illustrations of key principles and techniques for catalyzing family transformation will be provided through the use of videotapes of treatment sessions with families who are struggling with the impact of sexual abuse.  In addition case consultations with workshop participants based on their own clinical work will be offered.

Featuring:
John Brendler, MSW, ACSW, LMFT, is a family therapist in private practice in Media and teacher of family therapy, who is widely recognized for his expertise in working with families dealing with destructive relationships and life-threatening symptoms. John is the founder of Building Bridges, a multi-disciplinary, holistic healing context in Media.  He is the former Director of the Family Hospitalization Program of the Child and Family Inpatient Service at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Center and the Associate Clinical Director of the Child and Family Inpatient Service at PCGC, where he worked for 17 years. He is a co-author of Madness, Chaos, and Violence: Therapy with Families at the Brink (Harper Collins, 1991) and author of numerous articles and book chapters on working with severely symptomatic families. An approved AAMFT supervisor, he provides training seminars in family therapy in the U.S. and abroad and leads supervision groups in family therapy.

Fees: 
Register early save money - Register by May 7th only $140. 
Register Today Online

Download pdf Registration Form

1.  Conceptualize family (and larger system) interactional patterns in terms of a symptomatic cycle.
2.  Use the symptomatic cycle to guide the therapeutic process.
3.  Take charge of the therapeutic context.
4.  Focus on competence, collaboration and connectedness.
5.  Generate and maintaining the intensity necessary to promote family transformation and healing.
6.  Recognize and channeling one’s own anxiety and aggression that are often triggered in therapy.
7.  Maintain one’s sanity and integrity throughout the therapeutic process.

 Past Conference Presentations have included:

• Treatment techniques for children
• How brain functioning is affected by trauma
• Child abuse and neglect in context
• Co-occuring trauma

Continuing Education

6.5 CE credits will be offered to participants completing post-workshop forms.

Psychologists: The Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology of Widener University is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. WidenerUniversitymaintains responsibility for this program and its content.

• Social Workers:  The Center for Social Work Education of Widener University is a pre-approved provider by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and

This workshop counts as 6 elective credits toward our Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Certificate Programs.  Please indicate on the registration form if you are or would like to be enrolled in the certificate program.

Professional Counselors to offer continuing education credits for licensed social workers.