Finding the Hero in Troubled Youth

In the black-and-white popular view of trauma, people who have gone through life-threatening or injurious experiences either grow up to be innocent victims or damaged villains, with little room for the shades of gray therapists frequently encounter in their work. Therapists know that people who survive trauma are varied, flawed, strong, and most of all, human. That’s why in choosing material for our virtual conference, we made sure to include sessions on trauma that focus on building resilience and resources, even among clients who are triggering, difficult, or perpetrators themselves.

Ken Hardy, director of the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships, recognizes not only the humanity of difficult youth, but also the heroism that allows them to survive in the midst of overwhelming chaos. Working with young people who regularly inhabit the roles of both victim and perpetrator, Ken makes sure to build the foundation of his therapy on clients’ redeeming qualities. In the below clip, he gives an example of finding the hero in a client with a family history of incarceration.

If you’re a trauma specialist looking for more empathic tools like this to incorporate in your practice, it’s not too late to sign up for State of the Art 2013 and get access to sessions featuring leading trauma specialists, including Ken Hardy, Pat Ogden, and Don Meichenbaum. It’s also a great opportunity to pose questions to Mary Jo Barrett and Dick Schwartz, who will follow up on their premiere dialogue “Treating Trauma: A 30 Year Perspective” with a video Q&A session.

With over 40 events to choose from, you’ll also have access to helpful guides on incorporating integrative mental health, brain science based, and family oriented treatment techniques. Sessions are already underway and will be available up to 5 months on-demand.

State of the Art 2013
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