Navigate Ethical Challenges while Supporting Patient Safety

Treating individuals with complex trauma and severe dissociation presents significant ethical and clinical challenges, including managing safety concerns, reducing the risk of decompensation, and fostering hope in a highly vulnerable population.

This presentation reviews research findings from the Finding Solid Ground (FSG) program, the first randomized controlled trial to demonstrate benefits for individuals with complex trauma, comorbidity, and severe dissociation. Findings suggest that incorporating FSG into ongoing treatment is associated with improved clinical outcomes and lower rates of deterioration than treatment as usual alone.

 Qualitative findings indicate that patients experience increased empathy, connection, and improvements in the therapeutic relationship, while clinicians report greater confidence in addressing challenging clinical issues and reduced professional isolation. 

The presentation will discuss how FSG's structured, skills-based, phase-oriented approach may help clinicians navigate ethical challenges while supporting patient safety, collaboration, and adaptive functioning. Practical implications for integrating FSG principles into clinical practice will be discussed.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe ethical challenges commonly encountered when treating individuals with complex trauma and severe dissociation.

  • Discuss research findings supporting the use of Finding Solid Ground (FSG) for individuals with complex trauma and severe dissociation.

  • Identify FSG interventions and consultation strategies that can support ethical and effective treatment of individuals with complex trauma and severe dissociation.

About the Instructor

Bethany Brand, Ph.D.

Dr. Brand is Emerita Psychology Professor at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She has over 30 years of experience in researching, assessing, and treating the impact of psychological trauma with a specialization in dissociation. Dr. Brand has been honored with the endowed Martha E. Mitten Professorship as well as teaching, research and clinical awards including the Outstanding Contribution to the Science of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association. She is Associate Editor of the Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. Dr. Brand has served on national and international task forces that developed guidelines for the assessment and treatment of trauma-related disorders. She has published over 130 peer reviewed papers and three research-based books about assessing and treating dissociation, The Concise Guide to Assessing and Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation, Finding Solid Ground: Overcoming Obstacles in Trauma Treatment and The Finding Solid Ground Program Workbook. Dr. Brand is the Principal Investigator on the largest treatment outcome studies to date of dissociative disorders (the TOP DD studies). She has delivered hundreds of clinical and research presentations at national and international conferences. In addition to treating patients in her private practice, Dr. Brand serves as a forensic expert in trauma-related cases including state, federal and capital cases and an international Supreme Court case.

Ruth Lanius, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Lanius is a Psychiatry Professor and Harris-Woodman Chair at Western University of Canada, where she is the director of the Clinical Research Program for PTSD. Ruth has over 25 years of clinical and research experience with trauma-related disorders. She established the Traumatic Stress Service at London Health Sciences Center, a program that specializes in the treatment of psychological trauma. Ruth has received numerous research and teaching awards, including the Banting Award for Military Health Research. She has published over 200 research articles and book chapters focusing on brain adaptations to psychological trauma and novel adjunct treatments for PTSD. Ruth regularly lectures on the topic of psychological trauma both nationally and internationally. Ruth has co-authored four books: The Effects of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease: The Hidden Epidemic, Healing the Traumatized Self: Consciousness, Neuroscience, Treatment, and Finding Solid Ground (textbook and workbook). Ruth is a passionate clinician scientist who endeavours to understand the first-person experience of traumatized individuals throughout treatment and how it relates to brain functioning.

Continuing Education Credits

1 CE credits available

  • Bridgepoint Psychology Center (BPC) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  • You must be in attendance for the full program to recieve CE credit. Partial credit will not be available.

  • BPC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

  • Please check with your governing board to verify your continuing education license requirements.

  • For additional information regarding CEs, email: [email protected]

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