Day 3 – Overcoming Resistance to Grounding and Fear of Overwhelm
Presented by Dr. Ruth Lanius & Dr. Bethany Brand
For many trauma survivors, grounding can feel more threatening than dissociation. Rather than offering relief, returning to the body may provoke intense fear, emotional flooding, or even episodes of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). These responses are often misunderstood or inadvertently retraumatized by well-meaning attempts to "anchor" the client too quickly.
On Day 3, Dr. Bethany Brand and Dr. Ruth Lanius will guide clinicians through nuanced, research-informed approaches to working with clients who fear grounding. This day focuses on:
Pacing interventions in ways that promote safety, not overwhelm.
Using gradual, body-based tools to build tolerance for presence, without forcing emotional exposure.
Validating fear to stabilization that respect the client's internal timing and protective system.
This training day is essential for clinicians who work with highly dissociative or somatically reactive clients and are seeking tools that prioritize nervous system safety, trauma-informed pacing, and deep respect for client readiness.
Learn how to meet clients exactly where they are—with empathy, skill, and patience—while helping them gently begin to reclaim their embodied experience.
Discuss ways to support clients who fear grounding by validating their concerns and exploring why grounding may feel unsafe or triggering.
Prepare to help clients gently build tolerance for presence using paced, somatic-based strategies tailored to their nervous system and trauma history.
Identify and manage our own empathetic reactions to clients’ terror-based reactions .
Demonstrate the ability to find one's own solid ground while working with severely dissociative clients.
4 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.
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Yes, our courses are accredited by [specific accrediting body, such as APA, NBCC, etc.] for continuing education credits. Please check each course description for specific accreditation details.
Upon successful completion of the course and any required assessments, you'll be able to download your CE certificate directly from your account under the "Completed Courses" section.
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ou will need a computer or mobile device with internet access, an updated web browser, and in some cases, specific software like Adobe Reader or Zoom for interactive sessions. A stable internet connection is recommended for smooth streaming of video content.
o Why clients may not want to get grounded and how to work through that o Why do some clients have such difficulty separating past from present o What to do with clients who have dissociative parts who actively threaten and traumatize other part
$250
How to Heal Trauma’s Impact on the Brain & Helping to Break the Cycle of Self-injurious Behavior.
$250
Addressing Trauma-based Thinking & Getting and Helping Clients Get Safer.
$250
Helping Clients Improve Their Awareness & Comfort with Emotions, Their Bodies, and Their Parts.
$250