Many people seek help from mental health professionals for struggles like depression, anxiety, impaired judgment, substance abuse or behavioral difficulties. These noticeable problems are often symptomatic of something less conspicuous—deficits in maturity. No one arrives in adulthood in one piece. For various reasons, parts of the self get stuck in developmental culs-de-sac while other parts grow to maturity. Consequently, most people have "maturity gaps," or discrepancies between chronological age and developmental age. In effect, most grown-ups need to grow up in some areas and life eventually requires the use of all aspects of the person, even those that are underdeveloped. When that happens, people either grow in those areas or stay stuck. And staying stuck not only leads people to seek out mental health services, but may also hinder their ability to achieve successful therapeutic outcomes.

This seminar equips participants to help clients identify and develop those immature parts giving rise to troubling symptoms. The theoretical framework presented for understanding this process is object relations which could just as well be called "human relations." Participants will learn to use current relationships, both with the therapist and with others, to facilitate the growth of those personality aspects delayed in earlier times. This seminar communicates a user-friendly object relations perspective that helps clinicians enrich their therapeutic work, regardless of theoretical orientation, client population or treatment setting. The ideas are presented with frequent use of case examples, stories, illustrations and analogies which allow attendees to fully grasp the practical applications of the material. Character change and growth take place in the context of healthy relationships.

Course Content

Theory

• Overview of Object Relations Concepts (15 minutes)
• Character/Personality Development (75 minutes)
  • Developmental Stages
    • The Four Stages
      • Stage #1: Attachment
      • Stage #2: Separation
      • Stage #3: Integration
      • Stage #4: Power
    • results of proper development
    • healthy self
    • healthy relationships
    • healthy coping

• Internalized relationships
• how growth is facilitated
• how growth becomes stunted
• how growth is resumed

• Aspects of Character/Personality (90 minutes)
  • Attachment aspects
    • knowing and displaying the true self
    • trusting others
    • drawing upon the soothing of others
  • Separation aspects
    • sense of separate self
    • setting and respecting limits
    • using emotions as signals for protection
  • Integration aspects
    • dealing with own imperfections
    • dealing with others’ imperfections
    • tolerating conflicting emotions
  • Power aspects
    • understanding capabilities and responsibilities
    • relating to other adults as equals
    • using adult power to succeed at life              

Practice

• The Process of Change (30 minutes)

• locating and strengthening underdeveloped parts
• using the therapeutic relationship as a context for growth
• using other healthy relationships to promote growth
• balancing emotional support and reality feedback
• blending object relations concepts with other therapeutic approaches

• Specific Interventions (150 minutes)
  • Attachment interventions
  • Separation interventions
  • Integration interventions
  • Power interventions