19/06/10 LONDON: How to Reach Unreachable Children & Teenagers (Autism, Asperger's, Dissociative Disorders, Selective Mutism, Severe Learning Difficulties)

Saturday 19 June 2010 (10.00am-5.15pm, registration 9.30-10.00am)
HOW TO REACH UNREACHABLE CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS (Autism, Asperger's, Dissociative Disorders, Selective Mutism, Severe Learning Difficulties)
Cost: £160 (includes a complimentary buffet lunch)


Children who have difficulties in relating to other children, who seem unaware of other minds and who appear locked in their own private world, children who cut off from feelings, withdrawn children and those who don’t want to speak, present unique challenges to both professionals and parents. So we are delighted to bring together top experts in the field to discuss how to reach children and young people who can be so hard to relate to. The experts will bring you a wealth of ways of connecting with children and teenagers who do not seek human connection and/or whose relational options are severely limited. The numbers of children diagnosed with Aspergers or Autism has risen significantly.

In the professional literature, autism is ordinarily defined as a lifelong disorder. However, an outcome summary from a remarkable centre in Israel target="_blank">The Mifne Center) found that 73% of the autistic children treated there were totally drawn out of isolation to live normal lives. The Director, Hanna Alonim, will present her methods, therapeutic interventions, underlying theory and exceptional results through deeply moving case material and video footage. In addition, we are honoured to have as presenter the eminent Dr Anne Alvarez (previously Co-Convener of the Autism Service, The Tavisock Clinic). Experts in working with children with selective mutism will present practical tools and techniques for working with those who do not want to speak. Valerie Sinason, Head of the Clinic for Dissociative Studies, will explain the terrible price for children/teenagers who have cut off from feeling in the most extreme ways (dissociative identity disorders) and how she has been able to bring them back to function in a relational world. She will also speak on her extensive work with children with severe learning difficulties and effective ways of establishing or developing profound emotional connection, both verbally and non-verbally.

Benefits from attending this conference

Learn how to connect to children who do not seek connection
Take away a wealth of understanding and practical intervention for connecting with children on the autistic spectrum
Learn how to raise the awareness of professionals and parents to early signs of ‘alarm’ and social resistance in infants and children
Be empowered to make effective treatment interventions with ‘hard to reach’ children and young people
Gain a far more in-depth working knowledge of autism, Aspergers, dissociative disorders, selective mutism, severe learning difficulties in children/young people
Speaker

Dr Anne Alvarez
Clinical Psychologist and Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. Over 30 years experience of treating autistic, psychotic and borderline children and adolescents with psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Lecturer at The Tavistock Clinic, London. Previously Co-Convener of the Autism Service, The Tavistock Clinic. Author: Live Company: Psychoanalytic Therapy With Autistic, Abused and Borderline, Psychotic Children. Co-editor: Autism and Personality.

Hanna Alonim (International Guest Trainer, Israel)
Founder and Director of the Mifne Center, Israel, (treating children with autism) and Director of the School for Therapists (Mifne Center, Israel). Pioneered the project of diagnosis and treatment of infants at risk in their first year of life (Sourasky Medical Center, and Schneider Children's Medical Center, Israel).

Maggie Johnson and Alison Wintgens
Consultant Speech and Language Therapists specialising in childhood communication disorders and selective mutism. Co-authors: The Selective Mutism Resource Manual. Maggie is a key contributor to the Primary National Strategy for children with special educational needs. Alison is Trust Lead for Speech and Language Therapy in South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, London. She works on a multi-disciplinary Tier 3 CAMHS team. Also, Regional Adviser for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Dr Valerie Sinason
Adult Psychoanalyst and Child Psychotherapist (BCP/UKCP). Director of the Clinic for Dissociative Studies. Honorary Consultant psychotherapist to the Cape Town Child Guidance Clinic. Specialises in disability, trauma and abuse. Court expert witness. Written extensively on psychotherapy, disability and abuse including books Attachment, Trauma and Multiplicity: Working with Dissociative Identity Disorder and Memory in Dispute. Over 70 published peer-reviewed papers. Previously Consultant Child Psychotherapist at the Tavistock Clinic; Consultant Psychotherapist at both the Anna Freud and Portman Clinics and Consultant Research Psychotherapist / Psychoanalyst at St George’s Hospital Medical School.

*For more details and to book, contact direct:

The Centre for Child Mental Health
2-18 Britania Row
London N1 8PA
Tel. 020 7354 2913
Fax. 020 7704 0171
Email: info@childmentalhealthcentre.org