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ForwardThe Conditioning of Cues, Including the Imprinting of Time, Date and Language as a Trauma Trigger
Abstract
Clinicians working with patients who report severe abuse of a ritualistic kind slowly recognise very specific trauma triggers linked to time, date and language. Some of these are familiar to the professional, but some are very specific to the patient. Some are known by the patient, some are deeply hidden and where there is dissociative identity disorder sometimes they are only known to a particular self-state. Participants attending will be able to identify some of the most common dates and times in which patients show heightened emotional states of mind. Additionally, the use of repeated phrases, sentences or songs are explored. Like a nursery rhyme, these words, times and dates appear to be laid down early in the child's life and continue to effect them in adulthood. Whilst some dates and phrases are common across geographical borders, others are highly personal. However, the mechanism is a shared one. By linking torture and violent punishment to a particular time, date or phrase the perpetrator is able to dissociate from responsibility for their actions. It is not them who is hurting a child, it is October 31st at midnight. Schools that used to make fixed punishment dates were making use of a similar mechanism. There would be dread over the time passing which was focussed on the date. Seeing time, landscape, date as the danger, rather than a disturbed human, the child is encouraged to keep their allegiance with their perpetrator . Participants will be able to predict dates ahead that could cause problems and plan with their patients ways of cushioning the impact. Phrases and sentences used in time of torture can take further time to unpack.
Potential to Distress: Yes
Target Audience
Those seeking to participate in this webinar must be licensed mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, accredited psychotherapists, etc.). ISSTD staff will audit license information prior to the start of the course and may request additional documentation for your license.
We do accept students enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certification in the mental health field and who have an interest in trauma and dissociation. Students must submit proof of student status such as a transcript or registration record. For those who have completed their degree and are currently in the pre-licensure stage practicing under the license of another clinician, you must provide the name and license information for the person you are working with. Documentation should be sent to ISSTD staff at cfas@isst-d.org before registering.
Learning Levels
Intermediate
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Explain how the time and date of significant trauma events will allow the real time of therapy sessions to be explored more fully and decrease impact
- Analyze how the use of language by perpetrators aids the passing of responsibility from victim to offender
Presenter: Valerie Sinason, PhD
Presenter Bio: Valerie Sinason, PhD is a poet, writer and lecturer who has retired from past work as a Consultant Child Psychotherapist (ACP) and Adult Psychoanalyst (MinstPsychoanal) at the Tavistock Clinic, London and St Georges Hospital Medical School Psychiatry of Disability dept. She continues to work nationally and internationally on trauma and disability and provides supervision and teaching. Founder and now Patron of the Clinic for Dissociative Studies, she is also President of the Institute of Psychotherapy and Disability. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 by ISSTD, the Frank Putnam Award for "The truth about trauma and dissociation" and ,with Dr Ashley Conway for "Trauma and memory; the science and the silenced" in 2022. She was awarded the Innovation Excellence award by the British Psychoanalytic Council in 2021. She has published over 25 books which she has written or co-written including two collections of poetry and over 250 papers and chapters on trauma and disability. Her first novel "The Orpheus Project" was published by Aon books 2023 and her second novel "Hotel Mirabelle and the Wonderful Wheelchair Company "will be published by Aeon in Summer 2026. She received her PhD with a focus o trauma and disability from
St Georges Hospital Medical School, University of London in 2003.
Available Credit
- 1.00 APAThe International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- 1.00 ASWB ACEThe International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), #1744, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.
- 1.00 ISSTD Certificate ProgramThis program is eligible for 1.00 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program. No certificate of completion is generated for this type of credit.
Your Price" above reflects your final price based on your membership status and career level.
- ISSTD defines a student as those enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certification in the mental health field and who have an interest in trauma and dissociation.
- ISSTD defines an emerging professional as mental health professionals who have completed an advanced degree and are in the first three years of their career (or first three years after graduation for researchers).
- If you do not fall into one of the above categories please register as Professional/Retired.
These prices are for Tier I countries. For a list of countries by Tier click here. If you are located in a country that falls into Tier II-VI please contact ISSTD at cfas@isst-d.org to receive the appropriate discount code.
Registration Policies
Cancellations prior to the webinar are subject to a $10 cancellation fee. No refunds are provided for no shows. The deadline for cancellations with a refund is September 15, 2025 at 5:00pm US Eastern Time. Requests for cancellation should be sent to cfas@isst-d.org.
For additional webinar policies including completion requirements, filing grievances, requesting a disability accommodation, and awarding of certificates of credits, please visit our Webinar Policies page.