Doors open for Registration @ 7:30 am
Keynote Session: 8:00 to 9:45 am
Worship +
Dr. Eric Johnson
The Heart of Attunement
The word “heart” is commonly used in English as a metaphor (and many languages around the world) to refer to a host of important, embodied, psychological capacities, including emotions, desires, judgments, core beliefs, goals, relationality, the unconscious, authenticity, wisdom, intuition, moral character, one’s true self, and spiritual experience. The psychological heart is the core of one’s subjectivity; it holds one’s deepest desires, values, and loves; and it’s associated with what one considers to be central to one’s life. As a result, it brings unity and harmony to our lives and experience (Johnson, 2020). We recognize today that these dynamics are processed especially in the right hemisphere of the brain (McGilchrist, 2023; Schore, 2019). Nevertheless, they are felt in one’s torso, primarily the chest, and this helps to explain how they have come to be associated with the psychological heart.
“Attunement” is the embodied capacity to track with and enter empathically into the emotion state of another, resulting in emotional co-regulation and a sense of “feeling felt” in the other, and its importance in human development and wellbeing has become widely recognized in our day (Brown & Elliott, 2016; Geller, 2018; Rowe & Mac Isaac, 1989; Siegel, 2020). Given its involvement in relationship and empathy, attunement is likewise processed in the right hemisphere and experienced in the heart, giving humans the ability to track and cultivate its occurrence.
In this session, we will consider how to become more aware of attunement possibilities around us and more proficient in attaining it by paying attention to the psychological heart.
References:
Brown, D. P., & Elliott, D. S. (2016). Attachment disturbances in adults: Treatment for comprehensive repair. W. W. Norton.
Geller, S. M. (2018). In S. W. Porges & D. Dana (Eds.), Clinical applications of polyvagal theory (pp. 106-126). W. W. Norton.
Johnson, E. L. (2020, August 6-8). The psychological construct of the heart [Conference session]. American Psychological Association, Online.
McGilchrist, I. (2023). The matter with things. Perspectiva Press.
Rowe, Jr., C. E., & Mac Isaac, D. S. (1989). Empathic attunement: The technique of psychoanalytic self psychology. Jason Aronson.
Schore, A. N. (2019). Right brain psychotherapy. W. W. Norton.
Siegel, D. (2020). The developing mind (3rd ed.). Guilford.
Wallin, D. J. (2007). Attachment in psychotherapy. Guilford.
Learning Objectives:
1. Appreciate how the seemingly universal, everyday reference to the psychological heart is related to neural activation in the right hemisphere and neurophysiological activity in the chest.
2. Distinguish the various psychological capacities that are associated in lay psychology with the psychological heart, including attunement.
3. Utilize the attunement of the heart to foster greater psychological, relational, and organizational unity and harmony.
Plenary 1: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Worship +
Dr. Brooks
Followed by Plenary Discussion: 11:00 – Noon
Nurturing Authentic Presence Part 1: The Vital Role of Self-Care in Soul-Care Providers
A significant percentage of counseling effectiveness comes from the therapeutic alliance. One of the most significant requirements of building an alliance is an attuned presence, which requires compassion and empathy. A concerning problem emerges when soul-care providers are at the top of the list for compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma – all of which diminish the caregiver’s ability to show compassion and be an attuned presence. In this presentation, we will explore the current burnout and compassion fatigue statistics of the helping profession and discuss the benefits and strategies of provider self-care for personal and professional effectiveness. We will evaluate the potential risks of neglecting self-care, including the ethical ones. The qualities that make up an attuned presence and strategies for fostering genuine connection and empathy for yourself as a provider through self-awareness and spiritual practices will also be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will explore the benefits and strategies of self-care for personal well-being and professional effectiveness.
2. Participants will evaluate and discuss the potential personal and professional risks of neglecting self-care.
3. Participants will be able to describe authentic presence and will discuss strategies for fostering genuine connection and empathy through self-awareness and spiritual rhythms.
Noon – 1:30 Lunch Offsite
Plenary 2: 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Worship +
Jeff Pate
Followed by Plenary Discussion: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Nurturing Authentic Presence Part 2: Slowing Down and Showing Up
This presentation will teach on functioning as an attuned presence in the counseling and broader soul care context. Sociological, educational, and psychological theories, including spiritual resources will be explored to enhance one’s attunement in their professional work. Participants look at how anxiety can derail the provision of soul care and how slowing down to pay attention can be a powerful antidote. The presenter will use his own experiences as a counselor and soul care provider in multiple arenas to clarify and make applicable principles for attunement whether a licensed mental health professional, clergy, chaplain, or lay leader. Clinical and other professional settings intersecting with (among other things) trauma, death, and dying, are primary professional contexts out of which the presentation is forged.
Learning Objectives:
1. In this presentation, participants will discuss what attunement looks like in the provision of soul care.
2. Participants will be able to recognize barriers to attunement in the provision of soul care.
3. Participants will be able to identify practices for cultivating attunement in the provision of soul care.
Plenary 3: 8:30 – 10:00 am
Worship + Dr. DeAron Washington
Followed by Plenary Discussion: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Missing the Mark: Repairing Organizational Relational Rupture/MisAttunement
Rupture can vary in severity and can include small amounts of tensions to major breakdowns of communication, cooperation, and understanding (Safran et al., 2011). Unrepaired ruptures have the potential to deteriorate relationships (Jadaszewski, 2020; Watkins, Jr. et al., 2019). Individuals and organizations need ways to repair relational ruptures (Safran et al., 2011) and regain attunement. This presentation will review the consequences of relational ruptures and misattunement and aid organizations in maintaining attunement.
References:
Jadaszewski, S. (2020). Supervisee perception of cultural rupture & cultural humility: Impact of supervisory relationship[Dissertation, The University of Akron]. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=akron1591779182009241&disposition=inline
Safran, J. D., Muran, J. C., & Eubanks-Carter, C. (2011). Repairing alliance ruptures. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 80–87.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199737208.003.0011
Watkins, Jr., C. E., Hook, J. N., DeBlaere, C., Davis, D. E., Van Tongeren, D. R., Owen, J., & Callahan, J. L. (2019). Humility, ruptures, and rupture repair in clinical supervision: A simple conceptual clarification and extension. The Clinical Supervisor, 38(2), 281–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/07325223.2019.1624996
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will review current research on relational ruptures.
2. Participants will analyze strategies for repairing relational ruptures and regaining attunement.
3. Participants will discuss methods to integrate strategies into organizations.
11:00 – 1:00 Lunch Panel Discussion
Plenary 4: 1:15 – 2:45 pm
Worship +
Christy Ross
Followed by Plenary Discussion: 2:45 – 3:45 pm
Community, Advocacy, and Philanthropy: Partnering to Improve Mental Health Supports for All
In this presentation, we will delve into the transformative impact of collaborative efforts. Community-based partnerships are at the forefront of expanding access to quality behavioral health resources, nurturing a network of support that uplifts individuals and organizations. By exploring integrative behavioral health investments within the Greater New Orleans area, we showcase the tangible outcomes of these initiatives, emphasizing the significance of localized efforts in fostering holistic well-being. Central to our discourse is the pivotal role of informed referrals and advocacy, illustrating how attuned and empowered advocacy can drive effective care pathways.
Learning Objectives:
1. This workshop is designed to educate attendees on the various types of community-based partnerships designed to expand access to quality behavioral health resources and programs.
2. This workship is designed to inform attendees of the holistic mental and behavioral health investments active in the Greater New Orleans area.
3. Attendees will discuss the importance of informed referrals and the power of advocacy for effective care and collaborate to strategically apply knowledge learned toward innovative and practical solutions in their organizations.