Ritual Abuse And Extreme Abuse Clinician’s Conference 2013

The conference was very successful this year. S.M.A.R.T. wants to thank all those that attended and participated in the conference, including the speakers, volunteers and those in the survivor community that helped us promote the conference.

This one day conference preceding our regular conference was open to licensed practitioners in related fields to discuss issues in working with clients suffering from ritual abuse and extreme abuse symptoms. Students studying in related fields and retired licensed practitioners were also in attendance.

Internet conference information is available at: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/ritual-abuse-and-extreme-abuse-clinicians-conference-2013/

The conference was held on August 9, 2013 from 9 am until 5 pm at the DoubleTree near the Bradley International Airport, 16 Ella Grasso Turnpike Windsor Locks, CT.

Conference Schedule
9:00 – Ellen Lacter, Ph.D.
10:30 – Lee Schwecke RN, BSN, MSN, EdD
12:00 – Lunch
1:30 – Rev. Rik Fire MSW, LCSW, LISW
3:00 – Sandra Fecht, M.A.
4:00 – Clinical Discussion – Treating Survivors of Severe Abuse: Techniques and Resources

CEUs were available for licensed clinicians. SMART and Survivorship were co-sponsors of the Ritual Abuse And Extreme Abuse Clinician’s Conference 2013. Survivorship has been approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a provider of continuing education (pce 5086). This conference workshop meets the qualifications for 6.5 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Please check with your local board to see if this is applicable to your license.

Presenters

Ellen Lacter, Ph.D., has been a clinical psychologist in San Diego, California, USA, for 27 years and specializes in the treatment of trauma and dissociative disorders in both adults and children. She has a number of published chapters in edited books on the subjects of ritual abuse and mind control. Her website is http://www.endritualabuse.org/

Her presentation discussed: breaking torture-based mind control down into the psychological mechanisms that allow for its installation and ongoing control, and then to draw upon these concepts to discuss how to work to overcome mind control.

Lee Schwecke RN, BSN, MSN, EdD is an Associate Professor Emeritus, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN. She taught theory and clinical Psychiatric Nursing for 38 ½ years. She co-authored 5 editions of: Keltner, Schwecke, Bostrom. (1991-2007) Psychiatric Nursing. St. Louis, MO, Mosby Year Book. Each edition included her chapters on Survivors of Violence and Trauma. She wrote 2 editorials for the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing: 1) Childhood Sexual Abuse, PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder: Understanding the Connections (2009); 2) Beyond Childhood Sexual Abuse: Ritual Abuse-Torture and Human Trafficking (2011). She has worked part time as a staff nurse in the Psychiatric Pavilion of Community Hospital North in Indianapolis for 25 years.

Her presentation discussed: Working with Inpatient Survivors of Violence and Trauma. She will talk about the increased difficulties in providing quality care with inpatient survivors, her chapter sections and journal articles, getting articles to all units and finding outpatient and internet resources for after discharge.

Rev. Rik Fire MSW, LCSW, LISW is an Ordained Interfaith Minister and Board Trustee of Ecumenicon Fellowship. He is a Licensed Clinical/Independent Social Worker in the states of Iowa, Louisiana and Pennsylvania and is in private practice as a therapist specializing in trauma, sexuality, gender and holistic healing modalities. Additionally, Rik is an Advanced Certified Shamanic Practitioner and Reiki Master. He lives and serves at Village of Radikal Healing in Bucks County, PA and is in the process of renovating another retreat center by the ocean in NJ that will be called Agni Ashram. Rik is working on a Doctorate in Holistic Nutrition and Natural Health.

His presentation discussed: Shamanic Technology for Treatment of Trauma
In shamanic worldview, it is believed that trauma effects the system of the being—on a mind, body and spirit level. There are techniques and practices in shamanic technology, in which the practitioner can access the “other realm” on behalf of the client to gain information on the work to be completed. Based on information received via shamanic journeywork, the practitioner will develop a treatment plan on recommended interventions. This workshop will discuss the primary shamanic modalities used in the treatment of trauma including journeywork, extraction, soul retrieval and energy work.

Sandra Fecht, M.A. (Alexandra) is a longtime, dedicated psychotherapist. She is a warrior and has pioneered powerful tools for dealing with extreme abuse. Sandra is informative, profound, and at times humorous. She delivers accessible methods for self healing. Many former R.A. clients have gone on to become therapists, writers and speakers. Her topic was: What I Have Learned So Far.