Integrating Neuropsychology, CBT, DBT, Narrative and Meaning-Focused Therapy to Heal Traumatic Wounds, Addictions and Other Mental Health Disorders

Agenda & Learning Objectives

Module 1: Neuropsychology

• The Complex Brain: Interactions between executive functioning and subcortical regions
• The Dopamine Trap: The neurochemistry of addiction and why “just saying no” is a biological impossibility for a dysregulated nervous system.
• Neuroplasticity as Hope: Teaching clients that their brain can heal and rewire through consistent therapeutic practice.

Module 2: Stabilization First – The DBT Foundation

• Regulating the Physiology: Using DBT TIP Skills (Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing) to manage acute cravings and flashbacks.
• Distress Tolerance: Moving from “acting out” (relapse/self-harm) to “riding the wave” of emotion.
• The “Wise Mind”: Helping clients find the middle ground between the emotional chaos of trauma and the rigid logic of avoidance

Module 3: Cognitive & Narrative Integration – Changing the Story

• CBT for Trauma: Identifying the “Stuck Points” and cognitive distortions that maintain shame (e.g., Hindsight Bias: “I should have known”).
• Narrative Re-Authoring:
  • Externalizing the Problem: Naming the addiction/trauma (e.g., “The Void,” “The Beast”) to reduce shame.
  • Unique Outcomes: Hunting for moments where the client successfully resisted “The Beast.”
• Bridging the Gap: Using CBT to challenge the thought, and Narrative to change the relationship with the thinker

Module 4: Meaning-Focused Therapy – The Engine of Recovery

• Beyond Symptom Reduction: Why sobriety isn’t enough—the need for a life worth living.
• Logotherapy Principles: Applying Viktor Frankl’s concepts to modern trauma treatment (“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”).
• Values Construction: Identifying “Values-Based Actions” that contradict the trauma identity

Module 5: The Integrated Case Study

• Step-by-Step Sequencing:
  • Phase 1: Neuro-education and DBT safety planning.
  • Phase 2: CBT for shame reduction.
  • Phase 3: Narrative work for identity shift.
  • Phase 4: Meaning work for long-term maintenance.
• Small Group Work: Participants practice sequencing interventions for a provided vignette.

Module 6: Closing & Synthesis

• The Therapist’s Role: Balancing being a “Coach” (CBT/DBT) with being a “Witness” (Narrative/Meaning).
• Q&A

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the neurobiological mechanisms of trauma and addiction (e.g., hypofrontality and dopamine dysregulation) to explain why top-down processing often fails in early treatment.
• Sequence interventions effectively by prioritizing DBT distress tolerance skills to widen the “Window of Tolerance” before attempting trauma processing.
• Apply CBT cognitive restructuring techniques to dismantle specific trauma-based core beliefs (e.g., “I am permanently damaged”) that fuel addictive cycles.
• Utilize Narrative Therapy externalization techniques to separate the client’s identity from their symptoms, shifting the focus from “I am an addict” to “I am fighting the addiction.”
• Facilitate Meaning-Focused interventions that promote Post-Traumatic Growth, helping clients identify values and purpose that serve as anchors against relapse