Transforming Trauma Inspiring, Educating, and Supporting Trauma Therapists with Guy Macpherson from The Trauma Therapist Podcast
"Just because someone's vulnerable doesn't mean they don't have the answer...It means being very present and being willing to be present and for it to be okay to not have the answers as someone’s therapist." ~Guy Macpherson
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Sarah is joined by NARM Senior Faculty Brad Kammer and guest Guy Macpherson. With a doctorate in clinical psychology and a passion for spreading awareness of trauma, how it impacts lives, and trauma-informed care, Guy hosts his own podcast entitled the Trauma Therapist Podcast.
This is just one of his many projects that are focused on connecting mental health professionals and others to information about trauma and trauma treatment. Throughout their conversation, Guy, Brad, and Sarah explore what’s so transformative about trauma-informed therapy.
Guy speaks from his own experience as a therapist about the notions that he once held that have been debunked since working in the trauma field. He shares the quote, “Your job as a therapist is not to take your client’s pain away -- that’s their journey”.
By ditching the idea that a therapist has to have all of the answers, they have more capacity to show up for their client. Especially when working with clients with complex trauma, the therapist’s authenticity and vulnerability can play a huge part in the process. W
hat’s exciting for Guy about working with complex trauma is that, “there’s a whole element of being human with someone else”. It may sound simplistic, but it’s so powerful. “And not always easy,” Guy adds.
Interwoven into their conversation, Sarah, Brad and Guy share stories of times they’ve been humbled by their work with healing trauma. Through these humbling experiences, many ideas of what being a therapist means has been broken down: the idea that if a therapist reads enough books or goes to enough workshops they’ll be prepared, the expectation that a therapist needs to know all of the answers, and the illusion that there’s only one way to approach working with clients.
Rebuilt from their humbling experiences is the understanding that what at first might feel like doing less is in fact the way into a more authentic therapeutic connection. A therapist being comfortable with their own vulnerability “can be the vehicle to be present, to be open, and to be willing to learn”.
Connect with Guy
Free Resource Give-Away
We’re offering a podcast review give-away. Each week, we’re choosing one podcast reviewer to receive a NARM Clinical Protocol and NARM Personality Spectrum Worksheet.
To enter, please submit a review within Apple Podcasts from your computer or mobile device and send a screenshot of your review to transformingtrauma@narmtraining.com.
That’s it! Winners will be chosen weekly.
NARM Training Institute
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The NARM Training Institute provides tools for transforming complex trauma through: in-person and online trainings for mental health care professionals; in-person and online workshops on complex trauma and how it interplays with areas like addiction, parenting, and cultural trauma; an online self-paced learning program, the NARM Inner Circle; and other trauma-informed learning resources.
For the full show notes including references, podcast episodes mentioned, and a quick glossary of terms, visit us at http://www.narmtraining.com/transformingtrauma
This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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