Where does the voice that cries out LIVE! come from?From another life.

Samuel Beckett

Group therapy for people with a mild mental disability.

Bep van Klingeren

Health-psychologist EMDR therapist

Wisse Tanis

Special Educationalist Family therapist

04/09/23

Schedule:

About Princes and Frogs

People with a mild mental disability

Group therapy

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We are born princes and the civilizing process makes us frogs. (Eric Berne)

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People with a mild mental disability (1): born to be a frog?

Features:

Failures

Less succesful than others & No understanding why

The usual social and cultural roles are often unattainable

Developmental problems Attachment Individuation Identity

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People with a mild mental disability (2): born to be a frog?

Consequences Lifelong dependency Weak ‘self’ Undervaluing own needs

Leads to the core conviction

I’m not OK – you’re OK

Can lead to behavioral problems complaining/depressiveacting out: agression/inappropriate behavior

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Special features problems manifestations Learning problems

IQ: 50 - 75 Psychiatric disorders

Medical-physical problems Significant limitations

adaptive behavior Family problems & problems in social context

Severe conduct disorders

Can lead to: chronicity/ long lasting needing support

People with a mild mental disability (3): born to be a frog?

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Group therapy

Features:Open group/weekly/1½ h/8 membersFocus on repetition,Usage of ‘visuals’: rucksack & toolkit Therapists role as facilitators

Optional:Individual (co)therapy: impasses (CBT)

trauma (EMDR)

Doctor (AVG)/psychiatrist: psychopharmaca

Transfer:Systemtherapy: integration of goals and

competences insupportsystem

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Therapeutic Factors

• Existential factors

• Psycho-education

• Modeling

• Self understanding

• Imparting information

• Developing social skills

• Interpersonal learning

• Self disclosure

• Acceptance

• Universality

• Altruism

• Instillation of hope

• Guidance

• Catharsis

• Corrective recapitulation of family of origin issues

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The Proces

Interventions Aiming at:- Identify and evaluate the problem

(validation/stroking NP - FC)

- Explain the pattern of negative transactions (give meaning V – V)

- Identify and heightening feelings (intensify FC- FC)

- Rephrase underlying patterns of feelings and needs

Create calmness, de-escalation, enable to learn

Enable mentalizing

Reaching out, compassion, helping

Formulate personal permissions from needs

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Needs & Fears

Some common (attachment) fears are:

• Fear of being rejected• Fear of being abandoned• Fear of not measuring up, of

being a failure• Fear of not being accepted or

valued• Fear of being unlovable• Fear of being controlled

Some common (attachment) needs are:

• Need for acceptance• Need for closeness• Need for understanding• Need to feel important• Need to feel loved• Need to your family reflect to

you the good things about you• Need for appreciation

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a

AC FC

NP CP

A

FC AC

CP np

NP CP

A

FC AC

CONTROLLING

PERMISSION

To think, to feel, to do

VIOLENCE PERMISSION PLAY, HUMOR

EXPLAINING INFO

YOU MAY

NEGATIVE ORGANISING

YOU MUST!

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ik ben OK

jij bent OK

jij bent niet OK

ik ben niet OK

Reaching out for ‘green-one’

Thank you for listening