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Workshops - Wednesday, March 19
6. Expert Witness Personal Injury Forensic
Assessment of Child PTSD in Young Child
Victims of Dog Bite Attacks, Burns and
Facial Disfigurement
Wednesday, March 19, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm, 3.5 CE
Dorothy S. Edelson, Psy. D.
North Psychology Clinic
Brooklyn Center, MN
There is a pressing need for expert witnesses to perform as independent
medical examiners qualified to assess PTSD in young
child victims of dog bites, burns and/or facial disfigurement in
civil personal injury law suits. These assessments present an
opportunity to develop a lucrative revenue stream and niche
market that is independent of health insurance reimbursements.
Participants will learn how to assess the social, emotional, educational
and vocational risks associated with the sequelae of
trauma, burns and/or facial disfigurement. This workshop will
cover the following topic: rules of evidence, relevant tort rules
governing the attacks; DSM-IV post-traumatic stress disorder in
children younger than 6 and older than 6; the neurobiology of
trauma; recent concerns about the cognitive impact of general
anesthesia on children younger than four; the developmental
impact of facial disfigurement on emotional, social, educational
and vocational functioning; age-appropriate assessment batteries,
the expert witness report and case studies.
Goals and Objectives:
1. Identify four Dauber Criteria (Dauber v. Merril Dow Pharmaceuticals).
2. Compare DSM-V Criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
in children over and under the age of 6.
3. Select appropriate psychological tests to use in an assessment
battery with children under the age of 13 in personal injury
lawsuits.
4. Predict possible risks of negative emotional, social, educational,
and vocational functioning in young children who have
experienced dog bite attacks, burns, and/or facial disfigurement.
Skill Level: The workshop is designed for child clinicians with
experience in child psychological assessment and interview
who wish to expand their forensic practice.
7. Why Write a Therapeutic Story? How
Stories Communicate Assessment Findings
with Children, Adolescents, and Adults
Wenesday, March 19, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm, 3.5 CE
Diane H. Engelman, Ph.D.
Center for Collaborative Psychology, Psychiatry, & Medicine
Kentfield, CA
Deborah J. Tharinger, Ph.D.
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
Marita Frackowiak, Ph.D.
Center for Therapeutic Assessment
Austin, TX
J. B. Allyn, MBA
Center for Collaborative Psychology, Psychiatry, & Medicine
Kentfield, CA
This workshop will address the question “Why take the time to
add a therapeutic story to the assessment?” with all client ages
and will provide a hands-on experience of creating draft stories
for children, adolescents, and adults. In Collaborative/Therapeutic
Assessment, psychological and neuropsychological assessors
use metaphorical stories in two ways: 1) to communicate
assessment findings directly to children; and 2) as an extension
of the written report or letter for an adult or adolescent. In the
context of an assessment, the metaphorical frame enables the
listener or reader to understand the findings of the assessment
in new ways and to consolidate the information. Therapeutic
story can both enhance and expand the assessment’s impact.
This workshop will discuss story as a method of making meaning
and promoting change with clients – of helping them to
understand the data and its potential impact on their life and life
narrative. Unique challenges with different age groups will be
discussed. Guidelines, clinical experiences, and case examples
will demonstrate methods of moving from assessment findings
to empowering your own creativity when brainstorming ideas
for a story, developing the context and work plan, creating
the story, and using it with the client. In the latter part of the
workshop, participants will work in small groups: With given
case conceptualizations for a child, adolescent, or adult, each
group will create a story, from creative concept through outline/
work plan to completing a first draft of the story.
Goals and Objectives:
1. Assess with which clients a therapeutic story can be a valuable
aid in communicating psychological assessment results to
children, adolescents, or adults.
2. Analyze the process of selecting important findings to combine
with a creative context into story form.
3. Identify methods for selecting components of a creative story
context based on the client’s life and experience.
4. Apply the process of creating a story for a child, adolescent,
or adult from beginning to first draft of the finished product.
Skill Level: Introductory to intermediate – this workshop builds
on material presented in 2013’s therapeutic story-writing workshop;
however, it also provides sufficient grounding in writing
and using therapeutic stories for those who are new to them.
8/SPA Annual Convention