Working with clients who have Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) can be a difficult and painstaking process for therapist and client. The client often shows significant degrees of cognitive, emotional, and somatic dissociation when triggers are present, and flashbacks are often a debilitating and confusing aspect of their lives. The therapeutic process is delicate. Inner focus and mindfulness has proven valuable for this client population (Courtois & Ford, 2013). This online course will describe how a transpersonal approach, using skills of mindfulness, attunement, and resonance between therapist and client can provide a vital platform for resource development and ego integration, offering meaning to the clients’ traumas within a context of higher awareness or spiritual reference within the early phases of working with C-PTSD. Scientific results will be presented, indicating that when internal focusing and mindfulness are present in the individual, the brain processes information more coherently from an expanded context (Newberg & Waldman, 2016; D. Siegel, 2010, 2011, 2017).

The elements of Complex PTSD, assessment of dissociation, and applications of mindfulness, attunement, and resonance within an integrative transpersonal therapy model will be discussed, most specifically within the early phases of C-PTSD protocol. Differentiation will be made between dissociation based in fragmented ego functioning, versus healthy dissociation and reintegration of aspects of the authentic self. The activation of the dissociated higher self or soul as a resource within the internal family system, will be introduced and discussed. This positive dissociative part work is in the service of Resource Development Integration (RDI) and ego integration. What appears to be dissociation or fragmentation may be preludes to greater wholeness or awakening of higher consciousness (Gilot, 2003, 2008; Grosso, 1997; Krippner, 1997; Miller, 2014). Case examples will be given as to how this can help the client prepare for reprocessing trauma, adapting to current triggers, and creating a future template.