Best friends and fellow therapists, D. Michael Louderback and Joe Sawyer have been gripped by the phenomenon of narcissism over the past fifteen years, both personally in their individual lives, as well as what that enormous, vague, and misused word even begins to try to capture in their consulting rooms in therapeutic practices. They have read the literature. They have attended trainings. They have tracked and attended to these pushes and pulls within their own souls, year after year after year. They were confident in their learnings, and yet…
They were left wondering how to bring all of this experiential learning and information out of misconception and generalization and psychiatric textbooks of old into fresh, relatable, invitational, and non-pathologizing ways of partnering with narcissism. How does shame and jealousy and greed and envy and hatred of life all play into, and out of, this one word? How does the world collapse into a dyadic poll of GOD and WORM? What does narcissism have to do with responsibility? With truth? With integration and ordinary love?
A Dash of Madness will address the sincerity in every human being for narcissistic choices, defenses, and ways of being. Together, using a psychoanalytic point of view, we will explore how narcissism manifests itself as a deeply defaulted, and therefore unconscious process, that transcends a person’s race, sexuality, culture, and upbringing as a shorthand way to navigate a complicated universe—both internally and externally. We will work to provide and showcase alternative choice points for clinical practice, as well as a deep understanding of the narcissistic everyday mindset, in our patients and in ourselves.
Through this workshop, participants will be able to:
Identify narcissistic pressures and pulls, outside in society, as well as internally in the self.
Understand the interplay of neglect, trauma, and shame as intensifiers to narcissistic choices and perspective.
Feel empowered to become aware of and partner-with one’s own unconscious narcissism and how to heal.
Container
This experience will be hybrid, where you may join us in person at Shelterwood Collective in Pioneer Square, or join in via Zoom.
Exchange
The exchange is $120 for the general public, $160 with 3 CEUs included, and Shelterwood members receive $20 off of their CEU admission with code MEMBER20.
There are also a few sliding scale scholarships available by request—feel free to contact D. Michael Louderback, at dmlouderbacktherapy@gmail.com to apply.
D. Michael Louderback, MA, LMHC
D. Michael Louderback is an eclectic psychoanalytic psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice for thirteen years. He's a passionate believer that most of our personhood is unknown and, therefore, unconscious. With the help of various different theories and approaches and philosophies, in psychotherapy, he believes we make what we can out of trying to get to know ourselves a little deeper and a little better. He's in full time practice in Seattle which includes his clinical work, supervision and consultation, as well as leading various teachings across a myriad of institutes.
Find out more at www.dmlouderback.org.
Joe Sawyer, LMHC
Joe Sawyer is a psychotherapist with thirteen years of experience in private practice working with a diverse population including teens, adults, and couples. He draws upon a variety of different theories and approaches in his work, all centered around relieving the client of unconscious distortions which allows them to better attune to reality and engage their life with freedom and creativity. He is particularly passionate about exploring narcissism and choice.
More information can be found at www.joesawyercounseling.com.