About this course

Learning Objectives

• Define and identify at least five characteristics and clinical indicators of dissociation across the trauma spectrum.
• Explain the neurobiological processes underlying dissociation, including the involvement of the dorsal vagal complex, hippocampus, and thalamus.
• Apply at least three regulation and grounding interventions matched to different types of dissociative states (e.g., depersonalization, emotional numbing, fragmentation) to promote greater integration and safety in clinical practice.

Learning Levels

• Beginner and Intermediate, all levels are welcome

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Cara Wilkerson, MS, LMFT

  Brainspotting Consultant, EMDRIA Consultant, and Certified in Eagala Therapy

  Cara Wilkerson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, Florida, and Texas with over 18 years of experience providing therapy. She graduated Suma Cum Laude, from California State University San Marcos, with a Bachelor degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminology. She completed her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from California Baptist University, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. She specializes in treating complex PTSD, trauma, dissociation, and anxiety.

  Cara is a trauma expert, a Consultant for both Brainspotting and EMDRIA, an EMDRIA specialty trainer, as well as certified in Brainspotting, EMDR, and the Eagala model of equine-assisted psychotherapy. She developed EquiAttune which integrates the Neuroexperiential Model of Brainspotting and the Dual Attunement Frame into equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning sessions.

  Cara has owned and run her own private practice for the last 10 years, and has previous experience working in group practice settings, school settings, non-profits, and working with the drug court of San Bernardino. In addition, Cara is a Clinical Supervisor to associates working toward their licensure.

Disclosure

References

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• Boone, S., Steele, K., & Van Der Hart, O. (2011). Coping with trauma-related dissociation: Skills training for patients and therapists. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). (n.d.). Trauma Dissociation. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://traumadissociation.com/des
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• Levine, P., Frederick, A. (1997). Waking the Tiger; Healing Trauma. Berkley: North Atlantic Books.
• Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation–60 Item Version (MID-60). (n.d.). Novopsych. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://novopsych.com/assessments/formulation/multidimensional-inventory-of-dissociation-60-item-version-mid-60/
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• Ogden, P., Minton, K., Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton.
• Prasath, P., Xiong, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2024). Innovations in practice: A practical guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating the mindfulness-based well-being group for international students. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 63(2), 214–227.
• Purcell, J. B., Ren, B., Palermo, C. A., Bair, Z. A., Marr, M. C., Modell, R. L., Pan, X., Robinson, M. A., Shanahan, M. E., Swee, M. B., Kaufman, M. L., & Lebois, L. A. M. (2025). Clinical patterns in a neuroimaging-based predictive model of self-reported dissociation. Journal of psychiatric research, 192, 251–260. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.10.045
• Rondel, H. M., Dorahy, M. J., & Liew, K. (2025). Does the Portrayal of Dissociative Identity Disorder on TikTok Represent the Diverse Symptomatology of Its Clinical Presentation?. Journal of trauma & dissociation : the official journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD), 26(5), 731–744. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2025.2564654
• Rothbaum, B. O., & Watkins, L. E. (2025). An Update on Psychotherapy for the Treatment of PTSD. The American journal of psychiatry, 182(5), 424–437. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20250110
• Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, New York, New York; The Gilford Press.
• Wolf, E., Mitchell, K. S., Sadeh, N., Hein, C., Fuhrman, I., Pietrzak, R. H., & Miller, M. W. (2017). The Dissociative Subtype of PTSD Scale: Initial evaluation in a national sample of trauma-exposed Veterans. Assessment, 24, 503-516. doi:10.1177/1073191115615212.