Healing the Hidden Trauma of Otherness: Clinical Applications of the Heros Journey Model – Stacee Reicherzer

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It’s never easy being different, and the kid who was bullied, humiliated, and isolated for standing out as “Other” bears a particular form of trauma that diminishes creativity and purpose in adulthood. Whether it’s a childhood story of hatred for a child’s gender nonconforming behaviors; a racial, cultural, or class background that’s different from that of the dominant group; or even for having a conspicuous scar, body shape, or other physical feature; the adult memory network of social pain often results in rejection sensitivity, risk aversion, and a diminished capacity to recognize possibilities to effect change.

As a violation of relationships, the legacy of Otherness trauma is also reflected in relationship patterns of compensation, control, self-victimization, escape, and even predation in marriages, parenting, careers, and other significant connections in which adults participate.

In this recording, you’ll have hands-on learning in recognizing the hero’s journey within your client’s story of Otherness, and possibly even your own. This will include tracing not only the traumatic impact of Otherness in relationship, career, and other life decisions, but in finding the unique power and voice that comes with owning Otherness as a source of creativity and better connections throughout the client’s life.

Transgender therapist Dr. Stacee Reicherzer, a nationally recognized LGBTQIQ expert, brings her unique blend of sass and experience as a clinician, educator, researcher, and storyteller for a highly engaging and emotional day of learning.

1. Analyze the role of Otherness in lifespan development
2. Establish the connection between Otherness trauma and diminished self- and relational-worth
3. Analyze the hero’s journey as a method for restoring an experience of Otherness into unlocking creative potential and relationship satisfaction
4. Apply the concept of Otherness in culturally competent treatment planning for diverse client populations
5. Explore the ethics of self-care involved in recognizing and remediating the client issues that hook common Otherness-related trauma responses
6. Establish the impact of Otherness in Relationships to improve clinical outcomes

Uncovering the Story of Otherness

• Otherness in expanding narratives of color, class, mental capacity, body features, and size
• Trauma research on the impact of peer bullying on development
• Otherness in sexual identity development 
• Otherness in racial identity development 
• Brain research of social pain receptors
• Social research on minority stress, rejection sensitivity, imposter phenomenon

Exacerbating Conditions

• Disrupted Attachments
• Humiliation and relationship impairment
• Isolation

The Impact of Otherness in Relationships

• The compensator
• The controller
• The victim
• The escape artist
• The predator

The Hero’s Journey

• The journey as a healing metaphor
• Contemporary examples of hero’s journeys
• The Ordinary World (pre-trauma)
• The Call to Adventure (the experience of Otherness)
• Refusal of the Call (adapting to life with Otherness trauma)
• Meeting the Mentor (the role of the therapist, teacher, guide)
• Crossing the Threshold (changing behaviors)
• Tests, allies, and enemies (finding one’s way with a new understanding of Otherness)
• Approach (moving with allies into new spaces)
• The Ordeal (the test of faith in the hero’s new role)
• The Reward (the payoff of embracing Otherness)
• Return with the Elixir (giving back as an act of empowerment and concern for future generations)

Preparing for the Journey

• The first time you knew you were ‘Other’
• Where Otherness led you
• How Otherness impacts your relationships
• Small group discussion
• Large group debrief

Undertaking the Hero’s Journey

• Situating yourself in the journey
• Identifying the end goal
• Mapping the road
• Determining resources
• The plan for maintaining the path
• Setting on the path

The Hero’s Journey and Diverse Client Concerns (Case Presentations)

• “Denise’s” body shame
• “Bobby’s” chronic underemployment
• “Matilda’s” internalized colorism
• “Dan’s” giftedness shame

The Ethics of Self-Care

• Otherness and rescuing
• Identifying our hooks (hands-on lab)
• Returning to our hero’s journey