Integrative Trauma Colloquium: Female Genital Mutilation / Cutting

Thursday, March 15, 2018, 7:00pm - 9:00p pm

Presented by:
Carl Boyr, MD
Joanna Vergoth LCSW, NCPsyA

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) – A Culturally Sanctioned Trauma: Intervention and Treatment in the U.S. and Europe

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies
250 West 57th Street, Suite 501
New York, NY 10107

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The harmful practice of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) has been followed by many different cultures and societies across the ages and continents. It is an ancient tradition, involving the removal of parts or all of the external female genitalia. There are approximately 200 million survivors in the world today, while in Africa alone, a further 3 million girls are at risk of being cut this year. As a result of migration, cases of this practice have been documented in the Middle East, Europe, Australia and Canada.  In the US, there are over 500,000 women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 who are at risk or have been cut; the New York metropolitan area has the largest concentration of this population.

 

Trauma imprints from this injurious tradition may include lifelong health complications.  In addition to medical consequences, many girls and young women suffer serious psychological distress, sexual difficulties, and social stigmatisms from the effects of FGM/C.  This presentation will discuss the significant neurological and psycho-sexual impacts, as well as explore the historical transmission and subsequent intergenerational trauma of FGM/C. An overview of frequently used psychotropic medications to treat trauma, including survivors of FGM/C, will also be presented. 

 

Learning Objectives:

  1. Discuss the fundamentals of FGM/C: What it is, where it happens, and why it persists.   
  2. Examine the psychological and psycho-sexual consequences related to the trauma of FGM/C.
  3. Compare and contrast the mechanisms, side effects, and efficacy of commonly-used psychotropic medications to treat trauma, including FGM/C.

Carl Boyer, MD practiced as a primary care physician for twenty years before training as a Jungian psychoanalyst. He has a private practice in psychoanalysis and psychopharmacology in Manhattan.

Joanna Vergoth, LCSW, NCPsyA is a psychotherapist in private practice, both in Chicago and New York City, and has worked with clients presenting with a variety of severe trauma histories. In addition to her public service, private practice, clinic and advocacy work, Ms. Vergoth has also studied and volunteered with organizations providing services to refugees, children of divorce, recovering prostitutes, and immigrant African women and girls in London, Cairo, New York and Chicago. Over the past decade she has become a committed activist in the cause of FGM/C, first as Coordinator of the Midwest Network on Female Genital Cutting, and most recently with the creation of forma, where she serves as Executive Director. forma is dedicated to providing comprehensive, culturally-sensitive clinical services to women affected by FGM/C in the Chicago area. forma also provides psychoeducational outreach, advocacy and awareness training while serving as an information hub for service providers nationwide.

Continuing Education

This event is approved for 2 CE contact hours for psychologists, social workers, licensed psychoanalysts, and licensed mental health clinicians: 

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education credits for psychologists. The National Institute for the Psychotherapies maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0018.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts #Psyan-0004.

National Institute for the Psychotherapies (NIP) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0059.

Personalized CE certificates will be distributed at the end of this event. Due to New York State requirements, persons arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early will not receive a CE certificate.  

Fees

$50 general public
$40 candidates & students
$10 NIP candidates

Refunds, & Cancellation Policy
Cancellation requests made more than a week prior to the event will be given a full refund of registration fees. Refunds will not be granted for cancellation requests made within a week of the event or for no-shows on the day of the event.