I Shop, Therefore I Am: Understanding and Treating Compulsive Buying (Fall 2005) [Continuous]
Credits: [12 ]
Dates:
Continuous
Cost: $175 SIGN-UP
$175
Compulsive buying is finally coming out of the closet. It was first described by Kraepelin in 1915, but only in the last 15 years have we seen specific and persistent inquiry into the disorder. Although the study of compulsive buying is still in relative infancy compared with it psychological siblings—alcoholism, eating disorders or drug abuse, for example – there is more and more evidence, both research and anecdotal, that “the smiled upon” addiction, as it has sometimes been called, poses a serious and worsening problem in the United States, Western Europe, and elsewhere. Affecting between 3 and 12 percent of the population, compulsive buying has significant emotional, social, occupational, and financial consequences.
The course begins with a thorough introduction to “affluenza”, or compulsive buying disorder and explores the cultural of consumption that gives rise to it. We look at the etiology, assessment, diagnosis, comorbidity, and function of this widespread disorder. We continue with a survey of the forms of treatment and treatment adjuncts known to be effective with this population, focusing on specific tools and strategies. We also touch on the therapist’s countertransference regarding money issues.
Registration Fee: $175 (for non-members)
Test for CE Credits: $35 (free for PsyBC members)
(Test purchased separately in PsyBC Testing Center)
Educational Objectives:
Students in this course will learn:
1. What compulsive buying is.
2. How our culture supports it.
3. What the various forms of the disorder are, how to assess and diagnose it, and what its various functions are.
Additionally, students will learn when intervention is necessary and what forms of effective treatment are available, whether or not they personally choose to do the focused, structured work that is so necessary for recovery from this disorder. Students will be introduced to important tools, techniques, and strategies for working with compulsive buyers; they’ll learn to find appropriate treatment resources and know when and how to suggest treatment adjuncts.
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Faculty
April Lane Benson, Ph.D.
April Lane Benson earned her Ph.D. in psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School, Yeshiva University in 1977. She continued her post-graduate studies, earning a certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis from the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, a certificate in the Treatment of Eating Disorders from the Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia, and a certificate in Spirituality and Psychotherapy from the Blanton-Peale Institute for Pastoral Counseling. Dr. Benson co-founded the Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia in 1979, the oldest outpatient eating disorders clinic in New York, served as the Director of Training for 22 years and continues to serve on the Executive Committee and as faculty member and supervisor. She is on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy. Dr. Benson is also the founder of Stopping Overshopping, LLC, which provides an array of informative resources for individuals suffering from compulsive buying disorder and for therapists treating the disorder alike.
To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop (2008), Dr. Benson\'s most recent book, provides readers with comprehensive, effective help that braids together intellectual insights, personal discovery, and a host of proven tips, tools, techniques, and strategies. I Shop, Therefore I Am: Compulsive Buying and the Search for Self (Aronson, 2000), Dr. Benson's edited book, is a multidisciplinary approach to the problem of compulsive buying featuring contributions from the fields of sociology, consumer behavior, marketing, community education, psychology and psychiatry. Quoted widely in print media, Dr. Benson has also spoken about compulsive buying on radio and television, done workshops for the general public and taught therapists at postgraduate institutes and college counseling centers about compulsive buying. She runs a 12-session group telephone coaching program for those struggling with compulsive buying disorder, as well as a 12-session telephone training program for therapists on the Stopping Overshopping method. Dr. Benson maintains a private practice in New York City, specializing in eating disorders and compulsive buying.
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