Medical Gaslighting and Institutional Betrayal
Practical, Multi-Level Strategies to Restore Client Agency & Mitigate Harm
- Speaker:
- Sacha McBain, PhD
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 05 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
Jul 16, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150876
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Directly or indirectly, your clients with chronic illness and chronic pain have been told it’s all in their heads... or that they simply need to manage stress better... by the very system that was created to help relieve their suffering.
And given the complex systemic pressures embedded in healthcare – along with limitations in medical tools and treatments, and physician-factors like implicit bias and burnout – they very likely will again.
It’s medical gaslighting and institutional betrayal.
And therapy can be a corrective experience. But you weren’t trained for this.
In this session, Dr. Sacha McBain – medical trauma expert and co-author of Medical Trauma: Assessment Tools, Coping Skills, and Recovery Strategies for Survivors and Therapists – will give you multi-level intervention strategies that are rarely taught in standard mental health training. You'll get:
- Practical, research-informed strategies to restore trust and decrease self-blame
- A comprehensive toolkit for coaching advocacy, interpersonal effectiveness, and navigation of healthcare systems
- Actionable, ethically grounded approaches that go beyond general trauma-informed care
Credit
Speaker
Sacha McBain, PhD Related seminars and products
Sacha McBain, PhD is a clinical psychologist and associate professor at Rush University System for Health in Chicago, IL. A national leader in medical traumatic stress, Dr. McBain has published peer-reviewed research on the conceptualization and treatment of medical trauma, led national clinical trainings, and helped shape best practices for mental health screening and intervention after traumatic injury. She has worked alongside interdisciplinary partners to develop trauma-informed care approaches and is passionate about bringing psychological intervention to critical care and surgical settings. Through her research, education, and clinical practice, she pushes for better care systems for patients and families impacted by medical trauma. Dr. McBain contributed to the American College of Surgeons Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Best Practice Guidelines Work Group and is an active member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sacha McBain has an employment relationship with Rush University Medical Center.. She receives a grant from NIH/NIDA. Dr. McBain receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Sacha McBain is a member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info
Additional CE Info
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Objectives
- Identify the mechanisms and risk factors of medical gaslighting, clinician-associated traumatization, and institutional betrayal.
- Evaluate the BITTEN model in the assessment and conceptualization of clients' experiences of medical harm.
- Utilize at least three therapeutic strategies to restore client agency and support coping with medical trauma.
Outline
Medical Invalidation
- Gaslighting and clinician-associated trauma
- Institutional betrayal in healthcare
- BITTEN model
- Biopsychosocial impacts
- Risk factors for medical gaslighting
- Acute and chronic medical trauma
- Medical invalidation as a microaggression
- Repeated dismissal as minority stress
Treatment Strategies for Medical Gaslighting
- Restore trust and reduce self-blame
- Name structural constrains without excusing harm
- How to tolerate seeking care within unjust systems
- Nuances of validation
- Separate “not yet explained” from “not real”
- Patient rights in healthcare
- Interpersonal effectiveness in unbalanced power dynamics
- Coping plan for medical encounters
- Work with triggers and medical avoidance
- Advocacy coaching and facilitating repair
- Documentation as advocacy
- Support care navigation and prepare for system-level stressors
- Limitations of the research and potential risks
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Nurses
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
Satisfaction Guarantee
Your satisfaction is our goal and our guarantee. Concerns should be addressed to: PO Box 1000, Eau Claire, WI 54702-1000 or call 1-800-844-8260.
ADA Needs
We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.
PESI Mobile App
Access CE trainings on your phone or tablet through our free mobile app. Choose video or audio-only versions of online courses from the world’s best instructors, and complete your CE requirements anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.
Please wait ...