Working with Trauma

Clearly, events that are potentially trauma-causing will not stop happening in the world. Sadly, physical and sexual abuse, crime, torture, unjust captivity, and other violence will continue to be perpetrated on unfortunate victims. Natural disasters and accidents will continue to happen, and terrorism is on the rise. We cannot make life-threatening events stop happening, but as mental health professionals, we can help those affected learn to recalibrate their reality, integrating such events into their consciousness in ways that help them find meaning and re-establish a sense of safety, wholeness, and connection with life. This course will describe the therapies which can help you to do that. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to: Briefly define ASD and PTSD and cite the chief symptoms of each; Name the primary instruments for assessing trauma; Identify the risk factors for various types of traumatic injury; Explain the neurobiology of trauma; Up- or down-regulate clients' levels of arousal to help them stay in the “therapeutic window”; Name the stages of recovery therapy and identify which one a client is at; Describe the chief psychotherapeutic interventions for working with traumatised clients and show how you would use them in a given case of trauma.