The high prevalence of trauma among the children and caregivers served by community based programs demands that all intervention be informed by a clear understanding of trauma and its impacts. This course describes in detail how a history of danger and emotional injury shapes family member attitudes, expectations and relationships — and the implications these trauma histories have for a “present focused” family-based treatment.
This course is designed to help therapists “see” family member’s efforts to adapt to fear and vulnerability that is often hidden beneath dramatic, seemingly irrational interactions. And then be able to utilize this awareness within a systemic framework to help families create more safe, stable and functional relationships. The course is organized into four units, each addressing one major question or component considered essential for the well-prepared trauma informed family based therapist.
This is a Beginning Level course. The target audience is all behavioral health professionals working with children and adolescents.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the core principles of a trauma-informed approach and the reasons it is critical for family based programs to incorporate these principles into the treatment of children with SED and their caregivers
- Describe the nature of trauma, particularly when it is chronic as in Complex Developmental Trauma Disorder
- Explain common impacts of chronic trauma on the internal and relational experience of children and families.
Course Outline
- Unit 1: The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Approach to Treatment (60 minutes)
- Webinar: Being a Child Can Be Dangerous
- Webinar: Working with Wounded Caregivers
- Webinar: Trauma Informed Treatment & ESFT
- Video on Complex Developmental Trauma
- Unit 2: Trauma and Complex Developmental Trauma Disorder (Approx 60 minutes)
- Webinar: The Nature of Trauma
- Webinar: In Their Own Voices – Teens with Complex Developmental Trauma Disorder talk about their experiences
- Resources: Checklists for Identifying Trauma Symptoms
- Unit 3: The Impact of Trauma on Health and Development (50 minutes)
- Webinar: The Impact of Chronic Hyperarousal on Health
- Webinar: Developmental & Psychological Impacts of Trauma
- Video: How Childhood Trauma Differs from Complex Trauma
- Optional Online Resources on Trauma and Complex Trauma
This course uses an online distance-learning self-paced format. It includes recorded audio, recorded video-based webinars, and selected readings. There are post-tests to ensure comprehension of the material. Participants can communicate with the instructors via the online moodle interface. Real-time communication with the instructor in our online, self-paced distance learning courses is not possible. However, participants can send an email to the instructor via the online moodle interface within the course and expect to receive a response within 48 hours. All course content, including post-tests, should take approximately 3.0 hours to complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our Self-Paced, Online Continuing Education Policies & FAQs for additional information regarding the CFBT online learning center, accommodations for disabilities, reporting problems with the course, instructions for viewing webinars, etc.