In an exciting, supportive, professional environment, clinical social workers, and other mental health professionals will gain an in-depth understanding of the myriad dynamics related to trauma and its reverberating effect on clients’ cognitions, affect, social functioning, and behavioral choices.

The philosophical underpinning of the program is a depathologized, strengths-based approach to the assessment and treatment of adolescent and adult survivors of trauma, abuse, and neglect.

Symptoms will be reframed as inevitable, creative coping strategies that “make sense” when put into the historical context of trauma or a dysfunctional family-of-origin.

Practitioners will learn many creative, effective, and empathic ways to help clients reclaim a sense of healthy empowerment, achieve a much higher level of functioning, and integrate the resources necessary for genuine healing.

Additionally, practitioners will explore issues of counter-transference and vicarious traumatization and will learn how to engage in self-care, enhance boundaries, and work in ways that improve efficacy and reduce professional burn-out.

There will be many opportunities to experience, firsthand, the artistic and creative treatment modalities introduced throughout the program. Thus enabling clinicians to try out new techniques before integrating them into their practice settings.

Methodology

Participants will learn on both didactic and experiential levels. PowerPoint slides, handouts, role plays, videotapes, experiential art and writing exercises, Q and A sessions, case presentations, interactive discussions, processing written work, and small group work will all be incorporated into the program, thus accommodating a variety of learning styles.

CEs, Requirements, and Registration

The Certificate Program is comprised of 54 Category 1 Continuing Education hours (CEs). This also includes three credit hours in Ethics, which can be used to meet the mandatory requirement for Ethics trainings. In addition to the 54 hours of content participants will also have the opportunity to engage in live, scheduled Q & A forums with Lisa to process questions that arise in class.

CE credit is granted to all mental health professionals in Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Texas. CE credit for mental health professionals in all other states has been submitted by The Psychotherapy Networker and will be made available as soon as possible.

Participants must have an MSW, or a comparable clinical degree, or currently be enrolled in graduate school, pursuing a clinical degree. The program is also open to professionals who interface with traumatized clients, including: victim advocates, clergy, and police officers.

In order to receive the Certificate in Advanced Trauma Treatment, participants are required to attend all nine classes on the indicated training dates and pass an open book, untimed, multiple choice exam that is administered online. If emergent life circumstances preclude your attendance at a class, you can make it up during the following semester.