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.

CEUs, Requirements, and Registration

The certificate program is comprised of 54 Category 1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). This also includes three credit hours in Ethics, which can be used to meet the mandatory requirement in Ethics training.

This program has been approved by the Board of Social Work Examiners, the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, and the Board of Examiners for Psychologists in Maryland. Reciprocal approval is also granted to all mental health professionals in Georgia

Participants must have an MSW, or a comparable clinical degree, or currently be enrolled in graduate school, pursuing a clinical degree. In order to receive the Certificate in Advanced Trauma Treatment, all participants will be required to pass an open book, untimed, multiple-choice exam that is administered online.

Additionally, participants must attend all nine classes on the indicated training dates in order to receive their Certificate. If emergent life circumstances preclude attendance at a class, you can make it up at the next training series, but certificates will not be granted until all nine classes have been completed. If you do need to make up a class, there is no extra fee involved; payment entitles you to take all nine classes, even if you have to extend your time frame to complete the program.