Certificate in Trauma: The Basics and Beyond

Sep. 6 - Nov. 15, 2024  | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ET

REGISTRATION  Return to Program Calendar

Delivery: Synchronous Virtual Classroom via Zoom
Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ET (12:00-1:00 Lunch Break)

Program Cost: $125 per session or $750 for the full program. (See below for discount rate.)

Register for single session(s) or full program.

Continuing Education Credit: 4 CEUs per session | Full Certificate = 24 CEUs | Act 48 Credit where indicated | Ethics only credit available for attendance in the full series.

Mission: Trauma Certificate Program
The Trauma Certificate Program provides a foundational understanding of trauma theory and presents principles, tools and ethics guided strategies that enable trauma-informed practice. This course equips those whose settings support recovery and healing for adults and children by reducing inadvertent harm and promoting healing and improved functioning.  Cultural considerations, ethical principles of practice, and the impact of trauma and appropriate support of direct service staff are also considered.

This series is appropriate for post-master's level clinical practitioners, social workers, educators, psychologists, child welfare workers, and other behavioral health professionals.

Date: Fri., Sep. 6, 2024 | Laura Hinds
The Basics of Trauma
4 CEUs and/or Act 48 credits
This foundational course explores the various definitions of trauma, prevalence and impact on children, neurological and cognitive development, and impact on adult behavior. Also addressed are common triggers associated with clinical work and ways to mitigate their influence on engagement and outcomes. Learning objectives include: 1) current neuroscience that explains the impact of trauma on brain architecture, social development, and psychosocial traits; 2) insight into the impact of intergenerational trauma, hereditary aspects of trauma, and cumulative impact of childhood trauma on physical and social experiences; and 3) strategies, insights, and language for engaging clients affected by trauma.

Date: Fri., Sep. 20, 2024 | Laura Hinds
Trauma in the Workplace: From Personal Experience to Vicarious Traumatization
4 CEUs
This course explores how trauma influences clinical and social services from a provider’s standpoint. Focus will be on practitioners managing their own personal trauma histories and triggers while navigating the activated and challenging behavior of clients, as well as the very real and derailing impact of high acuity clients, poverty, and vicarious experience that violence can have on practitioners. Learning objectives include: 1) learning how power, position, and privilege can re-enact trauma on clients; 2) exploration of ways in which a practitioner’s history of trauma, or experience of vicarious trauma may result when supporting the struggles of their clients; and 3) reflection on compassion fatigue and the tools to safeguard one’s practice and psyche from the impact of high level trauma.

Date: Fri., Oct. 4, 2024 | Laura Hinds | Hayley Nelson
Brains, Biology, and Behavior
4 CEUs and/or 2 Act 48 credits
This course maps the connection between the brain, our behavior and how we navigate the world. Distilling the complications of neuroscience and cognitive development, this course empowers clinicians to both understand and explain how the brain works and in what ways trauma, substances, and social support impact how we hurt and heal. Secondly, this course would explain how our interventions directly impact the brains and biological functioning of our clients. Learning objectives include: 1) in-depth information and insight into how our brains, Central Nervous System and Neurochemicals impact behavior; 2) information regarding how trauma and toxic stress directly impact brain productivity, neurochemical production and utilization, and parasympathetic responses; and 3) identification of ways that this information can enhance, influence, or alter our efforts in engagement and intervention.

Date: Fri., Oct. 18, 2024 | Laura Hinds
Impact of Intervention-Related Trauma for Children in Helping Systems
4 CEUs and/or 4 Act 48 credits
This course is divided into two complementary modules and focuses on how children and families are directly impacted by systems’ efforts to serve and protect them. Learning objectives include: 1) explanation of techniques to be used to create safety for children and adolescents exposed to trauma; 2) defining re-traumatization / triggers and ways children and their families can be victimized by the systems intended to help them; and 3) considerations and insights regarding ways practitioners can mitigate the negative impact of potentially traumatizing crises with children and families.
Morning: The morning session addresses specific strategies and tips to intervene and prevent lasting trauma for this special and vulnerable population as much as is possible.
Afternoon: The afternoon session offers an overview of the central conceptual and practical changes that attend trauma-informed modifications in services, including the use of universal precautions against re-traumatization, and trauma’s impact on brain development.

Date: Fri., Nov. 1, 2024 | Laura Hinds 
The Legacy of Trauma
4 CEUs
This course presents the common challenges for engaging clients in discussion and treatment of their diagnoses associated with Trauma (Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, and Dissociative Disorders) their symptomology, and the most current guidelines for treatment/management. Practical strategies for engaging and supporting success for clients are discussed. Participants are empowered to safeguard and improve the level of efficacy in their efforts, while abiding by ethical and clinical standards of the profession. Learning objectives include: 1)  discussion of effective methods for assisting clients in acknowledging their past trauma and present realities; 2) DSM-5 criteria for and presentation of  the common diagnoses associated with Trauma; and 3) language, clinical exercises, and safety planning to insure that clients and practitioners are safeguarded when engaging in this challenging work.

Date: Fri., Nov. 15, 2024 | Laura Hinds | Emilee Duckworth
Trauma Intervention Tools
4 CEUs
This course reviews evidenced-based and common strategies utilized in the field of Trauma Intervention, including Reflective Supervision, Motivational Interviewing, EMDR, and Trauma Informed De-escalation.  Participants would gain a greater understanding of these theories’ tenets as well as exercises and interventions for immediate support of their treatment efforts. Note: This course does not train participants in these modalities, as further training would be required for proficiency. Learning objectives include: 1) review of current treatment modalities associated with Trauma related diagnoses; 2) identification of opportunities and limits inherent in these modalities in light of practitioner expertise, setting, and level of functioning of clients; and 3) discussion of ways these modalities are utilized in the field, including caveats and population specific considerations in implementation.


COST | CEUs

Program Cost: $125 per session or $750 for the full certificate program

Discount Rate: $660 ($110 per session)
Note: In order to receive the discount rate of $110 per session, payment in full must be made at the time of registration for the program. 

Payment Plan Option: 

  • Registrants have the option to register for the full certificate using the pay-as-you-go rate of $120 per session. If using this payment plan option, the fee for the first session must be submitted with initial registration. Fees for subsequent sessions must be submitted at least two weeks prior to each of the remaining sessions dates. 

CEUs: 4 CEUs per session | Full Certificate = 24 CEUs | Act 48 Credit where indicated | 3 ethics credits available for those who attend the full series.

Additional Trauma Certificate Information

Those who complete the full program of six courses within the Trauma Certificate series will receive a frameable certificate of completion by email after the final session. Those who attend fewer than six sessions in the Trauma Certificate series will forfeit the certificate.

This certificate is building skills through training and education in trauma-informed care and intervention strategies. The certificate is intended for skill development and for marketability for individuals seeking this work and/or advancement in trauma-informed positions.

This completion certificate does not represent nor is it to be construed as being a certified trauma counselor. 

There are no make-up sessions available for absences. If you are unable to attend a session(s) in the series, it is recommended you register and pay for session(s) you can attend.

Registration and pre-payment of the full certificate series assumes attendance at all six sessions. There is no refund available for missed sessions. If you are unable to attend a session(s) in the series, it is recommended you register and pay for session(s) you can attend. Payment for missed sessions cannot be applied to other workshops on the ProDev Program Calendar.

 

Laura Hinds, MSW, LCSW,  is Principal Partner of Hindsight Consulting Group, which provides training and small group interventions for non-profits of diverse fociand is an instructor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. An alum of Penn's SP2, Laura began her career as a direct practitioner with children, adolescents, and families at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, developing skills in HIV/AIDS specific care needs, case management, and high acuity hospital based social work practice, as well as psychotherapy. Laura is also the Chairperson Emeritus of the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, and a current Board Member of The Therapy Center of Philadelphia.

Hayley Nelson, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Psychology at Delaware County Community College (DCCC) where she teaches the General Psychology and Foundations of Addiction courses. She is currently developing a neuroscience curriculum at DCCC and is actively involved in the campus community by serving as an academic advisor and on various college committees. Prior to joining DCCC, Dr. Nelson was a full-time lecturer and Research Director for the Biological Basis of Behavior Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Human Factors scientific consultant at Exponent Failure Analysis Associates where she addressed the role of human perception, performance, and behavior in accident scenarios.. Dr. Nelson earned her PhD in 2010 at The Johns Hopkins University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences where she received behavioral neuroscience training in the classroom and laboratory, leading to several peer-reviewed research publications on the role of dopamine in motivated behaviors. Dr. Nelson also has work published from her time as a researcher with the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institutes of Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Lisa Pozzi,  LPC, currently practices at John F. Kennedy Behavioral Health Center in Philadelphia providing services primarily to trans people who are in need of mental health and addictions counseling services.   Ms. Pozzi has been working in the Philadelphia behavioral health system since 1997 as a therapist, supervisor and program director.  She is a professional member of the American Counseling Association and The Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling, an Associate of the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia and is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors.  She is currently involved in committees for the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia and Philadelphia ITDOR and serves on the Board for The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium. 

Monica Sullivan, MEd has provided and managed diverse, interactive professional development programs throughout her career. Monica is dedicated to integrating brain science and body-based practices into her innovative on-site training sessions. Monica is also a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) facilitator and a certified yoga teacher. She is also a certified instructor of the Community Resilience Model ©, a body-based model to restore balance and encourage optimism and hope. She seeks ways to integrate these reflective practices in her work with organizations to promote trauma responsive environments that build staff and client resilience. When she’s not assisting Philadelphia organizations to become more trauma-informed, Monica enjoys cooking and baking, being outside, making art and reading.

Terry Sturmer, MSW, LSW, is a clinical associate with Healing Concepts, LLC.  She specializes in working with individuals and families facing challenges related to adoption, anxiety and depression, family distress, grief and loss, physical illness, teenage transitions, and trauma.  She is a dedicated advocate of using EMDR with diverse client populations.  Terry is a frequent lecturer on issues of  compassion fatigue, organizational leadership, and stress management.  She has co-written a chapter with Lara Krawchuk, MSW, LCSW, MPH on creative healing for grieving clients for Techniques of Grief Therapy:  Assessment & Intervention, edited by Robert Neimeyer, PhD.