The Trauma certificate will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of what trauma is, how it affects the body, the brain and the memory and how trauma differs from crisis and other distress. The program will also explore various types of trauma, such as interpersonal violence and refugee/war experiences, and how other issues, such as addictions, can interact with trauma. Some of the topics covered in this program include:
- The neurobiology of trauma.
- Assessment of trauma.
- Current, evidence-based treatment models for trauma.
- The effects of torture, violence or risk of violence.
- How to effectively manage issues of religion and spirituality while working with triggered refugees or survivors of war.
- The connection between trauma and addiction.
- Flashback management.
- Building resilience in children who have experienced trauma.
- Strategies for managing the effects of secondary traumatic stress.
- The basic steps to implementing trauma-informed care in organizations.
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
No application required. To complete the Trauma certificate, you must take a minimum of 84 course hours. It is strongly recommended that you take the Foundations of Trauma workshop if you do not have extensive training or experience working with trauma. You can complete this certificate in as little as one year or take up to seven years.
You do not have to be working toward the Trauma certificate to take any of these workshops.
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
There are currently eight Trauma workshops available online, allowing you to complete the certificate program on your own schedule and from your own location. Each online workshop takes either three or six weeks to complete and will require approximately two hours of work per week. Instructors will use a variety of learning methods, such as discussion boards, videos, quizzes and PowerPoint presentations to provide a rich learning experience.
You don't have to log on to the workshop at any particular time, but each workshop is divided into separate weeks so you are required to log on and complete the work each week. Each weekly lesson includes:
- Written lectures for you to read.
- Mandatory discussion boards.
- A quiz.
DELIVERY OPTIONS
The Trauma certificate workshops are available asynchronously online and remotely through Zoom.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information about this certificate contact the Faculty of Social Work Professional Development office:
Email: fswprofessionaldevelopment@wlu.ca
Remote: 519-884-0710 ext. 5234
Online: 519-884-0710 ext. 5235