Advanced Topics in Interpersonal Practice

SW790, Section 002

This course presents advanced topics in interpersonal practice. The topics may include emerging practice methods, advanced application of methods covered in other required methods courses, and applications of methods in specific populations.

Topic Description / Additional Information

The purpose of this mini-course is to understand the impact of psychological trauma on adult functioning, to learn how to assess impact of trauma on functioning, and to gain skill in treatment of trauma.
Effects of trauma can be profound whether the trauma was a single episode/event, or was experienced over a period of time. Trauma can affect cognition, concentration, memory, self-esteem and ability to self-regulate and self soothe. Survivors of trauma can experience difficulty in trust or intimacy with others and often experience self-blame, shame, and guilt.

This course will provide an overview to trauma treatment for the individual including ways to help survivors of trauma establish safety, self-regulation that leads to feelings of competency, and healthy ways of self-soothing.
Assessment will include evaluation of individual strengths, how the individual has coped through different developmental stages, the individual's present coping skills, ways of creating relationships with others and gaining support from others. Self-regulation and self-soothing techniques are evaluated including presentation of post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals, individual methods of emotion regulation and settling down emotions, ability to stay present in activities, meaning of spirituality or religion, connection to physical body, and impact of shame on individual.

Treatment planning for individuals affected by both acute trauma (single
event) or complex trauma (chronic, childhood, or long-term) will be discussed, deciding priorities for treatment, including long term and short term goals.

The following outline, based on the work of Judith Herman and Besel Van der Kolk, will be the basis for defining treatment:
1. Establishment of safety and self-regulation 2. Addressing traumatic memories, including recognition of necessity for integrated treatment techniques 3. Connection in the present-the use of self-regulation and self-soothing to learn to establish and engage in relationships that are reciprocal and mutual


Objectives:

1. Participants will learn DSM IV-TR understanding of post
traumatic stress disorder.
2. Participants will gain skill in evaluating two common presenting
problems for the survivor of trauma.
3. Participants will gain skill in developing a treatment plan for
the survivor of trauma.
4. Participants will learn two interventions useful in short-term
treatment of trauma survivors.