Course Description
This course is an advanced practice elective for students who wish to increase knowledge and skills for practice with traumatized populations. This course will introduce students to the common concepts (general theory and foundational knowledge), components (intervention and treatment elements), and skills underlying evidence-based treatment with traumatized children and adolescents.
Athena Title
Assess and Treatment of Trauma
Pre or Corequisite
SOWK 7112, SOWK 7114, SOWK 7113, SOWK 7115
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: • Explain how traumatic experiences are inherently complex • Illustrate how trauma occurs within a broad context that includes children’s personal characteristics, life experiences, and current complex circumstances • Appraise the manner in which trauma events often generate secondary adversities, life changes, and distressing reminders in children’s daily lives • Evaluate a wide range of reactions to trauma and loss experienced by a child and family • Examine the manner in which danger and safety are core concerns in the lives of traumatized children • Highlight how interventions with trauma-exposed children include promoting the child’s external (objective) safety and internal (psychological) safety • Provide a framework for intervention which addresses the level of functioning of primary care-giving environments, including parent/caregiver and family unit • Describe how pre-existing protective and promotive factors can reduce the adverse impacts of trauma exposure across development • Identify how post-traumatic adversities strongly influence development • Describe how traumatic experiences evoke strong biological (neurological) responses • Examine the manner in which culture is closely interwoven with traumatic experiences, response, and recovery • Determine the manner in which interventions with trauma-exposed children need to address ethical and legal issues as they arise • Recognize how interventions with trauma-exposed children impact the practitioner in working with these populations
Topical Outline
• Orientation to the course; review of student experiences and interests in trauma. How will this work affect me? How can I take care of myself? • Historical overview of trauma • Defining trauma and major types of individual, family, community, and cultural/collective trauma • Trauma-informed care, systems, and practices • Understanding the neurobiological, emotional, social, and cognitive impact of trauma • The differential impact of trauma on vulnerable, marginalized populations: Working with individuals, families, groups, and communities exposed to trauma who represent diverse cultural and personal background characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, language, socioeconomic status, and other cross-cultural factors). • The traumatic impact over the life course of war and terrorism on military and civilian populations, immigration, trafficking and refugee experiences, natural disasters, childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, elder abuse/neglect, stalking, and bullying • Trauma diagnostic spectrum: trauma-related disorders, differential assessment, and treatment planning • Psychopharmacology of trauma: Typical psychotropic medications used with traumatized children, adolescents, and adults • Collaborating with parental caregivers, families, schools, and other professionals • EBTT: Psychoeducation, emotional processing, self- regulation, cognitive processing, meaning making skills • Understanding and enhancing resilience and post- traumatic growth • Creating healing communities: cross-level interventions, advocacy, prevention, and promotion of healthy behaviors • Putting It All Together: Capstone case presentations and expert panel discussion
Syllabus
Public CV