Trauma-Informed Care and Interventions for Youth

Trauma affects many of the children and adolescents in behavioral health care. When untreated, the trauma these individuals face leads to more severe behavioral and emotional difficulties such as hospitalization, juvenile delinquency, and school disruption. Moreover, many are displaced from their families and put into the foster care system, leading to further traumatization. For many years, talk therapy and medications were used without benefit to the client. This course will help the participant to learn the definitions and causes of trauma, its impact on the survivor, and methods to assess and treat. This three-hour course will focus on the causes of trauma, how it manifests in youths, and treatment options.

Educational Goals:

• Learning the definition and causes of trauma.
• Understanding the impact trauma has on the client psychologically, physically, and emotionally.
• Discovering how to evaluate for trauma and specific treatment techniques available.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the training, the participant will be able to:

• Verbalize four of the statements on the Adverse Child Experiences Survey.
• Recognize the difference between complex and acute trauma.
• Present three differences between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
• Articulate three evidence-based or innovative practices used with trauma survivors.
• Present three different triggers that are common with clients experiencing trauma.