Course Fee: $855 (Canadian currency)
This diploma course in Crisis and Trauma Counselling will equip you with the concepts and skills required for working more effectively in this field. It is ideal for professionals such as nurses, doctors, teachers, pastors, social workers and counsellors – or for those with an interest in trauma counselling.
Specifically, this course is designed to enrich your understanding of the following important areas: Defining a crisis; dealing with a crisis; a crisis in the family; the crisis of violence and abuse; the crisis of addiction; traumatic death and the crisis of suicide; an introduction to trauma; the footprints of trauma; trauma-related disorders; the road to healing; trauma recovery models; working with traumatized children and youth; and moral and ethical issues in trauma counselling.
SYLLABUS
Part 1
Module 1: Defining a Crisis
Topics Studied
• Assessing a crisis
• Categories of crisis
• Appropriate crisis intervention
• Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Essential counsellor qualities
• Essential counsellor skills
• Think before you speak
• Understanding non-verbal communication
• Brushing up on skills: Effective listening
• Reflective skills practice
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Distinguish between Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• Describe different forms of inadequate listening.
• Assess key counsellor qualities.
Module 2: Dealing with a Crisis
Topics Studied
• Introducing the ABC model
• Applying the ABC model
• Common reactions to crisis and trauma
• Telephone counselling skills
• Developing a feelings vocabulary
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Summarise the ABC Method of Crisis Intervention.
• List typical reactions to crisis and trauma in preschool children, school-age children, preadolescents, adolescents and adults.
• Relate some main differences between face to face counselling and telephone counselling.
Module 3: The Crisis of Violence and Abuse
Topics Studied
• An Introduction to Violence and Abuse
• Different Types of Violence and Abuse
• Assessment Questionnaire
• Escaping a Violent Relationship: Safety Planning
• Focussing on Sexual Assault and Abuse
• Incest and Sexual Violence
• Sexual Assault Trauma Syndrome
• Incest and the Sexual Abuse of Children
• Typical Feelings Experienced by Victims of Sexual Abuse/ Sexual Assault
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• List and describe the nine different types of violence and abuse.
• Outline what’s involved in creating a safety escape plan.
• Describe the phases associated with Sexual Assault Trauma Syndrome.
Module 4: A Marriage or Partnership in Crisis
Topics Studied
• Made for intimacy?
• Affairs under the microscope
• Everybody argues!
• Developing conflict resolution skills
• Areas of conflict
• Conflict resolution questionnaire
• A parting of the ways
• Separation guidelines
• Kuhbler-Ross, separation and divorce
• An emotional response to separation and divorce
• Murray-Parkes, separation and divorce
• Children suffer too
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• List common reasons for having an affair.
• Compile strategies for successful conflict resolution.
• Illustrate how Kübler-Ross’ stages model, and Murray-Parkes’ cyclical model can be applied to separation and divorce.
Module 5: The Crisis of Addiction
Topics Studied
• Defining and categorising addictions
• Who is at risk?
• The stages of addiction
• How addictions affect our lives
• When your partner is struggling with an addiction
• The Preoccupation and Impact Scale
• The impact on the children
• Treatment options
• Addiction and the brain
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Provide a definition of addictions.
• Explain how a habit becomes an addiction.
• Critique the typical feelings experienced by survivors of sexual abuse.
Module 6: Traumatic Death and the Crisis of Suicide
Topics Studied
• Defining suicide
• High risk groups
• Don’t miss the signs!
• How should you counsel a suicidal client?
• Working with ambivalent clients
• Protection against future suicide attempts
• Structuring the crisis counselling session
• Advice on how to handle a suicidal client
• The grief of the suicide survivor
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Identify red flags that could point to a client deciding to choose suicide.
• Suggest ways of protecting against future suicide attempts.
• Outline how to structure a counselling session for a suicidal client.
Part 2
Module 1: Introduction to Trauma
Topics Studied
• What is a trauma?
• What leads to trauma?
• Trauma and the brain
• Risk factors increasing the likelihood of trauma
• Factors which increase resilience
• The role of triggers
• Important points about remembering a trauma
• Essential counsellor qualities
• Basic counselling skills
• Effective listening
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Explain what trauma is
• List risk factors which might increase the likelihood of trauma
• Suggest factors which may enhance resilience, and help protect against being traumatized
Module 2: The Footprints of Trauma
Topics Studied
• The biology of stress and trauma
• A bias against what is good and nurturing
• Understanding dissociation
• Understanding numbing
• Trauma and feelings of guilt and shame
• A focus on incest and sexual abuse
• Typical feelings experienced by survivors of sexual abuse
• Some thoughts on feeling broken …
• Reactions to trauma across the life span
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Describe the biology of stress and trauma
• List five forms of dissociation
• Explain the relationship between trauma, guilt and shame
Module 3: Trauma Related Disorders
Topics Studied
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Acute stress disorder
• Panic disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Major depressive disorder
• Dissociative disorder
• Borderline personality disorder
• Addictions and trauma
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Distinguish between Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Describe the symptoms associated with major depressive disorder
• Suggest tips for dealing with flashbacks
Module 4: The Road to Healing
Topics Studied
• The ten tasks of healing
• The journey towards healing
• The trauma vortex
• Reducing your arousal (or activation) level
• The role of relaxation
• The role of CBT and challenging our thinking
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Some additional interventions and therapies
• Trauma, grief and loss
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Summarise the ten tasks of healing
• Describe the trauma vortex
• Explain the value of CBT in challenging and changing thoughts related to a trauma
Module 5: Trauma Recovery Models; and Working with Traumatized Children and Youth
Topics Studied
• The stage specific model
• The self trauma model
• The phase-oriented treatment model
• Counselling traumatized children
• What is play therapy?
• Basic play therapy skills
• Teenagers and group work
• Therapeutic activities for children and teenagers
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Describe the stage specific model
• List basic play therapy skills
• Suggest therapeutic activities that are helpful when working with children and youth
Module 6: Morals and Ethics in Trauma Counselling
Topics Studies
Ethical framework for good practice in counselling
Ethical principles for good practice in Counselling
The counsellor’s personal moral qualities
Providing a good standard of practice and care
Counselling supervision
What have you learned? Reviewing the course
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objective
(a) Counselling Codes of Practice stress the central importance of principles, or ethical responsibilities. List six of these principles.
(b) Professional ethical guidelines also discuss the role of personal moral qualities. List ten of these moral traits and qualities.
(c) Professional guidelines have formulated standards of good practice and care in counselling. List the six areas addressed under this heading.
(d) Summarise the four key functions of supervision.
Suggested textbooks for the course (to be purchased by the student)
Part 1: Christiansen, K. (2018). The crisis intervention manual. (3rd Ed). Santa Monica, CA: Empathy works.
Part 2: Van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. London: Penguin.