Foundation diploma - therapeutic safety in trauma

60-hour integrative, experiential training, based on the 3-phase trauma model 

Each training day can be booked separately, and you will gain a CPD certificate of attendance. If you attend all 10 days and successfully complete the assignments and case study, you will receive the Foundation Diploma.

Learning outcomes

• learn to confidently recognise survival states in your clients
• use and apply the 3-phase trauma model
• employ creative ways of working, whilst staying safe yourself
• understand the impact of trauma on the body and utilise somatic skills
• navigate suicidal risk

Days one to three: Phase trauma model

A hands-on training where you will learn the basics of working safely with 
trauma, which includes trauma-informed tenets, the 3-phase trauma model, 
post-trauma symptoms and survival strategies of fight, flight, freeze, disconnect 
and flop. We will also cover the 3 basic principles behind polyvagal theory, the impact on the nervous system and brain, and how to safely complete therapeutic 
assessments.

Day Four: Safety techniques

This experiential day will build on the first day, covering the concept of hyper-arousal, hypo-arousal and dissociation in more depth.  It will give you a chance to practice with safety techniques to help manage or reduce trauma symptoms, such as the use of an anchor, window of tolerance, tapping, grounding, dual awareness, and the flashback halting protocol. We will also look at the concept of moral injury and how it relates to therapeutic practice.

Dat three: Creative ways of working with trauma

An experiential training where we will apply basic principles of contextual 
therapy when using Playmobil figures. Each figure can represent a part of the 
self or a part of the system.

Externalising internal material gives clients a chance to process difficult experiences, as it creates slightly more distance. You will have a chance to  practice with other creative materials and we will explore how you can utilise 
creativity in group therapy. 

Day four: Vicarious trauma 

Working with trauma puts every professional at risk of vicarious trauma. This 
training provides education about burn-out, compassion fatigue, secondary 
traumatic stress and burn-out, whilst relating it to your own current well-being 
and safety as you work with traumatised clients. We will look at certain keys to emotional safety and actively practice with regulation skills you can employ when working with trauma.

Day five: Complex trauma

Many clients have experienced complex trauma such as domestic and sexual 
abuse. Safety may feel non-existent. Clients may be unsure of how to move 
forward physically, sexually and emotionally.

We will work together to discover some of the taboos connected to complex 
trauma (including trauma bonds), as well as society's views and blame towards 
victims/ survivors.  You will have an opportunity to explore your own attachment style, enabling you to work towards a safe(r) relationship with your clients.

Day six: Trauma and suicide

Trauma and suicidal risk often go together, as trauma hits us in our core and can 
uproot our very existence. We will explore myths and facts around suicide, your 
own views, and determine risk factors and protective factors.

There is an opportunity to safely practice 3 different steps we can use in a 
session to navigate suicidal risk, whilst managing survival states, as a “live client” (an actress) will be present.

Day seven: Somatic ways of working

The body plays a big part in trauma, as trauma lives “in” the body. The body 
remembers what it has been through and therefore often experiences a wide 
variety of complaints, such as panic attacks or headaches. We will practice several somatic skills (such as tracking) and discover our own ‘bodily signature’. We will experiment with different ways of using our own body when the client’s body presents as traumatised.

Day eight: RAM, exploitation and trafficking

Refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and victims of exploitation and trafficking 
have often experienced complex trauma. But they also may deal with additional 
complexities, such as age assessments, the asylum process and working with 
interpreters.

We will explore these difficulties through a therapeutic lens. Through the use of a live “interpreter”, there will also be an opportunity to practice some of the techniques and guidelines when working in a triad.

Day nine: Therapeutic processing and integration

When clients experience sufficient safety and regulation (phase one), they may 
want to process (phase two) and integrate (phase three) some of their traumatic 
experiences. You will gain knowledge about trauma-focused CBT and practice 
accompanying skills, which can aid clients in this process. We will address and 
integrate related topics of negative thoughts, shame, guilt and self-blame. 

Day ten: Post-traumatic growth

Post-traumatic growth occurs for some clients, as they may ‘transcend’ the 
horrors they have experienced. This does not take anything away from the 
trauma, but it does have the ability to change a sense of meaning. We will look 
at the neurobiology, as well as the self-actualising tendency, whilst discovering 
the role of the professional, which includes embracing emotional expression and 
deliberate rumination.

Practican information

Each training day can be booked separately as CPD. You will receive a certificate of attendance after each day. If you would like to complete the foundation diploma, the following will also be required:

• reflective journals after each training day with Q&A
• case-study after the tenth training day (2000-3000 words) where you 
  will demonstrate how you have met the learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the above assignments, you will receive 
the Foundation Diploma - Therapeutic Safety in Trauma.