Trauma Focused Assessment Certificate Program
Have you ever felt uncertain asking about certain types of trauma?
Are you worried that you are going to do more harm by asking?
Do you get concerned when talking about sensitive issues like sexual abuse with young children?
Do you feel uncertain about what comes next after you assess for impact of trauma?
There has been an explosion of science that supports the need for trauma responsive approaches in children’s mental health.
Yet very few practitioners feel confident enough to competently assess the impact of trauma on children and youth. Join us for a comprehensive course on assessment and treatment of trauma in children and youth developed by Geraldine Crisci, a world-renowned trauma clinician and trainer.
You will learn:
- Why to ask about trauma
- How to ask about trauma
- How to work with families
- Interview protocols that help keep your clients safe and connected and that are developmentally appropriate
- A review of treatment models
- How a good assessment leads to effective and focused treatment plans that include measurable goals
Dates & Time
Dates: March 28, 29, 30. April 18, 19, 20. May 16, 17, 18. June 13, 14, 15, 2023
Time:
First 2 days each month: 9am – 3:30pm EST
Last day each month: 9am – 12:00pm EST
Cost: Training Program: $1,999 plus H.S.T.
Monitored Practice: hourly rate: $100/HR + H.S.T (Required for certification. Group rates available.)
****All session recordings will be availble to participnts until Sep 14, 2023.****
What's Included
This program includes 10 full days of training. The certificate will show completion of 10 full days of training in trauma focused assessment of children and adolescents.
Intensive monitored practice of 5-10 trauma cases will be available following the training (at a separate cost at $100/hour) and is required for certification.
Course Outline
- Critical Issues in child development – developmental impact of trauma
- The neurobiological impact of trauma
- Interviewing caregivers & collaterals – the art of collecting critical information
- Trauma assessment tools
- Use of psychometric measures
- Translating assessment results into treatment plans
- Identification of treatment issues
- Trauma treatment methods, including medications and family intervention
- Evaluating the effectiveness of treatment
- Self-care
This model is unique in that the client’s individual experience is carefully taken into account throughout the assessment and treatment planning process. Cultural, developmental, relational and environmental experiences remain key aspects of the treatment model. The effects of the traumatic experience are viewed as particular to each person. Emphasis is on the individual needs of each client rather than a prescribed or programmed intervention.
Email Lucy Yazar with any questions.
Instructor
Geraldine Crisci, M.S.W. is a mental health professional with 40 years experience in the field of trauma. She is a private practitioner who provides assessment and treatment to children, youth and their families. She is also a professional trainer providing educational programs to mental health, protective services, law enforcement, medical and other helping professions. Geraldine developed and teaches the 6 day Trauma Assessment and Treatment Program for Safeguards which has reached 3,500 professionals in the past 20 years.
Geraldine has developed protocols for the assessment and treatment of trauma, sexualized behaviour problems and sibling sexual abuse. Geraldine also developed reunification protocol for families separated for protection reasons, including sibling sexual abuse. She has provided support to agencies and families towards successful adoption of children from the protection system. She has worked extensively with live-in treatment programs for children and youth for the past 20 years. She specializes in addressing the impact of trauma on the behaviour of children and youth. To this end she develops clinical programs to provide children, youth and their families with corrective and effective therapeutic intervention.
Geraldine is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC); ATSA; CPRO. She co-authored Paper Dolls and Paper Airplanes: Therapeutic Exercises for Sexually Traumatized Children, which is currently in its 10th year of printing.
Trauma Focused Assessment Certification Program Approach
The certification program provides an integrated approach to the assessment and treatment of trauma. It integrates current best practices, attachment theory, effects of early trauma on brain development (including witnessing and/or living in violence), sexual abuse, maltreatment, and neglect. Self-care is integrated into the training and subsequent consultation.
The program is carefully designed to provide trainees with a comprehensive model of practice; opportunities to apply what is learned didactically, while receiving ongoing training, supervision and consultation. Certification will be granted when students demonstrate competency in applying the model.
Successful students of the Externship Program will have a comprehensive knowledge base and applicable clinical skills to assess and treat these populations. Graduates who complete both the training and practicum are able to utilize the Assessment Packages developed by Geraldine Crisci including trauma assessment tools and interview guides in their work. Graduates are able to maintain an association with Geraldine Crisci, M.S.W. for ongoing consultation in their work.
Trauma Assessment Model Rationale
The Trauma Assessment Model utilized by Crisci and Associates includes the following four components based on scientific evidence: Symptomology, Responsibility Issues, Sensorial Reminders and Developmental Disruption.