Online Course for Mental Health Practitioners

Core Components and Skills for Trauma Informed Practice-Revised Course 2024

Trailer for Online Course

The Core Components and Skills for Trauma Informed Practice course will promote understanding and use of twelve trauma-informed practice elements and skills, identified in an earlier research study (Strand, Hanson, Courtney, 2013) as the most commonly occurring across evidence trauma treatments. The course conceptualizes a trajectory of intervention that considers the impact of trauma, the intervention objective that the therapist has in mind to ameliorate this impact , and the use of a trauma informed practice element that will meet that objective. Effective use of trauma-informed practice elements involves the interconnection of these factors in the context of a sound therapeutic relationship. A focus on the  manner in which client and therapist positionality affects the therapeutic alliance is emphasized.

Our case-based curriculum will increase the capacity of current and future mental health practitioners to provide effective, culturally relevant treatment to traumatized children–especially poly-victimized children–and their families. Mental health practitioners in behavioral health centers across the country are the primary target audience for the online course, and clinicians in sites funded by NCTSN will be prioritized. The course is also relevant for non-mental health practitioners in other child serving systems. The course will be able to be accessed via a platform on the UNC School of Social Work and will be free for the five years of the grant funded Initiative.