Course Description

The majority of individuals will be exposed to at least one traumatic event during their lives. While exposure to trauma is very common, the ways in which individuals are impacted vary widely. Given that many therapy clients have a history of trauma exposure, the strategic and skillful differential assessment of post-trauma symptoms is a bedrock of effective treatment planning and appropriate therapy selection.

This course provides essential tools for sensitive, empathic and efficient evaluation of trauma- related symptoms and difficulties. This course outlines some of the most common clinical sequelae and symptoms that can follow trauma exposure, and clarifies the edges of different diagnoses and symptoms to facilitate the development of an accurate clinical picture. Clinical vignettes and examples will be used to illustrate how to discern between diagnoses in complex cases. In addition, this course provides recommendations for standardized assessment tools with robust psychometric properties that will enhance and facilitate clinical interviewing.

Total running time 99 minutes. 1.5 Hours CE. Recorded Video Format (non-interactive). 

Content Advisory: This course includes discussion of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and other traumatic events. To protect client confidentiality, case examples include fictionalized elements.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Utilize sensitivity, empathy and appropriate pacing while engaging in efficient and thorough evaluation of trauma-related symptoms

  • Apply at least two effective and well-validated clinical measures to assist in evaluation of post-trauma clinical symptoms

  • Identify at least three differences between Criterion A traumatic events and non-Criterion A stressors

  • Differentiate between at least 5 common post-trauma mental health diagnoses

Course Outline

1. Trauma assessment guidelines

2. Criterion A traumas

3. Measurement

a. Assessment tools

b. Methods and clinical tips

4. Differential diagnosis and clinical presentations

5. Common difficulties following trauma exposure

6. Clinical considerations for other stressful events

References

Instructor

Stephanie Sacks, PhD, Psychologist

Stephanie Sacks is a Florida and DC-licensed psychologist in private practice, specializing in trauma care. She serves as an Adjunct Faculty at Nova Southeastern University, and as a Trainer and Consultant for Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD.

Additional Information

Format and Length:

Recorded video format (non-interactive). Total running time 99 minutes. Progress is saved after each lesson section so you can complete the course in multiple sittings. Please note that if you leave the course in the middle of a video, quiz, or survey section you may be required to start that section from the beginning.

Topic Area:

Clinical practice

Instructional Level:

Intermediate. This course assumes graduate-level training in mental health assessment and diagnosis, and strong familiarity with the DSM-5.  

Completion Requirements:

To obtain your CE certificate, you must progress through all course segments, complete a satisfaction survey, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a course completion quiz. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within a reasonable number of attempts, and may be blocked from completing the course and receiving their certificate if unable to do so.

Completion Quiz and Course Evaluation:

After watching course videos, the course completion quiz will be available to complete, followed by the course evaluation.

Who Should Attend:

Psychologists, counselors, masters or doctoral level clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

Publication and Review Dates:

Course Published: September 17, 2021 

Financial Support Statement:

SimplePractice pays course presenters for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course.

Conflict of Interest Statement:

There is no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support for this course.

Refund Policy:

Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility, and other frequently asked questions. Click here to contact us or submit a grievance.

Contact Information:

For any inquiries related to subject matter guidance, correction, grading, comments, or problem resolution please contact us.

System Requirements:

Please ensure your device meets our system requirements.

Continuing Education Approvals:

SimplePractice is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course provides 1.5 hours of continuing education (1.5 CE credits) for psychologists.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice, #1749, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Simple Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/06/2021 – 07/06/2024. Social workers participating in this course will receive 1.5 continuing education credits in the Clinical topic area.

SimplePractice is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #145276). SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. 

SimplePractice is approved as a Rule/Statute Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Note that we do not automatically report CE completion to CE Broker at this time, so certificates of completion must be manually uploaded. Click here for more information.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0582.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0030.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0091.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0206.

This course is not part of our continuing education program approved through NAADAC. Click here to view our complete CE approval information, or check out our collection of NAADAC approved courses.