COPING WITH TRAUMATIC EVENTS: THREATS, CRISES, AND PTSD

Course overview

According to the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, traumatic events are shocking and emotionally overpowering situations that may involve actual or threatened death, serious injury, or threat to physical integrity. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to traumatic events range from brief and minor distress to severely debilitating conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Massage therapists often work with clients who have experienced traumatic events, as well as clients with long and complex histories of abuse and violence who present with significant mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual needs. Due to increasing numbers of clients presenting with symptoms of stress following traumatic events, a working knowledge of trauma, traumatic events, and trauma related care is becoming increasingly necessary for massage therapists. This INR continuing education seminar will identify the major causes and pathways of the stress response, describe how worry, traumatic events, threats, and crises can lead to anxiety and trauma related disorders, and list the characteristics of acute stress disorder and the principles of crisis intervention. The course will identify the symptoms, subtypes, and treatment approaches for posttraumatic stress disorder and discuss effective stress management strategies including resilience building, mindfulness, relaxation techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, diet, exercise, and medications. The seminar will also list methods for managing compassion fatigue among caregivers and healthcare professionals and describe how the information presented in this course can be applied to improve patient care outcomes. In addition, the course will describe the implications of trauma informed care for dentistry, mental health, nursing, social work, and other healthcare professions.