Families and Trauma Work: Integrating Key Ideas from Individual and Systemic Practice
Course Overview
Working with individuals and families impacted by trauma offers a powerful opportunity to foster healing — both personally and within relationships. At the same time, it demands a high level of sensitivity and attunement from practitioners. Trauma-driven responses can be complex, requiring thoughtful, emotionally safe approaches to support regulation and resilience in the face of adversity.
This two-day workshop presents an integration of theoretical and practical ideas from both individually oriented and systemic approaches, including systems theory, neurophysiology, attachment theory, and internal family systems.
The features of each framework will be presented and then integrated into a unified approach for trauma-informed assessment and intervention. Specific focus will be given to culture and diversity, therapist self-care, and single session principles.
Training Type
This course is conducted E-Learning via ZOOM platform.
Who Should Attend
This workshop would be particularly useful for those with a therapeutic role with complex trauma but would also be appropriate for those with roles in case management, child protection, and family or individual support. This includes psychologists, social workers, psychologists, mental health workers, youth workers, drug and alcohol workers, psychiatric nurses, child protection workers and anyone who is working with individuals and/or families where trauma is a key organising factor in the presentation.
Course Duration
Upcoming Schedule: 5 & 6 October 2026
Total Training Duration (Hour)
2-full day (8.30am - 4.30pm)
Course Outline
- Exploration of the worker’s role and context when working with trauma
- Useful concepts and practices from Systems theory and family therapy
- Useful ideas from neurophysiology
- Adult Attachment theory (Bowlby 1969, Ainsworth 1973, Main 1979)
- Internal Family Systems (Schwartz 1995)
- Worker self-care
- Trauma-informed Single Session Therapy
(please see course objectives under "additional details")
Certification Obtained and Conferred by
Participants are expected to meet minimum 75% class attendance to be awarded with the Certificate of Attendance by The Bouverie Centre
Course Objectives
- Articulate important and useful features of a systems approach, trauma related neurophysiology, attachment theory and internal family systems
- Articulate how to obtain a mandate for trauma informed work with individuals and families
- Create and maintain engagement with clients while addressing difficult issues
- Take a history and genogram as part of an overall assessment integrating the above frameworks
- Utilise principles of a “single session” approach to service delivery
- Develop appropriate individual and family interventions based on the trauma informed assessment
- Articulate ideas for managing issues such as family violence in the context of working with trauma
- Articulate ideas for building resilience in clients in face of persisting risk issues
- Consider implementation issues associated with an integrative systemic trauma treatment approach
Medium of Instruction & Trainer
Lecturers from The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University
Nella Charles is a family therapist and clinical psychologist at The Bouverie Centre where she has been employed as a clinician and teacher in family therapy for over 20 years. She has a breadth of experience working with families, with particular experience working in disability, acquired brain injury and child welfare fields. She has a particular interest in the treatment of trauma and use of creative methods in family, group work and supervision.
Funding Information
NCSS member and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies are able to apply for PCG Funding (pending renewal outcome in June 2026).
Course Pre-Requisites
Price
| Discount / Promotion Fee (Apply to original fee only) |
Fee Payable After Discount / Promotion | |
|---|---|---|
| Before GST | With GST (9%) | |
| Early Bird Fee (refer to closing date mentioned below) | $750.00 | $817.50 |
| Course Fee Payable | ||
| Original Fee | Before GST | With GST (9%) |
| Course Fee | $950.00 | $1,035.50 |
Early Bird Fee (incl GST): $$817.50 (Registration and payment by 24 Aug 2026)
* Discount will be reflected during payment checkout / billing invoice
Please note that prices are subjected to change.