Families and Trauma Work: Integrating Key Ideas from Individual and Systemic Practice

Course Overview

Working with families and individuals where there has been trauma, especially intergenerationally, presents complex challenges that require more than what any one framework or approach can provide. This workshop offers a number of theoretical frameworks that can be integrated in a way that is potentially useful in this area. These include systems theory, neurophysiology, attachment theory (adult and child applications) and internal family systems therapy.

The important features of each of these will be presented and then integrated into an approach for trauma informed assessment and intervention. Consideration will be given to how to manage issues such as family violence that can frequently accompany trauma presentations in individuals and families, and also to how to build resilience even when risk issues have not been fully resolved. The workshop will include didactic and practical components to build integration of theory and skill.

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

2 full-day on 18 & 25 July 2023 (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

Robyn Elliott is a family therapist and social worker employed at the Bouverie Centre for almost 20 years. As senior lecturer with La Trobe University she manages the Academic Program - administering and supervising the delivery and development of all Bouverie’s university accredited courses. She also lectures and supervises in the Master of Clinical Family Therapy course. Robyn also provides non-accredited training and consultation to government and non-government organisations in the health and welfare sector. She is a clinical member of AAFT, PACFA, AASW (AMHSW), and an accredited consultant with EMDRAA, and a member of the EMDRAA board of management.

Robyn's area of special interest is trauma. She has been learning, teaching and practicing in the area of trauma for the past 23 years. She is particularly interested in EMDR and how this can be integrated with systemic approaches. Her training and consultation to other organisations, for example, Child Protection, Community Health, Adult Mental Health and non-government organisations has focused mainly in this area, although a highlight of her career was a five-day training in family therapy in Mongolia!

Colleen Cousins is a registered psychologist, family therapist (Clinical member of AAFT) and educator. She has been employed at the Bouverie Centre since 2007 and has worked as part of the Academic team co-ordinating the Graduate Certificate/ Year 1 Master's program, lecturing and providing supervision to students undergoing clinical training. She is also a member of a specialist trauma team providing therapy to families impacted by trauma and in this role a contributor to the development of Bouverie’s systemic trauma framework. Colleen has over 20 years clinical and supervision experience in community, hospital and private practice settings including ongoing work in child and adult sexual assault services. She has a keen interest in the application of individually orientated trauma treatment approaches within a systemic framework.

Funding Information

NCSS member and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies are able to apply for PCG/VCF Funding

PCG/VCF Funding is pre-approved at 45% per pax for Singaporeans/PR (Ref No. PAS00002977, End date of approval: 8 Mar 2024)

Price

	Course Fee Payable
Original Fee	Before GST	With GST
Course Fee	$950.00	$1,026.00
Corporate Pricing (Fee payable to Training Provider)
Non-SME	Before GST	With GST
PCG 45% funding - Inc GST (SC/PRs)	$522.50	$564.30
SME	Before GST	With GST
PCG 45% funding - Inc GST (SC/PRs)	$522.50	$564.30

Early Bird Fee (before GST): S$750 (register & pay by 15 June 2023)

* Discount will be reflected during payment checkout / billing invoice

NCSS member and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies are able to apply for PCG/VCF Funding - refer to Funding Information under 'Additional Details' tab