In recent years research has advanced our understanding of P.T.S.D. and its treatment. P.T.S.D. can be caused by exposure to a wide range of traumatic events and the mental and physical impact and suffering indicates a need for therapeutic assistance.  The information in this course will provide a greater awareness of the need for prompt recognition of symptoms and current treatment strategies that can benefit clients, their families and those who work with them. This course would be a useful adjunct to the stress and psychotherapy courses.

Lesson One

• What is PTSD?
• Introduction
• History
• Definitions
• What are Potentially Traumatic Events or Stressors?
• Lesson Two
• What Causes PTSD to Develop?/ Risk Factors and Vulnerability
• Wars
• Large-Scale Disasters
• Other Disasters
• In Summary
• Risk Factors and Vulnerability
• Lesson Three
• The Stress Response
• ‘Good’ Stress
• The ‘Fight or Flight’ Response
• Acute and Chronic Stress
• Biology
• What Happens in an Abnormal Stress Response?
• Does Genetic Makeup Play a Key Role?
• In Summary
• Lesson Four
• The Negative Effects of Stress
• The Immune System
• Immune System Dysfunction
• Physical Complications of Chronic Stress
• Psychological Complications of Chronic Stress
• Lesson Five
• Assessment and Diagnosis
• Data Processing
• Documentation
• In Summary
• Lesson Six
• Interviewing Techniques for PTSD Therapists/Counsellor Assessment Tools
• Questioning
• Other Verbal Techniques
• Non-verbal Techniques
• Active Listening
• Summary
• Assessment Tools
• TSI (Trauma Symptom Inventory) Belief Scale
• Trauma Assessment Inventories
• Lesson Seven
• Assessment Tools (Continued)
• The CAPS-I Rating Scale
• Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule – Revised (ADIS-R)
• The Penn Inventory
• Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI)
• Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
• Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
• Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS)
• The Stroop Colour Word Test
• Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ)
• The Post-Traumatic Checklist Scale (PCLS)
• My Worst Experience Scale (MWES)
• The MENT Test
• DSM-IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale (DSM-IV, AXIS V)
• Lesson Eight
• Intervention Strategies
• The Mitchell Model of Psychological Debriefing
• Effectiveness of Debriefing
• Benefits of Debriefing
• Acute Traumatic Stress Management (ATSM)
• Guidelines for Assessment and Treatment of Clients
• Lesson Nine
• Medication
• Antidepressants
• Anxiolytics
• Anticonvulsants
• Mood Stabilisers
• Lesson Ten
• Helping Clients to Cope
• Working Towards Recovery
• Building Resilience
• Coping Styles
• Maladaptive Coping Strategies
• Positive or Adaptive Coping Responses
• Lesson Eleven
• Post-Traumatic Therapy (PTT)/ Treatment Options
• Foundations
• The Principles of Therapy
• Treatment Options
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Case Study
• Lesson Twelve
• Psychotherapy Theories and Theorists/ Further Treatment Options
• Sigmund Freud
• Carl Jung
• Other Theorists
• Goals of Psychotherapy
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Case Study
• Conclusion

No practical training is required to complete this course.