Annex - Workshop topic list and learning outcomes

A. Introduction to Traumatic Stress Studies (One Day-20 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the range of normal reactions following traumatic events and their natural course.
• Describe problematic reactions following traumatic events including PTSD and other common disorders according to the DSMIV and ICD-10.
• Explain the principles of the theoretical basis of PTSD from neurobiological, psychological and social standpoints.
• Describe the basic epidemiology of traumatic stress disorders.
• Explain the principles of an evidence based approach to the prevention and treatment of post traumatic disorders.
• Describe an accurate overview of the current evidence base for the prevention and treatment of PTSD.

B. Psychological Treatment of PTSD (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the theoretical basis underlying the commonly used trauma focused psychological treatments including exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing and brief eclectic psychotherapy.
• Describe non trauma focused approaches including stress inoculation training, anxiety management, psychodynamic therapy and hypnotherapy.
• Discuss the current evidence base for the effectiveness of psychological treatment approaches for PTSD.

C. Neurobiology and Pharmacological Treatment of PTSD (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the neurobiological theories of PTSD.
• Describe the theoretical basis underlying the commonly used pharmacological treatments including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, other antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines.
• Discuss the current evidence base for the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for PTSD.

D. Early Intervention following Traumatic Events (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the commonly used approaches to early intervention following traumatic events and the rationale behind them including blanket intervention, targeted interventions and the timing of them.
• Describe specific interventions including critical incident stress debriefing, psychological debriefing, psychological first aid, critical incident stress management, trauma risk management, supportive counselling and trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy.
• Discuss the current evidence base for the effectiveness of early interventions following traumatic events.

E. Traumatic Stress Reactions in Children and Adolescents (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the normal and pathological reactions that children may experience following traumatic events and their age and developmental specific mechanisms.
• Describe the basic epidemiology of traumatic stress disorders in children and adolescents.
• Discuss the current evidence base for the prevention and treatment of PTSD in children.

F. Treatment of PTSD of PTSD in children and adolescents (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the commonly used psychological and pharmacological treatments with children and adolescents including age-appropriate applications of cognitive behavioural therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, play therapy, family therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
• Describe the theoretical basis and healing elements of treatments for PTSD in children and adolescents.
• Describe the current evidence base for the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of the treatment approaches for PTSD in children and adolescents.

G. Treatment of complex PTSD (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the common presentations of complex PTSD sufferers.
• Discuss the theoretical basis as to why alternative management approaches may be beneficial for complex PTSD compared to simple PTSD.
• Describe the current evidence base for the effectiveness of treatments for complex PTSD.

H. Disaster Management (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the principles of developing a multiagency psychosocial care plan to be delivered following a disaster.
• Describe the specific roles of multiple agencies in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, the short, medium and longer terms.
• Describe the current evidence base for the effectiveness of approaches to disaster management.

I. Traumatic Stress and Specific Populations (e.g. refugees and asylum seekers, abuse survivors, military veterans, older people etc) (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe presentations following traumatic events in specific populations and differences between them and the general population.
• Describe specific approaches to the management of traumatic stress in specific populations, including phased management and testimony.
• Describe the current evidence base for the effectiveness of management approaches in specific populations.

J. Human Rights Issues and Traumatic Stress (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe human rights in the context of traumatic events.
• Describe approaches to ensure the human rights of traumatised individuals are met.
• Describe legislation that protects traumatised individuals' human rights.

K. Community Interventions for Traumatised Populations (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the theoretical basis behind providing community interventions for traumatized populations.
• Describe alternative approaches to providing community interventions for traumatised populations.
• Describe a worked example of a community intervention for a traumatised population.

L. Psychological Treatment of PTSD (specific techniques) (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe in detail the theoretical basis underlying a specific evidence based psychological treatment for PTSD (e.g. prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing and brief eclectic psychotherapy).
• Describe in detail the session by session components and delivery of a specific evidence based psychological treatment for PTSD.
• Discuss in detail the current evidence base for the effectiveness of a specific evidence based psychological treatment for PTSD.

M. Formulation and Treatment Planning for Psychologically Traumatised Individuals (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the essential components of a full assessment of a psychologically traumatized individual.
• Describe the principles of formulation and treatment planning.
• Discuss the importance of understanding an individual's presentation before commencing treatment.

N. Treating complex PTSD as a result of gender and domestic violence: a group psychotherapy programme for women (Half day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Recognize and describe the different psycho traumatic effects of gender violence in its different forms (physical, psychological, sexual, economic etc).
• Know and describe the different commonly used trauma focused psychological group treatments including psychoeducation in PTSD, anxiety management through relaxation techniques, exposure therapy, and cognitive therapy.
• Discuss and learn how to apply transgenerational analysis, a form of knowing typical ways of pathological behavioural transmission, in the families with gender violence.
• Apply techniques such as art therapy and audiovisual means for the elaboration of traumatic experiences in gender violence.
• Learn how to handle typical problematic issues that arise in these groups like the management of medication, love/hate reactions between groups members, forensic issues etc.
• Compare and contrast this approach and the evidence for it with other approaches.

O. Trauma focused CBT - Treating the Emotional Response (Half day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Describe the three predominant emotions which can be evident after trauma.
• Describe how emotions can influence the treatment of trauma.
• Describe the relationship between cognition and emotional trauma.

P. Forensic aspects of Trauma (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Evaluate the impact of childhood violent trauma (sexual, physical and psychological) on victims and offenders.
• Understand standardised assessment of trauma and post-traumatic reactions (PTSD, complex PTSD, and dissociation) and their implications for practitioners in criminal justice and social care.
• Assess and treat PTSD in offender populations.
• Understand PTSD malingering in court and implications for criminal responsibility.

Q. Substance use disorders and PTSD (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Describe the incidence and prevalence of substance use disorders and PTSD.
• Describe approaches to the management of co-morbid substance use disorders and PTSD
• Describe the evidence base for these approaches

R. Psychological First Aid and Rapid Stabilisation Techniques (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Describe the essential components of Psychological First Aid and Rapid Stabilisation Techniques
• Describe the evidence base for these approaches
• Compare and contrast these approaches and the evidence for them with other approaches

S. Psychodynamic Trauma Therapy (Half Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Describe the essential components of Psychodynamic Trauma Therapy
• Describe how Psychodynamic Trauma Therapy can be integrated into management plans that include trauma focused psychological treatments and pharmacotherapy
• Compare and contrast Psychodynamic Trauma Therapy and the evidence for it with evidence based treatments for PTSD

T. TRiM Practitioner Training (Whole Day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Define the importance of morale, and the historical military response to stress
• Describe the background to and rationale for post incident psychological management
• Describe the basic psychological principles relating to traumatic stress
• Develop ways of understanding the range of psychological responses to traumatic incidents
• Provide education about traumatic stress and its management
• Assess individuals and groups using a structured format to identify those at heightened risk and encourage those affected to seek further professional assistance

U. Overcoming Roadblocks in Trauma (Half day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• To explore therapeutic roadblocks, which are common in the work with trauma
• To find out how to overcome these roadblocks
• To enable a forum for therapists to deepen their understanding of trauma work
• To increase therapist confidence about working with traumatized clients

V. EMDR workshop level one (2.5 days-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Describe an overview of Trauma diagnostic classification in order to identify when and how to integrate EMDR in their clinical practice
• Describe the current EMDR scientific research and findings
• Describe the 8 phases of standard EMDR protocol for trauma memories
• Conduct a Specialized history-taking to identify negative patterns and beliefs related to trauma history
• Apply EMDR to desensitize traumatic memories and present anxieties
• Install positive beliefs
• Install strategies for client resource development and enhancement

X. Report to Court: Psychology, Trauma and the Law (Half day-10 points)

On successful completion of the workshop, attendees will be able to:

• To provide a greater understanding of the interplay between psychological functioning post-trauma and clients’ involvement with the criminal justice system. This will include: facilitating a greater understanding of the psychological impact of trauma on memory, with a specific focus on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and associated emotional responses.
• To explore particular intervention strategies and techniques and to highlight the difficulties involved in working psychologically with clients going through the criminal justice system.
• To highlight the differences between Legal (Crown Prosecution Service) and Clinical (NICE) guidelines on the provision of psychological therapy with vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.
• To facilitate discussion on the provision of psychological evidence within the criminal justice system: Expert vs. professional psychological reports, case notes and confidentiality.