Trauma is the impact on a person of a distressing or disturbing experience, which can include both emotional and physical symptoms that affect a person’s day to day life in different ways. This course is an introduction to basic trauma, and the use of group methods, as a treatment option. It begins by introducing students to the basics of trauma in human beings, including its causes, types and symptoms, including a study of trauma from war. Students are then oriented to group counselling as a method for supporting those who experience trauma before learning and practicing group facilitation skills themselves. This is complemented with an introduction to trauma management strategies and overview of key principles needed for effective group facilitation. The course concludes with a module that guides participants through the enactment method of group therapy to treat trauma. By the end of the course, participants will have basic knowledge of the causes and consequences of trauma in humans, will learn how facilitated groups support individuals to more effectively cope with and move past their trauma injury, and will be familiar with a specific method effective in facilitating groups with the goal of treating trauma. This course is useful for anyone who works with individuals who have experienced trauma, wants a deeper understanding of trauma, and wants to gain exposure to a practical and accessible group method of mitigating the impacts of trauma.
Effort: This course will take approximately 15-20 hours of student effort to complete including time spent on readings and assignments.
Level: Introductory
Institution: University of British Columbia (UBC), Faculty of Education
Cost: Free
Subject: Psychology
Available in the Following Languages: English, Dari/Farsi
Type: Self-paced
Licensing: This course is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 CA.
Resources To Get Started
Course Structure This course is divided into five consecutive modules:
- Basic Understanding of Human Trauma
- Introduction to Group Counselling
- Preparing for Group Facilitation
- Facilitating Groups
How It Works
This is a self-paced course, which means the student completes the course on their own, at times that suit them. However, it is recommended that you complete the entire course within 60 days from when you start. Each module consists of information for you to read, view or listen to, to help you learn about the topic, as well as practice exercises and assignments. You are also asked to read the material provided for each module. At the end of each module, there is a short quiz to assess your learning, and the cumulative results of these quizzes consist of your grade for the course. If you need any technical support, contact the course host. If you have questions about the course content or assignments, contact cgct.info@ubc.ca.
When you are finished with all the content on each page, click the arrow on the bottom right corner to move to the next page. There is a progress bar at the bottom that will show your progress in the course, as you move through each module. When you have completed the course, you will have the option to generate a certificate of completion for download.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand and describe trauma in humans, including its common causes and symptoms or manifestations
- Become familiar with basic trauma management strategies
- Apply and understand the basic techniques in planning and group facilitation as a method of treating trauma
- Describe and evaluate different trauma management approaches
Assessment
This is a graded course where you will be required to complete exercises in each module, and one quiz per module. Your grade is based on the average grade of the four quizzes. A minimum grade of 60% is required to pass this course. You may attempt each quiz up to three times. Those who receive a passing grade may be issued a certificate of completion.
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