ADC435: Trauma and Crisis Counseling (undergrad section of graduate course)

Course Description

This course provides students with a foundational understanding of the impact of trauma and crisis on individuals, families, and communities.  Emphasis will be on the research, theory, skills, and attitudes essential for working with those suffering from traumatic stress. Students will learn trauma-informed practices and procedures useful for prevention, assessment, intervention, and treatment. Special attention is given to the intersection of trauma, crisis, and addiction. This course combines psychological insights with biblical principles to address the impact of trauma on the human spirit, emphasizing the transformative power of God’s love and grace in the journey towards healing.

Prerequisites

Available to undergraduates with 90+ credits and a 3.5+ GPA.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course you should be able to:

1. Identify the history of the discipline trauma counseling and crisis intervention.
2. Analyze crisis intervention strategies and their role in de-escalation and trauma-informed care.
3. Reflect on your own history of trauma and how that might influence your ability to counsel and support clients in crisis and/or with a trauma background.
4. Compare and contrast the diagnostic criteria of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD).
5. Develop treatment plans and techniques based on the type of trauma-related diagnosis (ASD, PTSD & C-PTSD) and other factors.
6. Create a trauma-informed care plan for your organization.
7. Evaluate clinical approaches to crisis intervention and trauma in light of a biblical perspective.
8. Assess and respond to your own potential for burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma given your current context.

Syllabus

Course Materials & Tuition