An introduction to complex trauma (DAA040)

A guide to working with complex trauma informed by psychoanalytic theory and lived experience.

An introduction to complex trauma

Delivery: Online: self-study

Qualification: CPD certificate

This course will help you understand how psychoanalytic theory, attachment theory and key developments in neuroscience can assist your work in complex trauma across different settings, whilst gaining insight into the wide-ranging effects of trauma on individuals and communities.

Drawing on experience from our specialist service, this course uses narratives, case studies and lived experience reflections to highlight how to intervene safely and therapeutically – in a way that supports recovery for those affected by trauma. People with complex trauma often face barriers to accessing services and this course aims to improve their experiences and outcomes, while giving you the practical skills and confidence you can apply to your practice.

Aims and learning objectives

By completing this course, you will:

explain the relevance of psychoanalytic theory to complex trauma and how this links to attachment theory and neuroscience
describe how psychoanalytic theory can help you understand the powerful emotions that may emerge in your work and the importance of reflecting on them
analyse and reflect on theoretical and clinical concepts by listening to people with lived experience
recognise how diversity impacts a person’s experience and treatment within services
feel more confident in responding to patients who present in different ways
apply key principles for working with people affected by complex trauma and integrate them into your daily practice

Who will I learn from?

This course has been developed in collaboration with our trauma service, an advisory panel of people with lived experience, and peer supporters working within the team. Their voices are at the heart of the course, shared through personal testimonies, reflections, reviews, and creative contributions woven throughout.

The artwork you will see has been created by people who attended the trauma service’s art therapy group, adding creativity and lived experience to the learning experience.

Who is this course for?

This course introduces key concepts about complex trauma in an accessible way. You do not require any previous training in trauma or any pre-existing knowledge of complex trauma or psychoanalytic concepts.

In particular, this course is for you if you currently work with complex trauma (or may encounter it in future) but do not necessarily work in a trauma-focused setting or context. This could include working with adults in mental health services, other health and social care settings, voluntary organisations and adult education settings.

This includes a wide range of roles, such as psychologists, counsellors, therapists, psychiatrists, doctors, GPs, community psychiatric nurses (CPNs), staff nurses, social workers, educators, youth workers and voluntary or support roles.

Course details

There are three parts to this course.

Parts one and two will set the context and introduce key theories, helping you to:

examine definitions of trauma and complex trauma, including the benefits and limitations of medical classifications such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD
learn about the important contribution of survivor-led movements to broader understandings of complex trauma
explore key theories that inform clinical practice, beginning with foundational psychoanalytic concepts, and consider their application to complex trauma
learn about the therapeutic relationship and its central role in clinical work
gain a better understanding of attachment theory and its emphasis on the importance of relationships and the external world
be introduced to key findings from neuroscience

Part three will help you explore how the theories explained in the earlier section of the course can be applied in practice. You will:

discover how Judith Herman’s work on recovery can be used as a guiding framework for intervention across a range of services
examine trauma-informed care as an approach to establishing safety, alongside the importance of the co-creation of narratives in clinical work
reflect on how the material applies to your own work setting
consider how intersecting identities shape experiences of trauma as well as access to and experiences of services

There are no specific requirements for the course although we suggest you are working with, or have an interest in, working with complex trauma.

There’s a self-assessment at the end of the course which, on completion, provides access to a certificate from The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

This online course will run continuously which means that you can sign up at any time. It offers self-directed learning which you can undertake at a time, pace and location that suits you.

You will have access to the course and its materials for one year. Access begins the day after you’ve booked, when you will receive your account details by email.

There are three units within the course, each building on the other to provide you with comprehensive and practical guidance on working with complex trauma. Throughout it, you will learn from range of case studies which have been drawn from diverse settings, including GP services, community services, hospitals, and voluntary organisations, and reflect a range of groups and communities

The units are:

Definitions and context
Theory
Putting theory into practice

Training for organisations

Looking to enhance the skills of your team or workforce and create long-lasting impact?

We can offer discounts for group bookings, as well as packages tailored to your specific workforce requirements, including:

an initial consultation to help identify your team’s training needs and knowledge gaps
a flexible, bespoke training programme combining this self-study course with live elements such as reflective sessions or follow-up workshops for deeper learning

For more information on how we can support your organisation, please contact us.