Nirantar: Continuing Education Programmes (STP) Admissions

Diploma in Trauma Therapy

Location: Mumbai

School: School of Human Ecology

Centre: Centre for Human Ecology

Intake: 17

Eligibility

Modality of the course: Blended (online + contact hours in Mumbai campus)

Eligibility: Masters in Psychology with 5+ years of experience as a practitioner after highest degree achieved. Minimum of 55% aggregate in Masters. Candidates need to be practicing psychologists.

Educational Qualifications: Masters (M.A./ M.Phil in Psychology/ Applied Psychology/ Clinical Psychology/ Counselling Psychology)

Description

  List of Selected Candidates

/uploads/files/Selected_Candidates_List_for_Diploma-in-Trauma-Therapy.pdf

 CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Admission Requirements:

1.      Online Application Form

2.      Full CV

3.      Statement of Purpose, expressing reasons for pursuing the course

4.      2 Recommendation letters from appropriate faculty/ supervisors

Last Date for Receiving Applications: 8th January 2021

Announcement of List of Eligible Candidates: 10th January 2021

Last Date to make payment: 11th  January 2021

Commencement of Course: 12th  January 2021

Inquiries:

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Sukanya Ray & Dr Chetna Duggal

School of Human Ecology

TISS Naoroji Campus

Deonar Farm Road, Mumbai - 400088

Email: Sukanya.ray@tiss.edu, chetna.d@tiss.edu

 Rationale for the Course:

Modern societies are rife with several shadows of our traumatic past caused by atrocities in the twentieth century alone.  Research shows that trauma changes narratives and collective identities. Social-identity based trauma inequalities thus persist through our generations as transgenerational trauma. In fact with less access to healing the effect of such collective trauma in communities has been worsening due to the continuous nature of transgressions against the people of the global majority. This just translates to more and more people requiring trauma-based interventions and thus therapists feel the need to be trauma-informed as they hear the overdominance of trauma narratives.

Trauma Therapy is a relatively new field, emerging in the 1990s with the seminal work of Judith Herman, followed by Daniel Siegel, Bessel van der Kolk, Pat Ogden, Peter Levine, Stephen Porges, Gabor Mate and many more luminary mental health professionals. However, several concepts in trauma therapy, like dissociation and parts-work, are more than a century old. Hence the field of trauma therapy may be said to be ‘re-emerging’ from the shadows of its past. Moving away from the post World War focus on therapy with war-veterans and the overdominance of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as the only clinical population for trauma-related work, trauma therapists of the 21st century have ventured out to show its efficacy across psychiatric diagnoses and psychological distress that may not amount to a diagnostic category as per DSM 5 or ICD 11. A review of treatment guidelines for PTSD concludes on trauma-focused therapies as Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and TfCBT that directly address the trauma (Watkins, Sprang & Rothbaum, 2018). Systematic reviews of EMDR and TfCBT found both modalities to be equally efficacious for PTSD (Siedler & Wagner, 2006). EMDR has been found to be overall efficacious in adolescents with Moderate Depressive Disorder (MDD) (Paauw et al., 2019). A body of evidence is gradually emerging on the efficacy of trauma-focused interventions on several trauma-related conditions and traumatic stress (Castelnuovo, Fernandez & Amann, 2019). The rapidly evolving field of trauma therapy is also informed by advances in neurosciences.

There is a lack of coverage of the ‘trauma lens’ in the curriculum on therapy across Indian Universities that offer MA in Applied/ Clinical/ Counselling Psychology. Very few universities impart the trauma lens to students in these courses. As a result, postgraduates in Psychology who venture out into community settings, replete with mild to severe presentations of ‘trauma’ find it a difficult landscape to navigate. A few years after their PG training, they usually feel the need for more nuanced training courses in Trauma Therapy.

The mental health scenario in India in the post-covid19 times is likely to surface with plenty of trauma-related difficulties. With the number of ‘clinical psychologists’ falling way short of the required numbers to address the burgeoning numbers in the population with a trauma-based presentation, there is a felt need for more ‘trauma-informed’ and ‘trauma-focused’ therapists. Hence the urgent need for a comprehensive course that equips practitioners with the trauma lens and the overall, common skills and techniques of trauma therapy.

In order to respond to this need for clinicians, Diploma in Trauma Therapy was conceptualized.

The curriculum for the ‘Diploma in Trauma Therapy’ is based on the needs of counselors and psychotherapists working with trauma across age groups. The curriculum rests on ethical, practice and research guidelines on trauma-informed and trauma-focused counselling and psychotherapy. The curriculum covers scientific understanding of trauma which is critical to conceptualize the trauma lens as also ethical aspects of trauma-informed care. The course introduces some of the major theoretical frameworks for trauma therapy and arms the practitioners with practical skills in handling trauma.

The course is suitable for counsellors/psychotherapists, guidance counsellors, psychologists, who work with clients with trauma - including children and adolescents.  

The program has been designed with professionals in mind, with blended learning (online and offline) to develop knowledge and skills, along with practice through supervised fieldwork and case presentations, while continuing to meet individual life and work demands.

Duration

The course is a one-year Diploma course with a  blend of online and offline classes. Field work component is for a total of 8 credits. Out of the 8 credits, 2 Credits of Field Work are compulsory to be attended in person in the first semester. The remaining 6 Credits may be attended in the second semester at a field work agency in the same location as the student’s place of residence, as per their choice. The agency and TISS will be in touch regarding the student’s progress in field work.

N.B.: Due to pandemic, contact hours in Semester I may change.

 Course Structure

Course Objectives:

The objectives of the Diploma course in Trauma Therapy are:

1. To develop a comprehensive perspective and sensitivity to the etiology of trauma in various presentations of trauma-related symptoms and narratives
2. To develop an intersectional lens of how social identities influence the development of trauma and resilience.
3. To be informed by a strong base of neurobiology of trauma.
4. To be able to conduct assessment of trauma in an ethical and sensitive manner for treatment planning.
5. To practice evidence-based trauma focused interventions in an ethical manner as per trauma-informed guidelines.
6. To understand and apply basic principles, strategies, guidelines and techniques of trauma-informed counselling in a sensitive and ethical manner with individuals, couples and groups across ages.
7. To develop an acute understanding of self as a trauma therapist and thereby recognize the importance of supervision in therapist’s growth.

Eligibility for the Course

For the Diploma in ‘Trauma Therapy’ direct applications will be sought from:

• Students who have completed a Master’s Degree in Psychology, from a recognized University
• Practicing professionals working in the area of mental health with a minimum of 5 years of experience.

Distribution of Credit Hours:

Detailed course outline:

Semester I

Module 1: Foundations of Trauma Therapy

1. Credit Hours: 4 (60 hours) 

2. Rationale for the Module: This module introduces the trauma lens to the students. A finer neurobiological understanding of trauma is necessary to fully grasp the nature of traumatic impact. Trauma therapy is a fast growing field, with an increasing emphasis on how adverse childhood experiences impact the maturing brain. The module covers the ethical aspects of trauma therapy, intersectional lens of trauma and important systemic factors of trauma maintenance. 

3. Objectives of the Module: On completion of this module, the student will be able to:

• Have a nuanced understanding of what is trauma and the various types of trauma and differentiate the tenets of trauma therapy from other schools of psychotherapy
• Be able to explain the relationship between trauma, adaptation and resilience
• Understand the neurobiology of trauma and how environmental factors interact with the brain’s response to traumatic stress
• Understand the trajectory of developmental trauma through adverse life experiences at critical points in development
• To be able to conceptualize a client’s symptomatology via the trauma lens by defining the various components of trauma
• To develop a systemic formulation of trauma by appreciating the transgenerational, intersectional nature of trauma with identities.
• be informed about ethical guidelines in trauma intervention
• trace the emergence of trauma therapy in the 19th century till its reemergence in the 21st century. 

4. Assessment: Learner’s competence will be assessed with Assignments and a written examination

Module 2: Trauma-Informed Counselling Skills

1. Credit Hours: 4 (60 hours) 

2. Rationale for the Module: Trauma informed counselling skills are the cornerstone of competence for the trauma therapist. While trauma-informed therapists are expected to be conversant with micro counselling skills, conducting a trauma therapy session requires an advanced knowledge, skills and expertise in relational aspects of the therapeutic relationship. The microskills expected of a trauma therapist borrows from inter-disciplinary fields, such as body psychotherapy and neuroscience. The module therefore covers these essential and finer nuances of process skills. 

3. Objectives of the Module: 

• To learn how to take trauma-history without retraumatizing the client
• To learn the key skills in co-regulation of the client in the therapeutic space
• To learn key stabilization skills along with theoretical frameworks that help navigate the stabilization phase of trauma therapy
• To get hands-on experience of using assessment tools for trauma and its associated concepts (attachment, dissociation, life events etc)
• To develop a strengths-based perspective for conversing with an individual with trauma history
• To adopt the ability to empathise and view the perpetrator of violence, through the trauma lens
• To learn and adopt essential strategies for self care for the trauma therapist 

4. Assessment: Learner’s competence will be assessed with Assignments and a written examination 

Module 3: Field Work 1 

1. Credit Hours: 2 (30 hours)
2. Rationale:

Fieldwork that puts the students in direct contact with clients and their families is a major strength of the diploma. This fieldwork will take place throughout the semester concurrently with coursework to allow for continuous learning and application of classroom input to real life settings. 

3. Objectives of the course: (Learner objective)

• To receive exposure to the diversity of mental health problems amongst trauma survivors.
• To learn about different cultural presentations of the symptoms associated with trauma.
• To learn how families of children and adolescents are impacted by and respond to their mental health issues precipitated by traumatic stress.
• To practice skills in taking a sensitive and comprehensive trauma-informed history and conducting a mental status examination.
• To learn how to integrate the information gained through case history and observation with theory to conceptualize a client's case
• To develop a detailed intervention plan for individuals and families and conduct trauma informed counselling/therapy sessions
• To document the field work practice including research and reflections on process and outcomes.

4. Details of Module Content

Students will engage in field work over the duration of the course to put into practice the skills and knowledge gained in the course. They will either continue working in a setting that they have been professionally working in or will be placed in hospitals for 1 month (December to January). The fieldwork will involve observation of trauma informed counselling and psychotherapy with individuals and families with a total of 60 hours for the entire module. During these months, the trainees will get inputs through professional supervision and discussions in individual and group settings with faculty and will be required to submit fortnightly reports on their observation, history taking and conceptualization. 

 Module 4: Supervision 1 

1. Credit Hours: 2 credits (30 hours)
2. Rationale: Fieldwork that puts the students in direct contact with clients and their families is a major strength of the diploma. This fieldwork will take place throughout the semester concurrently with coursework to allow for continuous learning and application of classroom input to real life settings. Supervision is an important aspect of field work. Since supervision and self care if an essential requirement in development of skills for a trauma therapist, this module carries credits for taking supervision for field work in Semester 1. 

3. Objectives of the course: (Learner objective)

• To integrate theory into practice through the process of action, reflection or praxis (the practical side and application of something such as a professional skill, as opposed to its theory).
• Critically reflecting on the process of field practice with trainers
• Monitoring and evaluating own knowledge and competencies in working with supervisees
• Obtain feedback on developing skills
• Navigate challenges in supervision with the help of course trainers
• Designing and reviewing plan for supervision sessions and exploring new directions for work
• Reflecting on the impact of supervision work on personal and professional self of the learner. 

4. Module Contents:

This module involves undergoing individual and group supervision with the supervisor to discuss and present counselling and psychotherapy work being conducted as part of field work. The students will be required to prepare an agenda for supervision sessions, attend weekly supervision sessions and complete reflective and experiential exercises. This module has been designed to facilitate and encourage the use of supervision in practice and will ensure reflective practice and documentation that will improve quality of care and professional development of the trainee therapist. 

1. B: Modules 3 and 4 will be graded as components of Field Work. 

 Module 5: Case Presentation I

1. Credit Hours: 2 credits 

2. Rationale for the course: Case presentations are utilised across health professions as a way to capture experiences and demonstrate learning in the field by illuminating in detail the process of working with a particular client. Case presentations allow the learner to demonstrate practice-based wisdom in terms of what works, what doesn’t, and enables shared learning to take place among a student group. When presenting a case, learners also have the opportunity to showcase their own thinking style, professional approach and capacities, thereby enabling trainers to gauge the depth of learning.
3. Objectives

• To develop critical reflection and evaluation of one’s own work in the field
• To present the assessment, conceptualization and intervention plan with respect to a client – individual/family
• To identify and document key moments and phases in psychotherapy process
• To foster the ability to summarise and highlight therapeutic approach used in the therapeutic work and support that with evidence/research and reflections 

4. Module Contents:

This module involves a comprehensive documentation of observation with one client during the field work and presentation of the same in the classroom. Students will be required to complete a thorough review of literature and document their therapy work in a given format. This module has been designed to facilitate and encourage the integration of practice, theory, ethics, research and reflection while presenting and documenting case work.

Semester II:

Module 6: Therapeutic Approaches to Trauma Therapy 

1. Credits: 4 (60 hours)
2. Rationale for the Module: The module orients the learner about the different therapeutic approaches to Trauma Therapy. The field of trauma therapy reemerged with the ego state work in the 1970s and Francine Shapiro’s discovery of eye movement desensitization and subsequent efficacy of this framework in PTSD survivors. With the late 1990s, several body-based approaches and insights from neuroscience led to a more nuanced understanding of somatic psychotherapy. The reemergence of several of these trauma based approaches truly calls for a “Fifth Wave” of psychotherapy. Trauma focused therapies are now gradually entering into the evidence-based domains of psychotherapy. This module orients the learner to these different schools of trauma focused therapies. Many of these trauma interventions are regulated by governing agencies that offer specialized training and certification. The PG Diploma course does not provide training in these specific modalities but only offers an overview to pique their interests towards an informed choice for further training and specialization.

3. Objectives (for the Learner):

• to develop a conceptual understanding of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
• to have a conceptual understanding of Trauma focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TfCBT)
• to develop a conceptual understanding and practical applications of Parts work and the role of dissociation and fragmentation in self.
• to learn about sensitive approaches like various body-based approaches to trauma therapy
• to develop a conceptual understanding and practical applications of narrative work in trauma
• to learn about art-based approaches in trauma focused therapy
• to develop a conceptual understanding of neurofeedback and its role in trauma focused therapy
• to be oriented to group and community-based models of trauma work
• to be competent in identifying underlying issues of grief and learn practical applications of grief therapy.
• to be competent in conducting sessions of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in complex trauma.
• to learn the scope and practical applications of yoga in trauma focused work. 

4. Assessment: Learner’s competence will be assessed with Assignments and a written examination

Module 7: Trauma Therapy for Special Populations

1. Credits: 4 (60 hours)
2. Rationale for the Module:

Trauma therapy is applicable for not just psychiatric diagnoses like PTSD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder etc, but also for other conditions like OCD, Psychosis, Couples’ Adjustment and marital disharmony, Substance Use etc. The student of Trauma Therapy needs to develop nuanced understanding of the emergence of these symptomatology in the background of traumatic life events. The module aims to provide the learner with an understanding of the evolution of these symptoms which may or may not require psychiatric diagnosis. The module also orients the students to therapeutic modalities for use with Children and Adolescents.

3. Objectives of the Module: (for the learners):

• gain a rich theoretical understanding of trauma in special populations
• be able to conceptualize strategies for working with special populations
• be able to adapt techniques for different groups, such as children and adolescents
• be conversant with legal issues for navigating with special groups, especially women and children
• be able to understand codependency in addiction and its role in maintenance of the addiction cycle
• delineate the differences and similarities in working with survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence, intimate partner violence.
• develop sensitivity and effective handling of suicidal tendencies in clients.
• be able to develop an acute understanding of trauma model in personality disorders

4. Assessment: Learner’s competence will be assessed with Assignments and a written examination

Module 8: Field Work II 

1. Credits: 8 (120 hours) 

2. Rationale:

Fieldwork that puts the students in direct contact with clients and their families is a major strength of the diploma. This fieldwork will take place throughout the semester II concurrently with coursework to allow for continuous learning and application of classroom input to real life settings. The field work may be carried out in agencies in the same location/ city as the learner.

3. Objectives of the course: (Learner objective)
   • To receive exposure to the diversity of mental health problems amongst various groups affected by trauma.

• To learn about different cultural presentations of the trauma-related symptoms associated with diverse mental health problems amongst different age groups.
• To learn how families are impacted by trauma and respond to their mental health issues.
• To practice skills in taking a sensitive and comprehensive history and conducting a mental status examination
• To learn how to integrate the information gained through case history and observation with theory to conceptualize a client's case
• To develop a detailed intervention plan for individuals and families and conduct counselling/therapy sessions
• To document the field work practice including research and reflections on process and outcomes.

4. Module Content

Students will engage in field work over the duration of the course to put into practice the skills and knowledge gained in the course. They will either continue working in a setting that they have been professionally working in or will be placed in hospitals or other agencies in their location for 3 months (June to September). The fieldwork will involve practice of counselling and psychotherapy with individuals and families with a minimum of 10-12 hours of practice every week. During the months of June to September, the trainees will get inputs through professional supervision and discussions in individual and group settings with faculty and will be required to submit fortnightly reports on their counselling and psychotherapy work. Trainees will need to undergo a total of 120 hours of field work in an agency in their location to complete this module. They will be required to attend GCs/ ICs online and keep their supervisors in the loop about their field work agency. 

Module 9: Supervision II 

1. Credits: 4 (60 hours)
2. Rationale:

Fieldwork that puts the students in direct contact with clients and their families is a major strength of the diploma. This fieldwork will take place throughout the semester concurrently with coursework to allow for continuous learning and application of classroom input to real life settings.

3. Objectives of the course: (Learner objective)

• To integrate theory into practice through the process of action, reflection in a supervisory space.
• Critically reflecting on the process of field practice with a supervisor.
• Monitoring and evaluating own knowledge and competencies as a therapist/counsellor with a supervisor.
• Reflecting on the impact of supervision on personal and professional self of the learner. 

4. Module Contents:

This module involves undergoing individual and group supervision with the supervisor to discuss and present counselling and psychotherapy work being conducted as part of field work. The students will be required to prepare an agenda for supervision sessions, attend weekly supervision sessions and complete reflective and experiential exercises. This module has been designed to facilitate and encourage the use of supervision in practice and will ensure reflective practice and documentation that will improve quality of care and professional development of the trainee therapist.

1. B: Modules 8 and 9 will be graded as components of Field Work.

Module 10: Case Presentation II

1. Credits: 2 

2. Rationale

 Case presentations are utilised across health professions as a way to capture experiences and demonstrate learning in the field by illuminating in detail the process of working with a particular client. Case presentations allow the learner to demonstrate practice-based wisdom in terms of what works, what doesn’t, and enables shared learning to take place among a student group. When presenting a case, learners also have the opportunity to showcase their own thinking style, professional approach and capacities, thereby enabling trainers to gauge the depth of learning.

3. Objectives

• To develop critical reflection and evaluation of one’s own work in the field
• To present the assessment, conceptualization and intervention plan with respect to a client – individual/family
• To identify and document key moments and phases in trauma focused psychotherapy process
• To foster the ability to summarise and highlight therapeutic approach used in the therapeutic work and support that with evidence/research and reflections

4. Module Contents:

This module involves a comprehensive documentation of work with one client during the field work and presentation of the same in the classroom. Students will be required to complete a thorough review of literature and document their therapy work in a given format. This module has been designed to facilitate and encourage the integration of practice, theory, ethics, research and reflection while presenting and documenting case work.

Fee Structure:

Fee structure

Note: Caution Deposit and Library Deposit will be returned to the student on completion of the Course)

Accommodation and Hostel

Selected candidates will be assisted to find accommodation close to the Institute. There is no possibility of hostel facilities.