Introduction
Date Course Created: June 2026
Medical trauma often leaves deep psychological and somatic imprints that go unrecognized or are misdiagnosed in clinical practice. Clients frequently present with symptoms like chronic pain, fatigue, dissociation, and body-based anxiety, yet their medical histories are rarely explored as potential sources of trauma. When these symptoms are mislabeled, it can lead to treatment resistance, fragmented care, and further harm to the client. This training provides the critical skills to navigate the clinical complexity of differentiating between medical trauma, PTSD, and somatization disorders.
This training will help you examine how medical events – from surgeries and ICU stays to chronic illness – can activate trauma responses and lead to somatic expressions of distress. Using case-based discussions and trauma-informed diagnostic frameworks, you will learn to recognize key features of medical trauma, avoid over-pathologizing, and offer clients appropriate validation and care. The session will also explore the integration of trauma-informed strategies for effective treatment planning, helping you build a bridge between a client’s physical symptoms and their underlying traumatic experiences.
This is a 4.75-CE noninteractive, self-paced online video course delivered in home study format via an industry-standard online learning platform.
Agenda
00:00 – 00:40 → Introduction, Consequences of Misdiagnosis, Listening to Patient Concerns, Definitions, Challenges
00:40 – 01:30 → Insights, Iatrogenic Trauma, Somatic Presentations, The Importance of Slow Treatment
01:30 – 02:30 → Patient Experiences, Understanding Somatic Symptom Disorder, Functional Neurological Disorder
02:30 – 03:15 → The Intersection of Trauma and Somatic Disorders, C-PTSD in Medical Trauma, Case Studies
03:15 – 04:00 → The Consequences of Dismissal in Medical Settings, Chronic Illness, Identifying Red Flags
04:00 – 04:51 → Ethical Considerations, The Role of Somatic Work in Trauma Recovery, Screening Tools, Final Thoughts
Objectives
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
After completing this training, participants will be able to define medical trauma and differentiate it from traditional PTSD and somatization disorders.- After completing this training, participants will be able to identify common presentations and clinical red flags that signal unresolved medical trauma.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to discuss the impact of early medical experiences, invasive procedures, and chronic illness on somatic memory and nervous system regulation.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to apply trauma-informed principles to distinguish somatization from malingering, secondary gain, or conversion disorders.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to analyze how misdiagnosis of somatic symptoms can lead to retraumatization, treatment failure, and client disengagement.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to integrate appropriate screening tools and EMDR-informed assessment strategies to guide accurate diagnosis and ethical treatment planning.
Target Audience:
Mental Health Clinicians & Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Marriage & Family Therapists, Counselors, School Personnel, and Healthcare Workers.
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Instructor(s): Megan Salar, MSW
Material Author(s): Megan Salar, MSW
For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.
Course Materials & Delivery Method:
- Course Materials – The course is composed of a recorded presentation and written materials (e.g. a slide deck and/or other worksheets, manuals, or handouts as provided by the instructor). The slide deck and any additional worksheets or handouts (as provided by the instructor) are made available inside the Lesson module after a course is purchased.
- Delivery Method – This course is a recorded asynchronous, self-paced webinar training, and there is no access time limit or due date to complete it once enrolled. The enrolled learner will stream the recorded presentation and view the materials from their internet connected device via an industry-standard online learning platform.
CE Approvals:
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Mind Works Professional Education, Inc. DBA Online CE Credits, #1974, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: July 23, 2025 – July 23, 2028. Social workers completing this course receive 4.75 clinical continuing education credits.
Other Helpful Information:
Refund & Cancellation Policy – You may review this policy at any time by clicking here.- Accessibility Accommodations – If you require a reasonable accommodation for any reason, please email your request to cc@onlinececredits.com.
- Course Completion Requirements – 1.) View the entire Lesson module (accessible from the main course page), to include the embedded and/or linked presentation video(s), slide deck, additional materials, and/or links to any shared video clip(s) that may have been edited from the presentation video(s) to comply with copyright laws. 2.) Click into the Quiz module accessible from either the main course page or the Lesson page and complete the Quiz with an 80% or better pass rate. 3.) Complete the Course Evaluation – you’ll be sent to the Evaluation automatically once you successfully pass the Quiz.
- Posttest Requirements – You must answer 80% or more of the Quiz questions correctly to pass. If you fail to pass the first time, you may attempt the quiz again until you are able to pass with a score of 80% or better. Quizzes are graded instantly and automatically by the learning management system once your attempt is submitted.
- Certificate of Completion – Certificates of Completion are automatically generated – downloadable from your Dashboard and emailed to you – once you view the Lesson Materials and complete the Quiz and the Course Evaluation.
- How to Enroll – Login to the website first if you already have a user account. If not, you will create your permanent user account login information during course enrollment. Select the appropriate course library using the top menu of the website. Once inside your chosen course library, find and select your desired course to be taken to the main course page. Click the button on the top banner to enroll. When the order window pops up, enter your details and place your order. You will be emailed an enrollment confirmation message, and you’ll be sent to a landing page instructing you how to begin your newly enrolled course.
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