Trauma Responses Unseen: Insights from a Panel of Clinicians & Survivors

Date course created: April 2024

About the Summit:

Join us for our inaugural Trauma Summit (originally airing live as a “Saturday Summit”): a series of interactive, informal, and educational trauma summits we will be hosting with various experts. We’ll examine the different types, elements, and perspectives surrounding psychological trauma and the various ways it can present in people today.

Grab your coffee and your nerd antennas for this one! We teach a lot (and talk a lot) about trauma and what triggers trauma. But rarely do we put trauma responses under a microscope for deeper examination and conceptualization.

What better way to do this than in a panel format focused across several trauma “types” from the perspective of the clinical provider AND the client!! Three clinical trauma experts will share some of the more subtle client queues that may not be readily apparent as trauma responses, why these behaviors are a reaction to trauma, and how we can use the insight to improve trauma treatment. For the first time ever, we will welcome a “Lived Experience” panelist to share their experience of trauma and trauma treatment from the other side of the therapy room!

**This is a 4.5-CE noninteractive, self-paced online video course delivered in home study format via an industry-standard online learning platform**

Agenda:

Jennifer Sweeton (first responder trauma) – 
00:00 – 00:33: Trauma and Lack of Recovery, Moral Injury & Trauma Responses in First Responders
00:33 – 00:52: The Imbalance of Responsibility and Power, Treatment Approaches
00:52 – 01:09: Assessing Impact on Relationships and Functioning, Q&A Session

Megan Salar (childhood & IPV trauma) – 
01:09 – 01:33: Importance of Attachment, Link Between Trauma and Domestic Violence
01:33 – 02:00: Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Relationships, Identifying Symptoms of IPV
02:00 – 02:20: The Fawning Response, Empowering Clients to Explore Their Needs, Q&A Session

Rafaella Smith-Fiallo (sexual & racial trauma) – 
02:20 – 02:50: Exploring Racial and Sexual Trauma, Healing Through Cultural Reconnection
02:50 – 03:11: Trauma Responses, Empowering Client Voices, Social Costs of Discussing Trauma
03:11 – 03:32: The Role of Therapy, Internalized Messages and Beliefs, Building Trust, Q&A Session

Aaron Quiñonez (lived experience – trauma of war) – 
03:32 – 03:51: Creative Approaches to Healing Trauma, Empowering Mental Health: The Need for Change
03:51 – 04:10: Normalizing Mental Health Conversations, Hope Through Service, Building a Supportive Routine
04:10 – 04:31: Personal Journey, Effective Routines, Challenges in the Veteran Community, Q&A Session

Objectives (and Segment Summaries):

Segment 1: First Responder Trauma

1). After completing this training, participants will be able to identify at least three unexpected cognitive, physical, or social trauma responses commonly experienced by first responders.
2). After completing this training, participants will be able to develop strategies to support first responders in recognizing and addressing their trauma responses, fostering healthier coping mechanisms.

In this opening segment, we’ll explore the unexpected and often overlooked ways trauma manifests in first responders. While their resilience and “tough it out” culture are celebrated, the gradual accumulation of trauma can lead to responses that may be mistaken for personality traits, coping strategies, or simple quirks. From hyper-competency and perfectionism as attempts to maintain control, to dark humor as a defense mechanism, to somatic symptoms and social responses, this presentation will shed light on behaviors and experiences that are rooted in trauma. We’ll also delve into the long-term impacts, such as avoiding medical care or being drawn to violent media as a form of processing or numbing. Designed to foster greater awareness among mental health professionals, this talk will equip attendees to better recognize and address these hidden trauma responses in their work with first responders.

Segment 2: Childhood & IPV Trauma

1). After completing this training, participants will be able to understand how childhood trauma leads to IPV in adulthood.
2). After completing this training, participants will be able to identify and understand the fawning response and its origins.

In this follow-on segment, participants will explore the complex dynamics of why individuals stay in abusive relationships, particularly through the lens of trauma. The session will examine how childhood trauma can contribute to the development of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood, with a focus on the fawning trauma response. Attendees will gain an understanding of the origins of this response and how it influences the decision to remain in unhealthy relationships. This seminar aims to provide valuable insights for mental health professionals supporting survivors and those seeking to understand the deeper psychological mechanisms behind IPV.

Segment 3: Sexual & Racial Trauma

1). After completing this training, participants will be able to identify and understand the trauma responses of shame and avoidance in survivors of sexual and racial violence, and how these reactions serve as survival and safety mechanisms.
2). After completing this training, participants will be able to examine the intersectionality of sexual and racial trauma and how systemic oppression compounds these responses, highlighting the importance of racial equality and trauma-informed care in supporting marginalized communities.

Our final teaching segment explores how trauma responses from sexual and racial violence often go unrecognized. Focusing on reactions such as shame and avoidance, we will examine specific behaviors that serve as survival and safety mechanisms for individuals who experience racial and sexual trauma. Participants will learn how systemic oppression, including racism and sexism, influences these trauma responses, often compounding the effects of violence in marginalized communities. By understanding these overlooked responses, attendees will be better equipped to recognize trauma in its various forms and support survivors more effectively. This session highlights the need for trauma-informed care that acknowledges the intersectionality of sexual and racial violence.

Segment 4: Lived Experience – Trauma of War

***No formal Objectives

Kicking off our first ever “Lived Experience” summit segment, Aaron “SgtQ” Quinonez shares his raw and personal story of enduring the trauma of war and forging his own path to healing. As a Marine Corps special forces operator, Aaron faced battles that led to homelessness and severe mental health struggles after his career in the military. Professional therapy offered him the start he needed to begin his healing journey! His therapist was open and encouraging, helping him find holistic methods to enhance his journey to health. Aaron would often try something and then come into therapy full of questions on why something worked or didn’t, and his therapist was able to walk him through what was happening in his brain.

Encouraged by his own progress in therapy boosted by his work outside sessions, Aaron went on to develop a recovery program called, “Healing Thru Service,” designed to drastically improve overall healing through community service and engagement. This led to his development of a mental health mobile app designed to collaboratively support others facing similar challenges.

Aaron will explore the power of service, purpose, and self-driven healing, offering mental health professionals a unique perspective on resilience and recovery as well as extra resources available to supplement traditional therapy with their clients. He will also describe the app that has gained popularity among patients and mental health professionals, winning a few awards since its release. Aaron will also share information on his non-profit qmissions.org, which can be a helpful resource for veterans to maintain social engagement and connect with the community during their healing process.

Target Audience:

The target audience for this event includes psychologists, social workers, counselors, MFT’s, and other clinical mental health professionals.

Instructional Level: Intermediate

Instructor(s): Jennifer Sweeton, PsyD, MS, MA; Megan Salar, MSW, ACADC; Rafaella Smith-Fiallo, LCSW

Material Author(s): Jennifer Sweeton, PsyD, MS, MA; Megan Salar, MSW, ACADC; Rafaella Smith-Fiallo, LCSW

About Your Summit Panelists

Originally trained as a neuroscientist, Dr. Jennifer Sweeton is a clinical and forensic psychologist, Amazon #1 best-selling author, and internationally-recognized expert on trauma, anxiety, and the neuroscience of mental health. She is the author of the book, Trauma Treatment Toolbox, published by PESI Publishing & Media. Dr. Sweeton completed her doctoral training at the Stanford University School of Medicine, the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, and the National Center for PTSD. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in affective neuroscience from Stanford University, and studied behavioral genetics at Harvard University. Dr. Sweeton resides in the greater Kansas City area, where she owns a group private practice, Kansas City Mental Health Associates, and co-owns Mind Works Professional Education, Inc., a continuing education company. She holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, and is a former President of the Greater Kansas City Psychological Association. Dr. Sweeton offers clinical and forensic psychological services, and is a sought-after trauma and neuroscience expert who has trained more than 15,000 mental health professionals in all 50 US states and over 20 countries.

Megan Salar, MSW, ACADC, is an EMDR Clinician, Trainer and Author who earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from Northwest Nazarene University in 2011. She has been extensively trained on the use of EMDR and other trauma-based interventions, and she specializes in the areas of trauma, abuse, attachment and substance abuse. Megan has trained thousands of clinicians across the U.S. and internationally to help them get the most out of EMDR, trauma and addiction treatment skills and evidence-informed best practices. Megan is the author of “EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSD: Skills to Manage Triggers, Move Beyond Traumatic Memories, and Take Back Your Life”, released by New Harbinger Publications in May of 2023. She is set to release “EMDR for Dummies” with Wiley Publishing in May of 2024. Megan previously owned/operated an intensive outpatient treatment center that was voted best in practice in 2019. She currently owns and operates her own Counseling, Consulting, and Training Business and is passionate about genuinely changing the landscape of mental health and trauma treatment through an authentic hands-on perspective that is uniquely her own.

Rafaella Smith-Fiallo (she/ella) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Sexuality Educator, and Certified Trauma Therapist. She is the founder of Healing Exchange LLC, a multi-state, education and mental health private practice committed to providing sex-positive, trauma-informed, pleasure-centered, and inclusive education, therapy, and professional development. Rafaella is an international educator, consultant, and author who has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Vibe Magazine, and Broadly. Rafaella has two mottos that drive her practice and personal life, “You deserve peace and pleasure in all of your relationships, especially the one with yourself,” and “If you want things to be different, you have to do things differently.” With that said, she is committed to engaging in and creating radical change and community liberation through centering pleasure politics.

Aaron “SgtQ” Quinonez, a former Marine Corps special forces operator turned mental health pioneer, transformed his traumatic experiences and struggles into triumph, rising from homelessness to multimillionaire. He’s the creator of the lifesaving QActual app, which has dramatically lowered suicide-related ER visits among veterans. His efforts earned him the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. As a chaplain for the Seattle Seahawks Task Force 12 and a motivational speaker, SgtQ now drives leaders to cultivate team success through collective mental health empowerment. Aaron is on a mission to educate one million leaders to empower 100 million people to heal from trauma and become high performers by 2038.

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.
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Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not quality for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

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, 2024 – July 23, 2025. Social workers completing this course receive 4.5 clinical continuing education credits.

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