Complex Trauma and the Healing Process Certificate

Overview of Certificate

This certificate is co-sponsored by the Department of Humanistic Clinical Psychology and Department of Transformative Social Change.

The impact of trauma on psychological and social wellbeing, while always having been a core aspect of psychology practice, has developed in its sophistication in the last two decades. There is now a recognition that chronic exposure to trauma-be it from combat, domestic violence, or other sources-can have a devastating effect on a person's sense of self. As the leading academic institution for humanistic, existential, and transpersonal studies, Saybrook is the perfect stage for providing a unique program to meet the rising need for humanistic and integrative education in dealing with trauma-related issues. While the courses in the Certificate program will review traditional conceptualizations and approaches to complex trauma, it will emphasize alternative and creative understandings, including spiritual, somatic, and cultural perspectives. This is what makes Saybrook's Complex Trauma and Healing Processes Certificate program unique. Each course will provide a whole person-based, multicultural-sensitive training to practitioner-learners across the globe interested in a humanistic-existential-transpersonal perspective of trauma. 

The Certificate is designed to address the gap in education surrounding traumatic stress and effective, innovative healing processes by offering a program for emerging scholars and practitioners. Our program integrates crucial humanistic understandings of the human condition while providing basic knowledge about the established foundations of trauma, and its intricate, complex, and often tragic impacts upon mind, body, spirit, and culture, with special attention to exploring both conventional and non- conventional healing processes. The curriculum and training also meet the growing interest among practitioners, students, and community members to learn more about the fundamentals of trauma integrated with the humanistic implications it has raised for research and practice in the United States and internationally. The curriculum and training provide students with a broad and rich understanding of trauma history, theory, research, practice, and cultural implications allowing for a pursuit of a specific area of interest. In addition, students are invited to collaborate with instructors in developing practical opportunities for unique their fields or discipline, research experiences, and for scholarly publications, nationally and internationally. 

Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Upon completion of the Certificate, students will be able to:

1. Understand the foundational, historical, cultural, and humanistic perspectives of trauma; Evaluate established and emerging global and cultural theories of traumatic stress. 
2. Gain skills and knowledge about empirically supported, evidence-based, practical, and humanistic approaches and non-conventional approaches to healing individuals and groups. 
3. Recognize the empirical and subjective experiences of traumatic stress and expressions of trauma throughout the lifespan. 
4. Understand the diversity and related implications of group and individual stress reactions to trauma across cultures.
5. Develop an understanding of the assessment process, ethics, and risk management of traumatic stress in practice. 
6. Integrate concepts into practice for healing, research, and transformative social change.

Career Opportunities

The knowledge and skillset acquired through this certificate will help advance the work and effectiveness of professionals or workers. Completing this certificate does not position one for clinical practice or treatment if they are not a mental health professional. 

• Mental health professionals
• Healthcare professionals
• Educators
• Community organizers
• Researchers
• Human resource workers

Certificate Requirements

Credits/Hours

Length of Certificate

• 15 credit hours
• Potentially 6 credits (two courses) per academic term

Required Courses

• PSY 3171 - Perspectives and Foundations of Traumatic Stress 3 credit(s)
• PSY 3177 - Traumatic Stress within Cultures and Self 3 credit(s)
• PSY 3172 - Trauma: Mind, Body, and Spiritual Dynamics 3 credit(s)

Elective Courses

Choice of Two (2) Electives 

• PSY 3178 - The Psychology of Trauma in Working with First Responders 3 credit(s)
• PSY 3179 - Traumatic Experiences in Relationships 3 credit(s)
• TSC 7115 - Refugee Trauma and Resiliency 3 credit(s)