Trauma can have a profound impact on a person’s psychological wellbeing and every day functioning. Trauma counselling is a specialist field of counselling that aims to help those who have suffered a traumatic life event.
The Certificate of Trauma Counselling is an online professional development program that will provide you with the conceptual framework and skills for counselling people who are suffering from trauma-related stress.
In this online trauma counselling course, you will develop your counselling skills and techniques, learn how to establish a counselling relationship, apply specialist interpersonal and counselling skills, and facilitate the counselling relationship and process. You will also learn how to apply learning theories in counselling, implement trauma informed care and learn how to effectively recognise and respond to crisis situations.
On completion of this course, you will feel confident in your ability to use trauma-counselling techniques to assist and engage with those who have experienced trauma.
Course Structure
Unit 1 - Facilitate the counselling relationship and process
- Following the client’s story
- Encouraging client to tell their story
- Closed questions
- Legal and ethical considerations
- Equal opportunity
- Anti-discrimination legislation
- Mandatory reporting legislation
- Duty of care
- Client presenting and underlying issues
- Engaging with clients
- Situations requiring immediate action
- Suicide threats
- Conflicting interests
- Identify and prioritise concerns
- Reframing technique
- Recognising issues needing a referral
- Referral eligibility
- Referral types and processes
- Confidentiality and privacy
- Client ambivalence
- Strategies for overcoming uncertainty
- Code of ethical conduct
- Supporting clients to experience and process difficulties
- The stages of recovery
- Implementing interventions
- Supporting clients to identify and use strengths
- Active listening
- Exploring clients feelings (reflecting, clarifying and reviewing)
- Dealing with underlying issues
- Monitor the counselling process
- Disruptions to the counselling process
- Planning for change
- Action phase
- Addressing dilemmas
- Enabling clients to identify when counselling is ending
- Emotionally dependant clients
- Personal boundaries
- Professional boundaries
- Developing client plans
- Autonomy and compliance
- Unresolved issues
- Documenting and reporting
- Records management
Unit 2 - Work effectively in trauma informed care
- Trauma informed care perspective
- Key principles and practices
- Safe environments and relationships
- Preventing traumatisation
- Physical and sexual abuse
- Psychological and emotional abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Stalking
- Domestic violence
- Making trauma individuals feel safe
- Negligence
- Past and current trauma or abuse
- Mandatory reporting’s
- Confidentiality
- Symptoms of trauma
- Coping strategies
- Strengths-based approach
- Self-care strategies
- Managing re-traumatisation
- Breathing control exercises
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
- Trauma checklist
- Self-reflection and evaluation
- Policy development
- Conducting interviews
- Active observation
- Focus groups
Unit 3 - Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
- Structured counselling approach
- Analyse existing client information
- Legal and ethical considerations
- Transparent management of personal information
- Health and safety legislation
- Initial counselling session
- Engaging with clients
- Building rapport
- Active listening
- Effective questioning
- Communication techniques
- Paralanguage
- A structured approach to counselling
- A person-centred approach
- Establishing the helping relationship
- Provide information for clients
- Client rights and responsibilities
- The counselling process
- Professional boundaries
- Client expectations
- The Charter of Human Rights
- Clarifying expectations raised in promotional material
- Client anxieties
- Code of ethical conduct
- Client concerns
- Signs of anxiety
- Expectations and commitment
- Client issues
- Escalation
- Referrals to other agencies
- Eligibility criteria
- Example of referral process form
- Collaborative processes and strategies
- Confidentiality and privacy legislation
- Conflicting interests
- Relationship options and approaches with clients
- Counselling priorities and plans
- Counselling contracts
- Informed consent
- Example of a counselling plan
- Records management
Unit 4 - Apply learning theories in counselling
- Research learning theories
- Behaviorism
- Antecedent behaviour consequence (ABC)
- Ignoring the behaviour
- Reinforcement
- Behavioral outcomes
- Modelling influences
- Modelling or behavioral rehearsal
- Role playing
- Primary reinforcement
- Secondary reinforcement
- Environmental differences
- Dysfunctional environments
- Learning environments
- Socioeconomic barriers
- Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
- Formulate a program for change
- Achieving identified outcomes
- Identify practical goals
- Setting SMART goals
- Barriers to achieving outcomes
- Aggressive behaviour
- Recording / reviewing change programs
- Problem solving
Unit 5 - Implement trauma informed care
- Trauma informed care
- Strong safe relationships
- Safe environments
- Listen to the client’s story
- Mandatory notification
- Person’s strengths and resilience
- Culture and language
- Identify impact of trauma
- Mental health issues
- Working with children
- Post-traumatic stress disorders
- Negative responses to triggers
- Specific trauma needs
- Individual support plans
- Change strategies and plans
- Trauma informed supervision
- Crisis management plans
- Emotional pain
- Trust and rapport
- Conflict resolution strategies
- Emergency situations
- Self-care practices
Unit 6 - Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills
- Counselling interview sequence
- Environmental / personal factors
- Disabilities / impairments
- Client-counsellor relationship
- Counselling skills
- Client-centred interactions
- Establish rapport
- Empathy, honesty and openness
- Conflict resolution
- Learning styles
- Communication styles and skills
- Specialised counselling skills
- Negotiation techniques
- Promoting self-advocacy / self-care
- Coping strategies
- Responding to distress or crisis
- Self-evaluation / self-awareness
- Professional development plan
- Action learning
- Networking / professional memberships
Unit 7 - Recognise and respond to crisis situations
- Crisis situations
- Signs of safety issues
- Signs of abuse
- Suicide risk factors / warning signs
- Risk management
- Safety concerns
- Empathetic listening
- Building relationships
- Crisis situations
- Assessing suicide risk
- Safety and suicide plan
- Emergency help / medical assistance
- Community services
- Psychological assessments
- Self-care strategies
- Non-crisis situations
- Supervision and debriefing
- Counselling qualifications
Study Hours
Estimated duration 105 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
This course has provided me with an in-depth understanding of Trauma- I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to complete this course.
Jamie-Lee | Orange, NSW | Certificate of Trauma Counselling
It was easy to navigate and straight forward
C. Hulse, Theodore, ACT | Certificate of Trauma Counselling
I had a really good experience. It was easy to communicate and self direct myself to learning this topic. I really enjoyed this topic and felt all the topics added a lot of information and gave me a variety of explanations.
J. Krawitz, South Caulfield, VIC | Certificate of Trauma Counselling
I enjoyed the simplicity of working through the units. Online courses can often be congested, the topic information and assessments where easy to follow and provided relevant content.
D. Gallarello, Paradise, SA | Certificate of Trauma Counselling
The course deepened my understanding of trauma-informed care, which has significantly enhanced my trauma-informed practices with clients and equip me with the knowledge necessary to provide appropriate services to them, and support their recovery. I enjoyed the course and would highly recommend it.
Antonietta | VIC | Certificate of Trauma Counselling
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrolment Form – Employment Services and Rehabilitation Providers
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and EFT/Direct Deposit. Please allow 1-2 Business days for processing for EFT and BPAY.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
- Trauma Counsellor
- Child Trauma Counsellor
- Case Worker
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