Understanding & Healing Relational Traumas (3HR)
Understanding & Healing Relational Traumas (3HR)
This course provides therapists with a comprehensive understanding of relational trauma and practical strategies for supporting clients in their healing journeys. Relational traumas—such as neglect, emotional abuse, and betrayal—often disrupt an individual’s ability to form safe and trusting connections, leading to lasting emotional and psychological impacts.
Drawing from attachment theory, neuroscience, and trauma-informed care, this session will explore the mechanisms through which relational trauma shapes clients’ self-concept, coping strategies, and interpersonal dynamics. Therapists will learn to identify signs of relational trauma, including patterns of dysregulated emotions, avoidance, and difficulties in forming secure attachments.
The course will offer evidence-based approaches to healing, emphasizing the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for safety and repair. Techniques such as somatic experiencing, narrative work, and mindfulness practices will be introduced to help clients process their trauma, rebuild trust, and develop healthier relational patterns.
Through case examples and interactive discussions, participants will gain actionable insights and tools to apply in their practice. Whether working with individuals, couples, or families, this course empowers therapists to foster resilience, connection, and healing in their clients’ lives.
Course Objectives
Define Relational TraumaUnderstand the nature and characteristics of relational trauma, including its origins in experiences such as neglect, abuse, and betrayal, and its impact on emotional and relational functioning.
Recognize the Effects of Relational TraumaDevelop skills to identify the signs and patterns of relational trauma in clients, such as difficulties with trust, emotional dysregulation, and maladaptive relational behaviors.
Examine the Role of Attachment in Relational TraumaExplore the connection between relational trauma and attachment styles, including how disrupted attachment impacts clients’ ability to form secure and healthy relationships.
Implement Trauma-Informed Therapeutic StrategiesLearn at least two evidence-based interventions to support clients in processing relational trauma and rebuilding trust.
Enhance Therapeutic Competence and ConfidenceClinicians will gain at least three practical tools and insights to effectively guide clients through the healing process, fostering greater confidence in addressing relational trauma in diverse clinical settings.
Instructor: Samantha Silverberg, M.A., L.P.C.
