Treating Relational Trauma Across Generations (4 CEU's)

ADVANCED / PREMIUM TRAININGS

Treating Relational Trauma Across Generations 4 CEUs

Overview:

Relational trauma occurs within the context of significant relationships and can profoundly impact attachment, emotional regulation, self-concept, nervous system functioning, and interpersonal relationships across the lifespan. Unlike single-incident trauma, relational trauma often develops through repeated experiences of emotional neglect, abuse, abandonment, betrayal, inconsistent caregiving, or chronic relational instability. These experiences shape how individuals perceive safety, trust, connection, and self-worth, often contributing to persistent difficulties in emotional regulation, relationship functioning, and overall well-being. Without a trauma-informed understanding of these dynamics, clinicians may focus primarily on symptom reduction while overlooking the underlying relational injuries that continue to influence client functioning.

In this presentation, Dr. Zairys Feliz, Ph.D., LCSW, will guide participants in understanding relational trauma through an attachment-based, neurobiological, and trauma-informed lens. Attendees will explore the impact of relational trauma on attachment systems, the stress response system, emotional development, and intergenerational patterns of trauma transmission. Participants will examine common manifestations of relational trauma, including complex trauma, trauma bonding, disorganized attachment, hypervigilance, fear of abandonment, and difficulties with trust and intimacy. Evidence-informed treatment approaches—including Attachment-Based Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Polyvagal-informed interventions, Somatic Experiencing, and trauma-informed care principles—will be reviewed. Through case vignettes and practical clinical applications, participants will gain strategies to assess, conceptualize, and treat relational trauma while fostering resilience, self-compassion, emotional regulation, and relational healing.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Define relational trauma and distinguish it from single-incident trauma using an attachment-informed framework.

2. Explain the impact of relational trauma on attachment systems, emotional regulation, self-concept, and interpersonal functioning.

3. Describe the role of the HPA axis, stress response system, and nervous system dysregulation in the development and maintenance of trauma-related symptoms.

4. Identify the characteristics of complex trauma, trauma bonding, disorganized attachment, and common trauma-related adaptations.

5. Analyze the influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and intergenerational trauma on developmental and relational outcomes.

6. Apply trauma-informed, attachment-based, and evidence-informed interventions when treating clients affected by relational trauma.

7. Integrate strategies that promote resilience, self-compassion, emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, and relational healing into clinical practice.

Scope and Limitations Disclosure

This course provides licensed mental health professionals with an overview of treating relational trauma across generations using trauma-informed and attachment-based frameworks. Participants will learn to identify intergenerational patterns and apply evidence-informed strategies to support healing and change. While concepts from various therapeutic approaches may be referenced, this training does not provide certification in any specific modality and is not a substitute for formal training or supervision in specialized trauma or family systems interventions. Attendees are expected to apply the material within their professional scope of practice, ethical guidelines, and licensure requirements.

Financial and Commercial Disclosure

The presenter has no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest to disclose. Any references to therapeutic models, interventions, or resources are provided solely for educational purposes. Participants are not required to purchase any additional materials to complete this course.

Refund Policy – Pre-Recorded (Self-Study) CE Courses

All purchases of pre-recorded (self-study) CE courses are subject to this refund policy. By enrolling, you agree to these terms. Participants who have not accessed any portion of the course may request a full refund within 7 days of purchase. Once a course has been accessed, streamed, or downloaded, refunds are no longer available due to immediate access to course materials. Refunds will also not be issued to participants who do not complete the course, fail the required post-test, or do not meet participation requirements, as certificates are only awarded upon successful completion. If you experience verified technical issues that prevent access, we will make reasonable efforts to resolve the problem; if it cannot be resolved, a full or partial refund may be issued. If you believe the course did not meet its stated learning objectives, you may submit a written complaint within 7 days of completion for review, and a partial or full refund may be granted at our discretion. All course purchases are non-transferable and may not be shared, resold, or assigned to another individual.