Working With Clients Who Have Complex Trauma (4 CEU's)

CLINICAL SKILLS & INTERVENTIONS

Working With Clients Who Have Complex Trauma 4 CEUs

Overview:

Clients with complex trauma often present with pervasive difficulties in emotion regulation, identity, relationships, and a chronic sense of unsafety that extends beyond discrete traumatic events. Unlike single-incident trauma, complex trauma is typically rooted in prolonged, repeated interpersonal experiences such as abuse, neglect, or attachment disruptions, leading to deeply ingrained patterns of dysregulation and maladaptive coping. These clients may present with symptoms that are easily misunderstood—such as reactivity, dissociation, relational instability, or avoidance—making treatment more challenging without a comprehensive, trauma-informed framework.

In this presentation, Dr. Zairys Feliz, Ph.D., LCSW, will guide participants in understanding and effectively working with clients who have experienced complex trauma. Attendees will explore how complex trauma impacts the nervous system, attachment patterns, and sense of self, as well as how it manifests in clinical settings through emotional, behavioral, and relational patterns. The course will emphasize a phased, trauma-informed approach to treatment, including stabilization, processing, and integration, while prioritizing safety and pacing. Participants will learn how to recognize signs of dysregulation and dissociation, apply grounding and regulation strategies, and utilize the therapeutic relationship as a tool for repair. Practical, evidence-informed interventions will be introduced to support clients in building resilience, increasing emotional tolerance, and moving toward greater stability and integration.

Objectives:

• Identify core features and clinical presentations of complex trauma and how they differ from single-incident trauma.

• Explain the impact of complex trauma on the nervous system, attachment, and identity.

• Apply phased, trauma-informed strategies to support stabilization, regulation, and therapeutic progress in clients with complex trauma.

Scope and Limitations Disclosure

This course provides licensed mental health professionals with an overview of working with clients who have experienced complex trauma. Participants will learn trauma-informed, phased approaches to assessment and intervention. While evidence-informed strategies are introduced, this training does not provide certification in trauma-specific modalities (e.g., EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, TF-CBT) and is not a substitute for advanced clinical training in trauma-focused treatments. Attendees are expected to apply the material within their professional scope of practice, ethical guidelines, and clinical judgment, and to seek supervision or consultation when working with high-risk or complex cases.

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.