Trauma + Chronic Illness: When the Body Doesn’t “Reset” (3 CEU's)

HIGH-RISK & CLINICAL EDGE CASES
Trauma + Chronic Illness: When the Body Doesn’t “Reset” – 3 CEUs

Overview:
Clients living with both trauma histories and chronic medical conditions often present with complex and overlapping symptoms that challenge traditional clinical frameworks. Persistent fatigue, chronic pain, gastrointestinal distress, autoimmune conditions, migraines, sleep disturbances, nervous system dysregulation, and unexplained physical symptoms can coexist with anxiety, hypervigilance, shame, emotional exhaustion, and trauma-related distress. For many clients, the body does not return to a predictable baseline after stress, leaving individuals feeling trapped in cycles of physiological activation, illness flares, and frustration with treatments that seem ineffective. Clinicians may struggle to differentiate trauma-related nervous system patterns from medical symptoms or inadvertently reinforce narratives that oversimplify the relationship between trauma and physical illness.

In this presentation, Dr. Zairys Feliz, Ph.D., LCSW, participants will examine trauma-informed approaches for working with clients experiencing the intersection of trauma and chronic illness. Attendees will explore the complex relationship between chronic stress, nervous system functioning, attachment experiences, health-related uncertainty, grief, identity disruption, and emotional coping. The course will address common clinical pitfalls, including minimizing medical realities, over-attributing symptoms to trauma, or unintentionally suggesting that psychological interventions alone can resolve physical illness. Participants will learn practical strategies for supporting regulation, addressing illness-related emotional distress, strengthening mind-body awareness, pacing interventions appropriately, and helping clients develop more compassionate and sustainable relationships with their bodies. Through case examples and applied discussion, attendees will gain practical tools for treating clients whose emotional and physical experiences are deeply interconnected.

Objectives:

1. Identify ways trauma histories and chronic illness may interact to influence emotional, physiological, and relational functioning.

2. Recognize common clinical misconceptions and treatment pitfalls when working with clients experiencing both trauma and chronic medical conditions.

3. Apply trauma-informed interventions that support regulation, emotional processing, and adaptation while respecting medical realities.

Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This course provides licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with an overview of trauma-informed approaches for working with clients experiencing trauma and chronic illness presentations. Participants will learn practical assessment and intervention considerations relevant to outpatient mental health practice. This training does not provide medical training, diagnostic instruction, or certification in health psychology or somatic therapies. Participants are expected to apply course content within their professional scope of practice, ethical standards, and interdisciplinary collaboration when appropriate.

Financial and Commercial Disclosure
The presenter has no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest to disclose. Any references to trauma theories, therapeutic approaches, interventions, or resources are included solely for educational purposes. Participants are not required to purchase any additional materials to complete this course.

Refund Policy – Live CE Trainings (Virtual & In-Person)
All registrations for live CE trainings are subject to this refund policy. By enrolling, participants agree to these terms. Cancellations made 7 days or more prior to the scheduled training date are eligible for a full refund minus a $25 administrative fee, or participants may elect to receive a full credit toward a future training. Cancellations made less than 7 days before the scheduled training are non-refundable; however, registrations may be transferred to another eligible training or another attendee with prior written approval. Participants who fail to attend a scheduled live training, do not complete attendance requirements, or fail to satisfy course participation requirements are not eligible for refunds or CEUs. If a training is canceled or rescheduled by the provider, registrants will be offered either a full refund or the opportunity to transfer to another training. Refunds will not be issued if participants are unable to earn CEUs due to incomplete attendance, failure to complete required evaluations, or licensing board eligibility restrictions.