Treating Clients With No Memory of Trauma but Strong Somatic Symptoms (3 CEU's)

HIGH-RISK & CLINICAL EDGE CASES
Treating Clients With No Memory of Trauma but Strong Somatic Symptoms – 3 CEUs

Overview:
Clinicians frequently encounter clients who present with persistent anxiety, chronic tension, unexplained physical symptoms, emotional dysregulation, panic, hypervigilance, relationship difficulties, or intense physiological reactions despite reporting little or no memory of trauma. Clients may describe feeling that “something happened” without knowing what, express confusion about the intensity of their bodily responses, or wonder why their nervous system reacts in ways that seem disconnected from their conscious experiences. These presentations can create significant clinical uncertainty, particularly when therapists attempt to understand the role of trauma without leading clients toward assumptions, reinforcing false narratives, or prematurely assigning meaning to symptoms.

In this presentation, Dr. Zairys Feliz, Ph.D., LCSW, participants will examine trauma-informed and ethically grounded approaches for working with clients who experience significant somatic distress in the absence of explicit trauma memories. Attendees will explore current understanding of trauma, implicit memory processes, nervous system responses, attachment disruptions, developmental experiences, and the ways trauma can manifest through physiological and relational patterns. The course will address common misconceptions regarding repressed memories and memory recovery while emphasizing ethical considerations that protect against suggestion and confirmation bias. Participants will learn practical strategies for assessing somatic symptoms, supporting emotional regulation, utilizing body-based interventions appropriately, and helping clients develop insight without pressuring memory retrieval. Through clinical examples and applied discussion, attendees will gain tools for working confidently with presentations that often leave both therapists and clients feeling uncertain.

Objectives:

1. Identify potential mechanisms through which trauma-related experiences may contribute to somatic symptoms despite limited or absent explicit memory recall.

2. Recognize ethical concerns and clinical risks related to assumptions, memory recovery practices, and suggestion within trauma treatment.

3. Apply trauma-informed and somatic-focused interventions that support stabilization, regulation, and therapeutic exploration without pressuring memory retrieval.

Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This course provides licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with an overview of clinical approaches for working with clients experiencing somatic symptoms and limited trauma memory recall. Participants will learn assessment considerations and body-based intervention strategies relevant to outpatient mental health treatment. This training does not provide certification in somatic therapies, trauma-processing modalities, or memory recovery approaches. Participants are expected to apply course material within their professional scope of practice, ethical standards, and ongoing clinical consultation when appropriate.

Financial and Commercial Disclosure
The presenter has no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest to disclose. Any references to therapeutic models, somatic interventions, trauma theories, 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.