Trauma Informed Care

Registration deadline 3/21/2024

TRAINER:

Karinne Comenzo, MA, LICSW, LADC is currently the Assistant Director of Clinical Services for the River Valley Therapeutic Residence. Prior to this role, Karinne worked for the Vermont Department of Corrections as Chief Clinical Specialist for five years. The majority of her human services career was providing mental health and substance abuse treatment services to marginalized populations in New York City. This included individuals experiencing homelessness, incarceration, sex trafficking, and domestic violences, among others. Karinne holds an MA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and an MSW from New York University. She is licensed in Vermont as an LICSW and LADC, and licensed in New York as an LMSW. When Karinne is not focused on helping others in her work, you can find her engaged in hot exercise classes, dance class with her two young kiddos, or throwing a ball for her Australian Cattle Dog. 

DESCRIPTION:

This training will address the core concepts of being a trauma-informed provider. This training is open to all levels of behavioral health professionals. General trauma-informed care concepts and principles will be addressed, with some specific focus on individuals with past or present substance misuse and abuse. Attendees should expect some sensitive content to be discussed. Attendees will leave the training with a more comprehensive knowledge of trauma informed care, the intersectionality of certain clinical presentations (including substance abuse, trauma history, and criminal justice involvement), and some methods to immediately apply in their work. This training will also briefly address vicarious trauma with some basic tools to address it.

AGENDA:

Morning: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

• Welcome and Introductions
• Understanding trauma research
• Trauma and the brain
• Exercise: What makes an experience traumatic?

Break 10:30 – 10:45 am.

• Review of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• View portions of Healing Neen

Lunch: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Afternoon:  1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

• Connecting the experience of trauma to substance abuse and misuse
• Basics of trauma informed care
• Being a trauma informed service provider

Break 2:30 – 2:45pm.

• Practical tips
• Vicarious trauma   

Adjourn: 4:30 pm

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify three Adverse Childhood Experiences
2. Explore the ways traumatic experiences impact adults
3. ​Define trauma informed care
4. Describe symptoms of vicarious trauma and ways to cope
5. Identify three trauma informed practices that can be immediately implemented