Graduate Certificate in Science in Medicine (Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy)

The Graduate Certificate in Science in Medicine (Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy) aims to train clinicians to use an approach to Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy that is applicable across acute, brief and longer-term treatment. It aims to treat people with psychological disorders where chronic, complex or cumulative trauma plays a contributing role as well as people with non-specific distress who are seeking improved well-being. It is a suitable initial form of therapy and also may be used with more complex conditions where there has been an inadequate response to other therapies. This course is suitable for clinicians with mental health experience, such as social workers, psychologists, nurses, psychotherapists, counsellors and school counsellors and may be of interest to others such as speech pathologists and dentists.

Contemporary psychotherapy teaches techniques that aim to improve mental health and well-being for those with personality disorders, traumatic and dissociative disorders, anxiety disorders, dysthymia, chronic depression, somatisation and conditions in which chronic complex trauma is a contributing factor. It also offers a broad person-centred and trauma-informed approach in many other acute, brief and ongoing conditions and treatment settings where psychological factors are important and a good therapeutic alliance is crucial.

The therapeutic approach is based on the Conversational Model which incorporates concepts from other psychodynamic approaches such as self-psychology, intersubjectivity and relational schools as well as integrating research from human development, attachment, trauma theory, neuroscience and linguistics.

Our program has a long history of research and training in the field of personality disorder, chronic complex trauma, trauma-informed care and psychotherapy and the interface with psychophysiology. The program is delivered in close liaison with the Western Sydney Local Health District and practising clinicians to ensure that the skills taught are practical and relevant to real-world psychotherapy practice settings.