Description
Professional Certificate: A Cognitive Behavioural Approach to Working with Trauma and PTSD – 15 CPD
Working with trauma can feel challenging when a client presents with intrusive memories, flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance, guilt, shame or a persistent sense of threat. The difficulty is often knowing how to bring these experiences together into a clear formulation and, importantly, what to do next in therapy.
This three-day professional training provides therapists with a practical, evidence-informed framework for working with trauma and PTSD using trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
An important part of the course will be examining what current research and clinical guidelines tell us about the treatment of PTSD. Participants will consider which psychological therapies have the strongest evidence, what the research tells us about the active elements of effective trauma treatment, and how trauma-focused CBT fits within the wider treatment landscape.
The course will also distinguish between interventions that can help a client manage distress—such as grounding, emotional regulation and stabilisation strategies—and treatments designed to address the processes maintaining PTSD. This will support therapists to make thoughtful, evidence-informed clinical decisions rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
The training takes participants through the clinical process from assessment and formulation to active trauma-focused treatment. You will learn how to identify what may be maintaining a client’s PTSD symptoms, develop an individualised formulation and use this to guide treatment.
The course will explore:
- Assessing trauma-related difficulties and recognising PTSD
- Developing an individualised trauma-focused formulation
- Understanding trauma memories, triggers and the persistent sense of current threat
- Working with avoidance and safety behaviours
- Addressing trauma-related beliefs and meanings
- Working with guilt, shame and self-blame
- Deciding when stabilisation may be helpful and when to begin active trauma-focused work
- Pacing treatment and responding to complexity and comorbidity
- Monitoring progress and evaluating whether therapy is helping
- Working safely and within professional competence
Research and current treatment guidance will be integrated throughout, while the emphasis will remain firmly on clinical practice through case examples, demonstrations and practical exercises.
The aim is for participants to leave with a clear clinical map for working with trauma and PTSD: what to assess, how to understand what may be maintaining the problem, what to target in therapy and how to begin applying evidence-based trauma-focused CBT interventions within their professional competence.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this three-day training, participants will be able to:
- Recognise and assess the key clinical features of PTSD, including trauma-related symptoms, risk and common co-occurring difficulties
- Summarise what current research and clinical guidelines indicate about the treatment of PTSD, including which psychological therapies have the strongest evidence and where trauma-focused CBT sits within the wider treatment landscape
- Develop an individualised CBT formulation identifying the processes maintaining a client’s trauma-related difficulties, including trauma memories, triggers, avoidance, safety behaviours and trauma-related appraisals
- Explain PTSD and the rationale for trauma-focused CBT clearly and collaboratively to clients
- Develop a structured trauma-focused treatment plan based on the individual client’s formulation
- Distinguish between interventions that help a client manage distress — such as grounding, emotional regulation and stabilisation — and treatments that target the processes maintaining PTSD, and decide when each is clinically indicated
- Apply cognitive and behavioural strategies for working with trauma memories, triggers, avoidance and safety behaviours
- Work therapeutically with trauma-related meanings and beliefs, including guilt, shame and self-blame
- Assess when and how to begin trauma-focused work, including considerations around dissociation, complexity and emotional activation
- Monitor treatment progress, recognise when therapy has become stuck and adapt the formulation and treatment plan accordingly
- Recognise when additional specialist input, referral or supervision is required
Dates & Cost
Dates & Fee
- Saturday 6 March 2027
- Saturday 13 March 2027
- Saturday 20 March 2027
Time: 10.00 am–4.00 pm (lunch 1.00–1.45 pm)
Delivery: Live online via Zoom
Course Fee: €490
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellation & Transfer Policy
I understand that circumstances can change, and I aim to be as fair and transparent as possible.
- Up to 14 days before the course start date: Paid fees will be refunded in full, less a €50 administration fee. Alternatively, if the course is running again, you may transfer your booking to a later date at no extra cost.
- Less than 14 days before the course start date: A cancellation fee of 50% of the course fee will apply. Alternatively, if the course is running again, you may transfer your booking to a later date, subject to availability.
- Less than 48 hours before the course start date / non-attendance: Unfortunately, no refund can be issued. Alternatively, if the course is running again, you may transfer your booking to a later date, subject to availability.
All cancellations or transfer requests must be made in writing by email.
If a course is cancelled by the organiser, participants will receive a full refund of fees paid or may choose to transfer to another date where available.
Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for:
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- Qualified counsellors and psychotherapists and allied professionals who encounter trauma-related difficulties in their clinical work
- Practitioners who want a clearer, evidence-informed framework for trauma-focused therapy
- Therapists seeking greater confidence in assessment, formulation and intervention planning
Teaching Team
About Your Course Facilitators
Our CPD programmes are delivered by a team of experienced professionals who bring together expertise in psychotherapy, psychology, education, trauma, neurodiversity, and legal and ethical practice. Each facilitator combines academic knowledge with real-world experience, ensuring the training is practical, evidence-based, and directly applicable to your work. Together, they provide a well-rounded learning experience that supports your professional growth and confidence in practice.
Susi Lodola
Susi Lodola is a psychotherapist, third-level lecturer, and IACP-accredited clinical supervisor with extensive experience in psychotherapy, working with adults and adolescents. She holds an MSc in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, a Higher Diploma in Psychology, a BA (Hons) in Linguistics from UCD, and a BA (First Class Honours) in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy. She has also completed professional certificates in CBT, Child & Adolescent Counselling, and Mindfulness, along with a Diploma in Clinical Supervision.
Susi lectures at third level, where she has developed modules for psychotherapy training programmes, and is known for her engaging and practical teaching style. She has delivered workshops for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), provided workplace wellbeing programmes, and volunteered with AWARE supporting people with depression and anxiety. Susi is also a regular contributor to the Irish media on mental health topics.
