Course overview

A complete introduction — what it is, why it matters, and how to start.

What this training is, why it matters, and four objectives that will change how you see people.

Trauma defined by three dimensions — why the same event impacts people differently.

Dan Siegel's hand model: brainstem, limbic system, and cortex — and what happens under threat.

The four survival responses — automatic, not chosen. Why freeze is not consent.

Chronic hyperarousal — the smoke detector that never resets. How trauma rewires the nervous system.

The zone where we can think, feel, and function — and what happens when we leave it.

Grounding, breathing, and co-regulation — practical tools to return to the window.

Adverse Childhood Experiences — the landmark study linking childhood adversity to adult health.

Resilience is not toughness — it's having enough protective factors to tip the balance.

Every behavior is communication — shifting from 'What's wrong with you?' to 'What happened to you?'

Hypervigilance, withdrawal, aggression, people-pleasing — trauma responses you'll recognize.

How trauma manifests in children ages 0–12: regression, attachment, play disruption.

Risk-taking, dissociation, relationship difficulties — age-specific trauma responses.

Sensory cues that activate the trauma alarm — sounds, smells, dates, situations.

When the brain can't tell past from present — how to respond when someone is triggered.

Trauma lives in the body: chronic pain, tension, illness. The mind-body connection.

Movement, breathing, and somatic practices that help release stored trauma.

How culture shapes the experience and expression of trauma — and our response to it.

Intersectionality in trauma work — the GRACES framework for self-awareness.

Physical, emotional, and relational safety — the foundation everything else is built on.

Environmental audits, micro-permissions, consistency — how to build safety deliberately.

Trust is built in micro-moments and demolished in seconds. Consistency and follow-through.

The power of 'me too' — why shared experience creates healing that professionals can't.

Power-with, not power-over — shared decision-making and goal-setting.

Restoring voice, choice, and agency — empowerment as the antidote to helplessness.

Not cultural competence — cultural humility. Approaching every person as the expert of their own life.

Attention, reflection, and restraint — the three components of active listening.

Three levels of validation and the 'AND instead of BUT' technique.

Calm is literally contagious. Match, then lead. Your nervous system regulates theirs.

The first 30 seconds — self-regulation, acknowledgment, avoiding power struggles.

Repair, follow-up, and accountability with compassion — what happens after matters most.

When someone says 'I was abused' — what to say, what never to say, and confidentiality.

A fence with a gate — protection that still allows connection.

The full arc of a trauma-informed interaction from start to finish.

The re-traumatization filter: if this were done to ME, how would it feel?

Burnout vs. compassion fatigue vs. vicarious trauma — knowing which one you're carrying.

Five domains of self-care: physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, professional.

Early signs, danger zone, and recovery steps — the oxygen mask principle.

Reflective (not just administrative) supervision and structured peer support groups.

Leadership, policies, hiring, environment — becoming trauma-informed at the systems level.

The savior complex, predictability as intervention, and volunteer-specific boundaries.

Three changes you can make today. You will not be perfect — and that's okay. You are enough.

A comprehensive recap of everything you've learned across all six modules.