The Bedfordshire Centre for Therapeutic Studies

This post-qualifying training brings together psychodynamic theory and cutting-edge trauma research and practice within the growing field of post-traumatic growth and somatic psychology.  The course will both deepen and broaden your work with clients, enabling you to become a versatile therapist confident in a wide range of trauma skills and techniques.  You will become robust in assessing and working with a wide range of complex client presentations, grounded in safe trauma principles.

Trauma research, theory and practice is now underpinning the work we do as therapists and it is vital for counsellors to have an in depth understanding of trauma along with an experiential knowledge of somatics and body-mind theory which supports the bottom-up work to trauma recovery.

This training will equip you with the knowledge and skills to integrate psychodynamic and trauma theory into your practice to enable you to:-

• work competently with shock trauma (single-event), developmental and transgenerational trauma.
• understand how to use trauma skills to pace your clients, ground them and work safely with trauma within the Three-Phased Trauma Model. This will include the use of grounding, stimulating, strengthening & breathwork techniques and subtle yet effective movement practices for both hyper and hypro arousal.
• Understand and work with PTSD from a bottom-up approach incorporating somatic skills and techniques such as The Rewind Technique, EFT and the Flash Technique.
• Understand and work with complex PTSD through understanding and applying psychodynamic theory to your practice including the theory of object relations, attachment theory, transference and countertransference.  Along with trauma theory this will help you to understand and work with your clients who show traits of narcissism, echoism, personality disorders and other complex mental health issues.  You will learn many somatic-based practices to support your clients to feel alive again, strenghten their boundaries, improve their sense of self and interpersonal skills.
• Develop the confidence and understanding to work with trauma and minoritised groups.
• Develop a deeper capacity to relate at depth with your clients, with their felt sense and somatics.
• Carry out assessments competently and robustly
• Deepen your reflexivity as a developing practitioner.

Self-Study

You will be given access to over 50 hours of self-study material to work through in your own time.  The psychodynamic, embodiment and trauma theory will largely be delivered and backed up via our self-study portal with learning via:

• Video presentations
• Podcasts (incl. counsellors discussing topics like the shadow & object relations)
• Creative practices
• Reflective personal development exercises
• Discussion forums

You will be required to commit to a minimum of 3 hours of self-study per week up to 6 depending on your learning style); this theory will be further embedded and built upon within the workshops and reflective practice sessions. 

See course brochure for course contents.

Student independent & group research

Being a level 5 training there is an expectation for continual reading and research throughout the training with findings being fed into group discussions, small group presentations and written work.  This is in addition to the self-study portal.

Reflective practice groups

These will take place on a regular basis where you’ll be in smaller groups with an allocated tutor.  This group session is where theory and practice come together.  Sometimes there will be a topic to discuss (for assessment purposes) in relation to your client work and at other times you or a peer will present a client for whole group learning.

Additional requirements

To be in supervised client work working with a minimum of 2 clients a week.

To commit to a regular embodiment practice which might include breathwork, yoga for vagal tone, yoga nidra, voicework.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out via the following means:-

• Monthly reflective journals
• One written case-study
• Client presentations in RPG
• Peer-led presentation on a trauma topic
• Tutor and Peer observations
• Self-review on embodiment practice and client work

What the qualification provides                        

You can call yourself a Somatic Trauma Therapist upon qualifying.

Our Level 5 training is mapped to column B criteria of Scoped.  Whilst this isn’t a BACP accredited column B course it will provide you with necessary knowledge-based to complete your reflective essays for Accreditation via Accreditation Route 2 of BACP accreditation scheme.  See NCPS for their equivalent.

Course entry Requirements

• To hold a minimum of a Level 4 diploma in counselling
• To be a member of a professional body & hold insurance to practice
• To have a minimum of 100 client hours
• To have completed a minimum of 40 hours personal therapy (or commit to being upto 40 hours by the end of the L5 training) and can evidence this upon request
• To have worked through your own trauma sufficiently to undertake a course of this nature
• To have the capacity to take responsibility for own safety and capacity to take responsibility for own reactions, experiences and feelings
• To have sufficient external support and to be prepared to work through anything that arises during the training in supervision or personal therapy

Applying

• Complete application form and submit to info@bedfordshiretherapeuticstudies.co.uk
• Submit a supervisor reference and ID
• Attend interview
• Upon acceptance hold place with a £600 + VAT deposit