Trauma Specialisation – A body based approach

The most comprehensive Trauma Course in South Africa

Trauma isn’t just stored in the mind — it lives in the body.

Join our Trauma Specialisation Course and discover how to guide your clients beyond words, into embodied healing.

This advanced training is designed for counsellors, psychologists and social workers who want to deepen their understanding of the body’s role in trauma recovery.

You’ll gain insight, practical tools, and a new lens through which to see, hold, and heal trauma.

The course is presented by 6 lecturers and incorporates the internationally acclaimed Trauma Resiliency Model™ , developed by the Trauma Resource Institute, founded by Elaine Miller-Karas (LCSW) from the US.

Learn how to:

• Recognise and track trauma responses in the body
• Work somatically with regulation, grounding, safety and discharging trauma responses
• Support lasting healing beyond cognitive strategies

This is more than a course — it’s a specialisation that empowers you to meet trauma where it lives.

In this course, delegates will have to:

• Attend 3 in-person modules in Pretoria (see detail under module outline)
  • 1 week in module 1,
  • 2 weeks in module 3 and
  • 3 days in module 8.
• Complete 8 self-paced pre-recorded modules
• Attend 1 online interactive module – Module 4 (1 week)
• Complete various assignments
• Attend monthly contact sessions online

• Humanitas Counselling Course Graduates (220 hours completed)
• Social workers
• Psychologists

Please note that applications are reviewed by a panel and approved based on prior learning, tertiary studies as well as practical experience gained in the field.

SACSSP: 39 CPD Points (minimum)

Module 1: 16 points

Module 2: applied for

Module 3: 23 points

Module 4-11: applied for

Total: 39 points (minimum)

Note: All registered social workers (excluding students) are required to obtain a minimum of twenty (20) CPD points annually, or fourty (40) points over two (2) year cycle.

ASCHP and HPCSA members can submit their certificates for external CPD points.

Outcomes:

This training course will equip delegates with sound theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills to provide therapeutic interventions to adult clients who have experienced trauma. Delegates will be provided with theoretical understanding of the impact of trauma on the body and how to work with the body to facilitate healing.

Objectives:

1. To provide delegates with a theoretical understanding of how trauma impacts the body as well as the mind.

2. To equip delegates with skills for working with the body as well as the mind to overcome the impact of trauma.

3. To equip delegates with a sound theoretical knowledge base and practical skills for working with individual and community trauma using the Community Resiliency Model and Trauma Resiliency Model™ developed by the Trauma resource institute.

4. To provide delegates with theoretical knowledge of the polyvagal theory and practical skills based on the work of Deb Dana to apply the theory in practice.

5. To assist delegates in implementing legally and ethically sound interventions to ensure service delivery of the highest ethical standard to trauma survivors.

6. To equip delegates with practical skills based on the polyvagal theory and Community Resiliency Model™ to prevent burnout.

7. To provide delegates with a skills to restore nervous system regulation.

8. To equip delegates with knowledge and understanding of process trauma and skills for intervening with clients who have experienced trauma of this nature.

9. To equip delegates with understanding of domestic violence and to provide practical skills for working therapeutically with clients who have experienced this trauma.

10. To examine legal and ethical aspects of domestic violence.

11. To equip delegates with theoretical knowledge and practical skill in providing interventions for clients dealing with shame.

12. To provide delegates with theoretical understanding of emotional incest and adult survivors of sexual abuse and practical interventions for working with the client.

13. To equip delegates with knowledge and understanding of burnout and to provide skills to protect the counsellor.

This is an in-depth year-long training programme based on sound research on body-based interventions that will equip delegates to remain resilient and self-regulated while intervening somatically and effectively with clients who have suffered a wide range of traumas.

We are privileged to partner with leading experts in the field of trauma, namely Elaine Miller-Karas and her team making her internationally acclaimed training available to delegates at Humanitas as part of a broader training in working with trauma.

The course is designed in such a way that it can be completed as a part-time course, from any location, although Module 1, 3 and 8 have to be attended in person and Module 4 is presented as an online – interactive Module. Therefore you will have to be able to block the specific class times out for these modules – Module 1, 3, 4 and 8.

The rest of the modules are presented as pre-recorded videos that you can watch at your own pace during the course of a week, with monthly online contact sessions that have to be attended.

Please note that in person and online – interactive classes will run from 9h00 – 14h00.

The dates for the online contact sessions are as follows:

To apply to register for the HUMANITAS Specialisation: Trauma – a body based approach, please click on the following link and complete the enrolment process. Once your application has been reviewed and accepted, send your proof of payment of your deposit, to: accounts@vitanova.co.za.

With enrolment you will receive:

• Theoretical and practical training, in person as well as online & self-paced recordings;
• All handouts and course material, including an in-depth manual;
• Regular Contact Sessions (online), guidance and mentorship
• Course Certificate of completion (upon successful completion of the course)
• Lifelong access to the Humanitas community for continuous support

Fee Structure:

Non-refundable deposit is required to secure your seat.

Deposit: R9 999
10 Monthly payments: R3 500
Total: R44 999