Trauma Treatment Course
Brief Trauma Interventions with Children and Adolescents
Trainer: Amy Staley
Live April 24th, 2025 from 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM MTN | Available on-demand after
Helping children and adolescents heal from trauma requires more than just traditional talk therapy—it demands creative, developmentally appropriate approaches tailored to their unique needs.
This course will equip you with practical, evidence-based brief treatment interventions designed specifically for young clients. Whether you’re working with kids struggling with anxiety, emotional dysregulation, behavioral challenges, or trauma-related symptoms, you’ll learn actionable strategies to foster resilience, create safety, and promote healing.
With a focus on real-world application, this training blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and play-based techniques to help you quickly assess, plan, and intervene in a way that meets kids where they are. From engaging resistant clients to involving caregivers in the healing process, this course will give you the tools to make meaningful, lasting changes—even in short-term treatment settings.


Free Play Based Activities for Fast Rapport Building download!
COURSE DETAILS
In this course, we’ll dive into practical and effective ways to create meaningful change for kids and teens struggling with trauma symptoms, even when time is short. You’ll learn how to apply evidence-based approaches for trauma healing including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and play-based strategies—all tailored to address common hurdles like anxiety, depression, behavioral challenges, and PTSD.
In this course tailored to healing trauma in kids and adolescents you’ll learn how to create a sense of safety, build trust quickly, and use trauma-informed strategies in a brief treatment framework. You’ll learn how to recognize trauma responses, offer grounding techniques, and empower young clients with skills to manage overwhelming emotions.
We’ll unpack the principles and goals of brief interventions in a way that’s approachable and actionable. You’ll learn how to build rapport quickly, set clear and achievable goals, and offer psychoeducation that resonates. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to weave your unique style, passions, and experiences into the process.
Our focus will be on practical strategies you can use right away—such as emotion regulation techniques, behavior motivation tools, trauma-sensitive interventions, and supportive safety planning. By the end of our time together, you’ll have a robust toolkit to help you connect with young clients and make a lasting impact, even in fast-paced or time-limited settings. Let’s make this work rewarding, creative, and yes—fun!

SCHEDULE
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9:00 - 9:15: Course orientation and introduction
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 9:15 - 10:15: Foundations of brief trauma treatment with children and adolescents
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 10:15 - 11:00: Therapeutic rapport with children and adolescents: The necessity of a safe and co-regulating relationship
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 11:00 - 11:15: Break
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 11:15 - 12:15: Case conceptualization and trauma treatment planning
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 12:15 - 1:15: Lunch
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 1:15 - 3:00: Core interventions: Emotion regulation, tools, cognitive behavioral strategies & behavioral interventions
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 3:00 - 3:15: Break
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 3:15 - 4:00: Application, cultural competency, and modifications with specialty populations.
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 4:00 - 4:30: Q& A

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify the principles and goals of brief trauma treatment interventions with children and adolescents.
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Develop skills in assessment, planning, and intervention in trauma therapy with children and adolescents.Â
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Apply brief intervention techniques to foster emotional regulation and resilience with children and adolescents
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Identify and respond to trauma symptoms in children using developmentally appropriate interventions.
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Analyze at least three evidence-based trauma-focused brief intervention strategies for varying child and mental health concerns.
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Examine the context of culture and specialty presentations within the context of evidence-based trauma-treatment interventions for children and adolescents.

ABOUT YOUR TRAINER, AMY STALEY

Amy Staley is a licensed clinical social worker from Fraser, Colorado. Amy received her Masters in Social Work from Boston University. Amy has just under 20 years of experience in the social work field, primarily working with those impacted by trauma as well as the larger mental health system. Amy has provided direct practice, management, and directorship in a variety of clinical settings, including community mental health, behavioral health hospital, and schools. Amy brings a spicy energy with innovative ideas and approaches by thinking outside of traditional mental health structures, flows and processes. Amy has training experience through her professional roles as well as an adjunct faculty at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work for just under 7 years.
Amy has worked directly with kids and adolescents through intensive in-home therapy, outpatient mental health, hospital level of care as well as in schools. In each of these settings Amy has seen the importance of use of brief treatment interventions. Amy is a survivor of trauma, starting with a significant trauma during her adolescence. Her recovery from this influences her compassion in supporting kids and youth who are impacted by trauma and/or mental health.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION