Post-traumatic stress disorder: Strategies for occupational therapy (Online course; June 2026+)

ONLINE COURSE

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the impact of trauma are becoming more recognized in the last few years. According to Statistics Canada (2022), almost 1 adult out of 10 will be diagnosed with PTSD over a lifetime. Occupational therapy can play a unique role in supporting people living with PTSD and trauma more generally, and add a meaningful occupation-based lens to the therapy process. Occupational therapists can use evidence-based and trauma-informed strategies to support people living with PTSD, including dialectical behaviour therapy (Bohus et al., 2021), nervous system regulation and somatic techniques (Brom et al., 2017), and acceptance and commitment therapy (Bean et al., 2017).

Course overview
This online course offers you an opportunity to better understand trauma, the occupational therapy role, and a variety of practical strategies to support people who have trauma. 

Through a combination of videos, readings, quizzes and discussion boards, you'll learn:

• Part 1 (approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes): The definition of post-traumatic stress disorder including DSM-5-TR (APA, 2022) criteria. Types of trauma and impact of trauma on occupations. The occupational therapy role for clients who have trauma. What happens to the body and brain with trauma. Overview of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Trauma-informed care principles.
• Part 2 (approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes): Comparing and contrasting between top-down and bottom-up approaches. Strategies for supporting clients: dialectical behaviour therapy, nervous system regulation and somatic techniques, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, safety plans and how to respond to suicidality.
• Part 3 (approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes): Research update. 5 case studies with various trauma presentations.

Learning objectives
By the end of this online course, you will be able to:

1. Describe trauma, PTSD, and the occupational therapy role.
2. Identify the impact of trauma on the body and brain.
3. Discuss current practices in trauma-informed care.
4. Select and justify at least three strategies beneficial for clients with various presentations of trauma.

Target audience
This online course is ideal for occupational therapy professionals (including occupational therapist clinicians, educators, and researchers; occupational therapist assistants; and students in occupational therapy and OTA/PTA programs) who wish to increase their understanding of PTSD/trauma and the occupational therapy role.

Note: This course is tailored for the occupational therapy community. Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Experience level
Beginner (0-2 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Client age groups
Adolescents (13-19 years old), Adults (20-64 years old), Older adults (65+ years old)

Areas of practice
Automobile Insurance, Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries, Indigenous Health, Mental Health, Military Members & Veterans, Trauma

Time commitment
Approximately 6.5 hours  

Language
English

Presenter
Zara Dureno, Reg. OT (BC), is an occupational therapist with her Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of British Columbia and undergraduate degree in psychology with a focus on neuroscience. She is passionate about all things neurological health and has a practice base of clients with concussion, mental health and chronic pain diagnoses. She has taken many courses and read a lot of research on these subjects. Zara has done several presentations both locally and internationally and is very passionate about this field of care on a personal and professional level.

This purchase provides individual access to this online course for 90 days following purchase. Access the online course immediately following purchase by selecting this online course on My Dashboard on CAOT's learning management system (LMS), using your CAOT My Account login information.

No cancellations/refunds will be provided once the purchase is completed. Please visit the Professional Development FAQ for additional information. Please note that the terminology used in this online course is reflective of the CAOT Style Guide at time of recording. If you have any questions, please contact CAOT's Professional Development team at education@caot.ca.