LIVE: Beyond a Buzzword: “Trauma-Informed” Forensic Mental Health Assessment: Implications for Knowledge Base, Interviewing, and Case Formulation
January 10, 2025
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific
3 Hours | 3 CEs
$150 Registration | $125 Early Registration (through 1/3) | Live Virtual Training via Zoom
Julie Goldenson, PhD presents a live virtual professional training program on Beyond a Buzzword: “Trauma-Informed” Forensic Mental Health Assessment: Implications for Knowledge Base, Interviewing, and Case Formulation.
This program focuses on integrating trauma-informed practices into assessment referrals across criminal and civil contexts. Participants will explore the significance of trauma in various assessment referrals, understanding its relevance and impact. The program will cover the differentiation between Type I and Type II trauma, providing a review of the literature on the biopsychosocial effects of chronic (Type II) trauma exposure.
Participants will learn to conduct trauma-informed assessments by examining recent literature (Goldenson, Brodsky & Perlin, 2022; Goldenson, 2024; Goldenson & Bailey, 2024). This includes discussing the importance and limitations of trauma screening and reviewing various measures. The program will emphasize process-related considerations such as transparency, informed consent, attunement to non-verbal behavior and altered states of arousal, and appropriate pacing of interviews. Additionally, it will address navigating the tensions around empathy and compassion within forensic contexts.
The program will also cover the diagnostic formulation of trauma, including the ICD-11 definition of complex trauma. Finally, it will highlight the emotional toll of trauma-related work, its potential impact on assessment quality, and the importance of self-awareness and consultation.
This program is intended for professionals at all stages of their careers. The material will be germane to professionals conducting forensic mental health assessments for civil or criminal purposes in inpatient, correctional, or outpatient settings.