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Become a Trauma Informed Professional

Becoming a trauma informed professional (TIP) begins with unbundling one’s passion, mission, and noble purpose from the myriad of tasks, rituals and routines that often overshadow and overpower one’s presence in the caring moment. 

The attributes provide a road map for personal and professional growth and development that is the cornerstone for cultural transformation within healthcare and across our global society.

The eight attributes of the trauma informed professional, depicted in this image, have been identified by an international, interdisciplinary faculty board of experts.  Meeting the whole person needs of patients and families in crisis hinges on the wholeness of the clinician. 

Awareness of the experience of trauma is a first step to transform and humanize the fragile, yet critical healthcare environment. Trauma informed care is an effective, compassionate and evidence informed strategy.  Through this paradigm, clinicians are invited to actively buffer the trauma experienced by patients and their families.  In mitigating the needless suffering of others  healthcare professionals are empowered to transform the experience of care for vulnerable children, families in crisis and themselves.

 

"I think that my greatest insight after going through the program is that it all starts with me. To be a Trauma Informed Professional, I have to be whole and healthy myself. It is by filling my own cup that I am able to fully give and fill the cups of those I serve. The program was an awakening for me to heal from within so that I can be all that others need me to be for their own journey". Amy Wolfinger PT, CEIM

 

 

To become trauma informed one must:

  1. Realize the pervasiveness of trauma in everyday life

  2. Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, colleagues and self

  3. Respond to trauma by integrating knowledge and evidence-informed best practices that mitigate and prevent trauma into policies, procedures, and annual performance appraisals

  4. Resist re-traumatization by ensuring consistency in service delivery

Through this journey you will discover...

  • How to uncover your inner strength and wisdom as a trauma informed professional

  • How to navigate through the challenges and barriers that arise along the journey 

  • How to expand your confidence, competence, and courage as a leader for change

  • How to cultivate healing intention and authentic connections with those you serve

This journey is for you if...

  • You are curious, open and ready for a new adventure

  • You are thirsting for new knowledge and growth

  • You yearn for a safe space to explore your impact

  • You desire to be part of a supportive and validating global community

 

"I think the greatest insight I received from this program is that we have the ability to change healthcare for the better with a trauma-informed approach. The work to change healthcare may sound daunting, but it starts within and little by little we can accomplish great things, within our own circle of influence and beyond".  Justin Parsley BSN, RN, CCRN

 

 

The Curriculum

  • Content includes required readings, reflections, self-appraisals and evaluations along with the creation of growth goals for each attribute 
  • A final examination will review acquired knowledge and insights gained along the journey
  • Successful completion of all program elements are required in order to be recognized as a Trauma Informed Professional™

 

The program has been endorsed by NIDCAP Federation International, Inc (NFI), the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN), the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN), and the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers

Membership in any one of these organizations confers a tuition discount, please reach out to inquire: [email protected] 

 

"A beautiful and unexpected journey that allowed me to better understand the power that my humanity, compassion and empathy have on the world around me. Courageously and fearlessly unleashing my "why" and connecting to those around me can make a small yet powerful difference in the world of healthcare and beyond". Amanda Coffey OTD, OTR/L

 

 

Program Outline and Objectives 

I. SURGE MASTERCLASS - Required attendance: 3-hour live virtual session

Learning Objectives

  • Discover how adversity gets under our skin and its implications for health across the lifespan
  • Explore the principles of a trauma informed paradigm
  • Review the five core measures for trauma informed care and their relevance across the developmental continuum
  • Experience and apply the Trauma Informed Framework to transform the experience of care babies, families and clinicians

II. EIGHT SELF- PACED MODULES - Review and complete all content material to include the following agenda associated with each module:

  • Pre- and Post-Assessment: ~ 30 minutes
  • Videos: ~ 30 minutes
  • Required readings: ~ 2 hours
  • Journaling: ~ 1 hour
  • Reflection questions and shared insight: ~ 1 hour

MODULE 1: Knowledgeable 

All Ways of Knowing

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will understand all ways of

knowing that inform a deeper awareness of not only self but also the lived

experience of others.

MODULE 2: Healing Intention 

All ways of Healing

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will integrate a deeper wisdom of healing into his/her personal and professional life.

MODULE 3: Personal Wholeness 

All ways of Wholeness

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will adopt habits that support

personal wholeness and well-being.

MODULE 4: Courage 

All ways of Braving

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will uncover their hidden strengths

to take courageous action towards their noble purpose.

MODULE 5: Advocacy

All ways of Championing

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will recognize opportunities to

advocate for self and others respectfully and knowledgeably.

MODULE 6: Role Model/Mentor 

All ways of Guiding

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will integrate the qualities of

humility and empathy as a role model and mentor to inspire others to greater

success.

MODULE 7: Scholarly 

All ways of Sharing

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will discover ways to share their knowledge, insight and wisdom using mindful language and respectful influence boldly and purposefully

MODULE 8: Leader for Change 

All ways of Leading

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this module the learner will become a kind, connected and compassionate

leader for change inspiring and guiding others towards excellence.

III. MASTERMIND SESSIONS - Required attendance at a minimum of 2 90-minute live virtual sessions.  The learner is invited and has access to Mastermind Sessions for life.

• Objective: The learner will experience the synergy and integration of learned concepts through a shared commitment of support, challenge and growth.

V. EXAMINATION

The objective of the 50-item, multiple choice final examination is to quantify knowledge transfer with regard to the science and soul of Trauma Informed Care.
 

Time Commitment

To complete the program within a 6-month timeframe, you will need to invest approximately 2-hours per week to the program.  The first 4 attributes are foundational and many learners find themselves spending more time at the beginning of the program journey navigating the content and familiarizing themselves with the platform and the program convention.   Once  these foundational modules are completed you may find that you move more quickly through the remainder of the program.  
 
The faculty is always available for support and we encourage you to reach out if you run into any challenges!

 

"My greatest insight from the program? Everyone experiences trauma during their life. The premature babies that we work with suffer repeated trauma every day they are in the NICU. That trauma doesn't have to grow with the baby. It can be lessened by genuine authentic mindful nurturing touch from parents, clinicians, and all that come in contact with the baby. It only takes one voice or one example to make a change. You never know who is watching or the difference you can make in the life of another". -Denise McNichol OTR/L

 

 

Faculty

Mary E. Coughlin, MS, NNP, RNC-E, is a Trauma Informed Professional™, Caritas Coach®, and global leader in neonatal nursing, pioneering, and championing the concept of trauma informed, developmentally supportive care as a biologically relevant paradigm for babies, families, and professionals. With over 40 years of nursing experience, Ms. Coughlin is a published author and visionary for a new healthcare paradigm that recognizes the pivotal healing role of compassion, connectedness, and love in healthcare and beyond.

  

Tara DeWolfe, a Physical Therapist and Developmental Specialist, is a dynamic leader in her field.  She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Tara’s passion is providing a holistic approach to creating nurturing experiences for babies and their families and to support her colleagues to optimize developmental potential.

Tara began her career at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital for foundational training in both inpatient and outpatient pediatrics. She then moved to the midwest to pursue specialization in developmentally supportive care and neonatal therapy.  Specializing in newborn developmental care, developmental follow up and early intervention, Tara has a profound knowledge to support the continuum of development.

Tara is a graduate of Caring Essentials' Quantum Leap Program.  She is certified to reliability in the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) and holds certification in Prechtl’s Method on General Movement Assessment. In 2012, Tara achieved National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) Developmental Care Specialist Designation. Tara has completed Certified Lactation Educator coursework through Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association and has extensive training in supportive feeding through one on one mentorship including Early Feeding Skills Assessment and Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infant Method training. Tara has additional coursework and mentorship in the areas of newborn intrauterine drug exposure, torticollis and brachial plexus injury support and is a certified neonatal therapist.

Tara has provided collaboration, advancement and quality improvement in the NICU and embraces a transdisciplinary approach. She has mentored NICU clinicians to advance the competence and consistency of developmentally supportive care. Her goal is to globally transform experiences for hospitalized infants and their families in order to optimize connection and development.

 

Kristy Fuller is an occupational therapist and feeding specialist who has worked with babies and families for thirty years.  As a certified neonatal therapist, she is passionate about sharing a preventative model to support feeding success in the NICU.  She has developed and adapted traditional feeding readiness and assessment scales to incorporate the best research and clinical evidence. 

Most of Kristy’s career has been in the NICU environment providing developmental care and feeding consultation, and in 2018 she formed her own LLC providing consultation to hospitals in the Midwest.  She has developed a bedside-training program for nurses and therapists and provided instruction in the use of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment.  She is a graduate of Caring Essentials' Quantum Leap Program.

Kristy is certified to reliability in the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) and holds certification in Prechtl’s Method on General Movement Assessment.  In addition to her NDT training and extensive background in the Early Feeding Skills Assessment, Kristy’s education includes the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS), Infant Driven Feeding Skills Assessment, and Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) method.  She has also completed Certified Lactation Educator preparation through the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association.  

Kristy has been a national speaker for Dr. Brown’s Medical, NOMAS, NANT and NANN. She assisted in data collection for the Early Feeding Skills Assessment tool and is co-author of two publications: Psychometric Properties of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment Tool (2018) and Establishing a Foundation for Optimal Feeding Outcomes in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (2020).  

Kristy is excited to join Caring Essentials and share in the vision to provide healing healthcare experiences for all.

 

"My greatest insight was that we have the capacity to make such a profound, lasting effect on the lives of the babies and their families, for better or worse. With the knowledge I have gained, I'm prepared to make a lasting positive impact on their lives. My new insights will have a positive effect on my own life and the lives of my family as well". Kristin Aigner RN

 

 

Your journey's itinerary includes:

  • The SURGE MASTERCLASS (value = $249)

  • Self Paced Online Modules* (value = $997)

  • Mastermind Sessions (value = $1500)

  • Comprehensive Final Examination

* Includes a welcome module plus 8 modules with each module focused on a specific attribute of the TIP and its associated competencies.

Bonus Features include: 

  • Access to all Science & Soul Congress Proceedings (value = $500)

  • 46 hours of continuing professional education credits for nurses (value = $460)

  • Membership to a closed Facebook group for Trauma Informed Professionals as well as the Forum on the learning platform (value = priceless)
  • Lifetime access to program content and community

 

 

"Becoming a trauma-informed professional is a soul-transforming process. For infants in the NICU, integrating trauma-informed care into our clinical care has the potential to alter the course of the lives of the babies and their families in a positive way. Trauma-informed care should not be seen as a nice thing to do, but a critical part to providing excellent evidence-based care". Britt Pados PhD, RN, CLC, FAHA, FNAP

 

 

 Tuition

Pay-in-full option = $1498.00 USD 

Installment option = 10 monthly payments of $159.80 USD 

 

 

"'We can not give what we do not have. Trauma-informed care begins with you'. I used to overlook my self-care and did not realize how this may have negatively affected the care I had provided or the relationship I had with babies and families I serve or colleagues. This journey helps me be in the moment and feel more grateful". Yukiko Norikuni BSN, RN

 

 

 

The babies, young children, families, and clinicians are each greater than the sum of their parts.  The current healthcare system and global society can no longer ignore the multidimensional needs of those they serve.  

Trauma informed developmental care is the overarching foundation encompassing all aspects of wholeness for baby, child, family and self. 

This is an invitation to reignite your passion and purpose and bring back meaningful connection to yourself and the world.

 

"Every one of the 8 modules in this course resonated deeply. These attributes are not foreign but may be given a back seat at times to ego-driven characteristics that we believe are more important to success. This course built very purposefully on each attribute to remind me that, personally and professionally, compassion, empathy, humility and vulnerability are the ones that fill us and allow us to bring our best selves into the world". Staci Olister MD

 

 

Won't you join the movement?

 

 

"Trauma Informed Care is a lifestyle choice! Something you live and breathe...every moment, every encounter. Being trauma informed begins with you and then radiates outwards. It is a ripple effect that has to start at the core of who we are. Unbundling your own trauma histories is so liberating and allows you to live your authentic self! What a valuable gift to myself and to lives that cross paths with mine". Ramya Kumar MS.CCC-SLP, CNT, BCSS, IBCLC, NTMTC

 

 

"This beautiful program has guided me on a journey to recognise, believe and practice the true value, power and grace of compassionate presence in all I think, feel, do and say. Leaning in to "being with" rather than "doing to" to share both the highs and lows of another's or our own life is surely everything we must embody as a trauma informed professional and human being". Melanie Peck BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy

Pricing Options