About this course
This 60-minute online course provides a practical overview of posttraumatic stress, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). It describes how the concepts of PTSD and CPTSD have developed over time, how both conditions are defined, how they typically present, and the evidence-based treatment approaches used for both conditions. The course also touches on related mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and substance use problems, which some people may experience after a potentially traumatic event.
Access to this self-paced online course is provided for 6 months from the enrolment date.
Course content
By completing this course, you will be able to:
- Describe how the concepts of PTSD and complex PTSD have developed over time.
- Identify the diagnostic criteria for both conditions.
- Discuss how both conditions typically present, including how common they are, differences by gender, common co-occurring conditions, risk factors, and symptom patterns over time.
- Compare the main theories that explain how both conditions develop and persist over time.
- Outline evidence-based treatment approaches for both conditions.
Who should do this course?
This course is relevant for professionals whose work brings them into contact with people affected by trauma. This includes those in roles where trauma may be one part of a broader presentation, such as physiotherapists and other allied health providers, as well as those in support and care roles where trauma is often central to the person’s needs, including case managers, social service providers, and community health staff. It will also be valuable for mental health practitioners who assess or treat people experiencing PTSD or CPTSD, including general practitioners, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists and other clinicians. The content may also be relevant for first responders and other occupational groups who regularly encounter people affected by trauma.
