Trauma in childhood can profoundly shape a young person’s emotional, cognitive, and relational development. Children who have experienced abuse, neglect, loss, or violence often struggle with fear, avoidance, and distressing memories. These challenges can interfere with daily functioning and relationships. Trauma-focused exposure therapy offers a structured, evidence-based approach. It helps children gradually face and process painful experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Through interactive discussions and exercises, learners gain a clear understanding of when and how exposure therapy should be used with children. The course also examines work with comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and behavioural problems. It promotes collaboration with caregivers and multidisciplinary teams.
The course introduces learners to advanced assessment strategies and techniques, enabling participants to master tools for identifying trauma triggers, symptom patterns, and readiness for exposure work. We then delve into developmentally sensitive interventions. These demonstrate how to adapt exposure techniques for different age groups by using play, art, and storytelling as therapeutic modalities. We discuss designing and implementing gradual exposure. This includes constructing effective fear hierarchies and differentiating between in vivo and imaginal exposure. Participants will learn to monitor distress levels, apply grounding and relaxation strategies, and ensure safety throughout each session.
Through case studies, role-plays, and supervised practice, participants gain hands-on experience. They apply exposure therapy principles to diverse clinical scenarios. The course concludes with practical guidance on measuring outcomes, preventing relapse, and planning long-term support for children and families. Recognising the emotional demands of trauma work, the training emphasises clinician self-care, peer supervision, and ongoing professional development. Enrol today to transform your practice, gain advanced skills, resilience strategies, and join a network of dedicated professionals committed to healing trauma. Take the next step to become a skilled, compassionate leader in trauma-focused exposure therapy.
What You Will Learn In This Free Course
View All Learning Outcomes View Less All Alison courses are free to enrol, study, and complete. To successfully complete this Certificate course and become an Alison Graduate, you need to achieve 80% or higher in each course assessment.
Once you have completed this Certificate course, you have the option to acquire an official Certificate, which is a great way to share your achievement with the world.
Your Alison certificate is:
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- Great for your CV, professional social media profiles, and job applications.
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Alison offers 2 types of Certificate for completed Certificate courses:
- Digital Certificate: a downloadable Certificate in PDF format immediately available to you when you complete your purchase.
- Physical Certificate: a physical version of your officially branded and security-marked Certificate
All Certificate are available to purchase through the Alison Shop. For more information on purchasing Alison Certificate, please visit our FAQs. If you decide not to purchase your Alison Certificate, you can still demonstrate your achievement by sharing your Learner Record or Learner Achievement Verification, both of which are accessible from your Account Settings.