30-hour Immigrant and Refugee Trauma Certificate (November 2023 - April 2024)

6 Month 30-Hour Virtual Training via Zoom

First and third Thursday of the month

Facilitator

Gwen Soffer serves as the Manager of Wellness at NSC, managing onsite clinical and holistic trauma- informed wellness programming as well as staff self-care and professional development. She holds a master's degree in Social Work with Trauma Specialty from Widener University. She is TCTSY-F certified through the Center for Trauma and Embodiment at the Justice Resource Institute and has been working in the trauma-informed wellness field for over fifteen years. Gwen is a Certified Trauma Service Specialist and has certifications in Stress Management and the Harvard Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery Certification. She is a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists, and the National and Pa. Association of Social Work. She presents regularly on the topic of trauma and wellness including the Pathways for Victims Services Conference, Jefferson University Trauma Training Conference, North American Refugee Health Conference, and the Beau Biden Institute/SOAR Trauma Institute and has published multiple articles and chapters on trauma- informed wellness practices. Her belief in the power of connection and the potential of healing drives her passion for trauma-informed practice.

Investment

• Individual/ Small Organization (1-49 staff) : $250 per person
• Medium Organization (50-100 staff): $350 per person
• Large Organization (100+ staff): $450 per person
• ** If registering 5 or more staff from same agency, please contact gsoffer@nscphila.org for group discount

Overview

11/2/23 and 11/16/23: Trauma 101

Defining trauma, Fight/flight/freeze response, PTSD and post traumatic stress, Trauma response, Intro to vicarious trauma

12/7/23 and 12/21/23: Trauma 102

Neurobiology of trauma, PTSD/complex trauma, ACEs study,Trauma and the body, Trauma and memory

1/4/24 and 1/18/24: Trauma and Culture (visiting presenter)

Western bias and mental health, Cultural expression of trauma,Special populations: refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking, DV, etc.

2/1/24 and 2/15/24: Trauma-informed Practice

Agency wide, Case Managers, Lawyers, Teachers, Direct service delivery

3/7/24 and 3/21/24: Vicarious Trauma

Signs and symptoms, Warning signs, Trauma Stewardship, Self-Care, Body-based strategies

4/4/24 and 4/18/24: Special Interest

Topic of interest, Research and roundtable, Discussion, Presentation, Graduation