RUTLAND—In response to a growing need for trauma services and advanced practitioner training, College of St. Joseph has launched a new certification program designed specifically for professionals who deal with trauma and its emotional impact. Housed within the college’s Division of Psychology & Human Services, the CSJ Traumatology Institute was established to provide advanced education, training, research and humanitarian aid, and is geared towards emergency responders, medical and mental health professionals, and others who work with trauma victims. The institute has received full accreditation from the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology and becomes the only program in the region to offer certification for this emerging field of study.
Dr. Robert Walsh, associate professor in the division, is a certified clinical traumatologist and has been leading the formation and development of the new program.
“Often, those who work with trauma survivors become so overwhelmed with their exposure to another’s pain that it results in distress and a decreased ability to function, both professionally and personally. Certified traumatologists help assist these individuals in recovering feelings of confidence, competence, and resiliency at work. The overall focus is not so much the problem of trauma itself, but the resiliency of health and wellness in the face of trauma,” he said.
The CSJ Traumatology Institute will also explore the long- and short-term effects of trauma through research and will pursue effective therapeutic interventions in response to traumatic situations and events. The institute will also create an ongoing humanitarian response team capable of deploying in times of significant disaster or crisis.
“The opening of College of St. Joseph’s Traumatology Institute represents our ongoing commitment to provide relevant, career-focused education and training to our students and to the greater community we serve,” said Dr. Walsh. “This program will yield an enhanced ability to provide trauma-informed and trauma-specific clinical services, counseling, support and supervision for those in need. In addition, we will be looking forward to developing opportunities for community outreach, internships and humanitarian aid when necessary, and to engage in scientific inquiry and research projects leading to continued improvements within the traumatology field.”
College of St. Joseph has partnered with the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology to offer four separate levels of certification: compassion fatigue educator, compassion fatigue therapist, field traumatologist, and certified (clinical) traumatologist. The Green Cross Academy of Traumatology is a national and international humanitarian assistance organization established in 1997 for the purpose of establishing and maintaining professionalism and high standards in the care of trauma victims and responders throughout the world. The GCAT also coordinates disaster deployments world-wide.
Classes for the new certification program begin Jan. 25. Enrollment for the first session is filled. For more information about the CSJ Traumatology program, visit csj.edu/trauma.
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Dr. Robert Walsh has been leading the development of the new program.
