Trauma can shape how people experience the world, interact with others and respond to care and support. For social workers and other helping professionals, understanding the impact of trauma is an important part of providing services that promote safety, trust, resilience and healing.

Trauma-informed care (TIC) offers a framework for doing just that. Rather than focusing only on what has happened to a person, trauma-informed practice considers how past experiences may influence a person’s needs, behaviors, relationships and engagement with services. It encourages professionals to recognize signs of trauma, integrate that understanding into their approach.

At Barry University, trauma-informed care is woven throughout social work education. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) incorporates a trauma-informed curriculum as students build foundational skills for generalist social work practice. The Master of Social Work (MSW) builds on that foundation and prepares students for advanced clinical social work practice, while the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) advances this focus through coursework exploring trauma-informed leadership and practice.

For professionals who have already earned a master’s or doctoral degree, Barry also offers a Trauma-Informed Care Post-Master’s Certificate. This four-day virtual training is designed for social workers, mental health professionals and other social service or behavioral health staff who want to strengthen their ability to apply trauma-informed principles in practice. In this unique and interactive training, participants will explore case conceptualization through a trauma lens and learn practical TIC strategies that can be applied immediately. The program also offers 24 CEUs for LCSWs, LMHCs and LMFTs, plus 3 hours of implementation consultation.

Learn more about the certificate program and register for the upcoming October 2026 training.

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