New courses to help people deal with the trauma of the pandemic

A Teesside University lecturer who used her own personal experiences to launch a suite of courses to help people deal with trauma, is now drawing on the impact of the pandemic to highlight the need for additional support and learning opportunities.

Lynn Miles, Senior Lecturer in Education at Teesside University’s School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, has launched five new postgraduate courses, each designed to build knowledge and understanding of trauma and its impact and offer ways in which we can help each other heal and manage the lasting effects on people’s physical and emotional health and wellbeing.

Lynn Miles is a keen advocate for children’s wellbeing, with over 20 years’ experience in teaching, using trauma informed approaches.

After an increase in different kinds of trauma experienced by people and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lynn has expanded her trauma-based postgraduate portfolio and is offering a range of courses which specialise in education, social work, and general study.

In total, there are five new trauma related courses aimed at a range of audiences, from those already in teaching or social work and care professions, to front line NHS workers, or those who have experienced trauma themselves and are seeking help in understanding their own experiences.

Lynn said: ‘Trauma can impact learning and relationships, as well as have lasting mental and physical effects.

‘We developed these courses drawing upon feedback from students, practitioners and front-line workers who were experiencing an increase in trauma-affected people even before the pandemic, which has further taken a physical and emotional toll on many people.

‘Each course deals with several types of trauma, including intergenerational, simple, complex, developmental, relational, secondary / vicarious and organisational.

‘We look at Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and various other adversities like poverty, being a refugee, racism and bullying that children and young people might experience.

‘To deal with these issues our courses offer students the opportunity to learn strategies, approaches and techniques to help people heal from and manage theirs and others trauma.

‘These courses also offer a trauma-informed approach to teaching. Due to the nature and sensitivity of the course content we utilise specially chosen teaching spaces, recorded sessions for those unable to attend and therapeutic activities during sessions.

‘We are focused on providing a supportive teaching environment whilst dealing with sensitive and emotional topics.

‘Our new postgraduate courses offer specialist routes into areas in the highest demand and give students the chance to gain enhanced knowledge of how to work with those who have experienced trauma and / or adversity.’

If you are interested in receiving an introduction to issues around trauma and adversity, two short, part-time courses are available to study online; an Impact of ACEs, Adversity and Trauma, supported by an online facilitator.

The postgraduate trauma courses are available to study at Teesside University from September 2021 and there is still time to apply. Continuing professional development is also available at the University - please see the links below for further information.

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