Trauma Pedagogy

In the first module we dedicate ourselves to a basic introduction to central concepts of psychotraumatology and trauma pedagogy. Participants learn about the history of the origins of the still rather young discipline of trauma pedagogy and receive an overview of the history of psychotraumatology, whose origins date back to the 19th century.
How does trauma develop? What happens in the body? What secondary symptoms can arise and how can I recognise and classify them? These questions as well as the importance of trauma-sensitive action in different fields of work will be the focus of our joint discussion. An overview of different trauma-therapeutic methods rounds off this first unit, the topics of which will be deepened in the following modules.

Attachment theory, which includes psychoanalytical aspects of early experiences and precarious life circumstances and focuses on transitional situations, is the focus of the first weekend. The question of what it means for children and young people to grow up in a traumatising environment will be explored. The focus will also be on resilience, which plays an essential role in protecting against psychological injuries. Finally, based on the theoretical understanding of psychoanalytical developmental psychology and transgenerational transmission of trauma, the possibility of corrective relational experiences will be discussed.

The second weekend shifts the focus to the professional handling of highly stressed people. What characterises a trauma-sensitive attitude and how do psychotherapy and pedagogy differ from each other? The development of a sensitive professional attitude is closely linked to the concepts of trauma pedagogy. These are the focus of the unit. In addition, diagnostic approaches such as scenic case understanding, resource-oriented anamnesis procedures and individual screening instruments are examined with regard to their usefulness for educational practice.

Professional action always takes place in the context of one's own biographical experiences and determines professional self-understanding as well as the shaping of relationships. Especially when professionals are confronted with behaviour that is causally related to psychological traumatisation, it can be helpful to make oneself an instrument of understanding within the framework of transference and countertransference, which requires good self-knowledge. In order to cope with this demanding task, a holding structural framework is also needed. This module is dedicated to the necessity, the procedure and the chances of self-reflexive individual and institutional practice.

The first weekend serves as an introduction to the topic, while the second weekend is used to deepen the topic and to look at one's own institution. The focus is on teamwork in the institution, which is shaped within the framework of the term "safe place". The question is explored as to what prerequisites an institution must have if it wants to work in a trauma-sensitive way and whether it is institutionally involved in the countertransference process.

Being able to act in a trauma-sensitive way as a professional requires taking into account important premises of self-care and mental hygiene. The importance and strategies of a self-caring everyday practice as well as measures to protect against secondary traumatisation are therefore a focus of the module.
In parallel, the different requirements and methods of stabilisation and psychoeducation for the addressees are in focus: How do I deal with self-injurious behaviour? How do I react to dissociative states, avoidance behaviour or flashbacks? What structural conditions are needed to be able to act professionally and what are the limits of trauma education?

This module discusses different professional fields that work with traumatised people. The focus is on inpatient child and youth care, voluntary work, work with refugees and counselling fields that deal with violent experiences. The experience of the participants plays a major role here, which will possibly broaden the view of other professional fields. In addition, the instrument of counselling as a resource in the network will be looked at, e.g. in the context of help for upbringing or the training of professionals.

In this module, the preceding contents and practical experiences are deepened in an evaluation of one's own work process in the form of group supervision. The aim of supervision is to promote role-specific, task-specific and personal self-reflection; it can support individual development and casework.

In the final colloquium, the participants present the practical cases they have worked on and sum up their newly acquired perspectives and competences.