Description
September 16 & 17, 2025 | 9:00am-12:00pm
Virtual via Zoom
Description:
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most well-established and widely researched psychiatric disorder directly linked to psychological trauma exposure. Many scholars and clinicians including the authors of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) recog-nize complex PTSD as a variant of the disorder resulting from repeated, prolonged, and/or early trauma exposure. The American Psychological Association (APA) has disseminated many guidelines to inform practitioners and the public about best practices in treating adult psychological trauma and PTSD. These guidelines include both clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and professional practice guidelines (PPGs). In 2025, the APA Council of Representatives approved an update to the APA 2017 clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for adult PTSD. This has resulted in four APA guidelines for the psychological treatment of adult trauma with potential to confuse both the general public and seasoned practitioners. The presenter, Dr. Nnamdi Pole, served on the most recent adult PTSD CPG panel and was present when the original CPG and current CPG were approved by the APA. In addition, he contributed as a co-author of the APA Guidelines for Working with Adults with Complex Trauma Histories and he is co-author of the chapter of the APA Handbook of Psychotherapy on the treatment of trauma disorders. This workshop will endeavor to compare, contrast, critique, and synthesize the various trauma treatment guidelines. It will also place the guidelines in the broader contexts of professional ethics and evidence based practice in Psychology (EBPP), as envisioned by the APA Presidential Task force on Evidence-Based Practice in 2006.
Objectives:
At the end of this workshop, the learner will be able to:
1. Describe the three phase trauma recovery model and its relevance to modern PTSD treatment protocols.
2. Explain the similarities and differences between the CPG and PPGs for PTSD and complex PTSD.
3. Describe the first and second-line treatments for adult PTSD recommended by the APA 2025 CPG.
4. Develop appropriate rationales for adapting CPG recommended treatments for PTSD to specific client needs, preferences, and comorbidities (as recommended by Evidence Based Practice in Psychology).
5. Develop appropriate rationales for applying trauma protocols that lack sufficient evidence for PTSD CPG recommendation as first or second line treatments.
Presenter:
Nnamdi Pole, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist, Associate Editor of Psychological Bulletin, Endowed Professor (and former Chair) of the Smith College Psychology Depart-ment, former Board Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), former elected representative of the American Psychological Association (APA) trauma division (56) to the Council of Representatives, and member of the APA’s Adult PTSD Clinical Practice Guideline (GPG) Update Panel. He is also a co-author of the APA Guidelines for Working with Adults with Complex Trauma Histories.
Contact hours:
6 contact hours for social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, and behavioral health professionals
6 category I contact hours for psychologists. CCSME is a pre-approved sponsor and provider of Professional Education Activities for Psychologists.
6 contact hours for Alcohol and Drug Counselors pending approval from the Maine Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors.
6 contact hours for CHES. CCSME is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
