Many therapists are highly skilled at helping clients understand their trauma, yet still find themselves working with clients who remain stuck in cycles of emotional overwhelm, dissociation, chronic stress, relationship difficulties, and persistent nervous system dysregulation. This immersive advanced training is designed for clinicians who want to improve their diagnostic skills and move beyond insight alone and develop practical, body-informed skills for working with complex trauma.

Grounded in current neuroscience, attachment theory, and somatic psychotherapy principles, participants will learn how to recognize the physiological and relational impacts of complex trauma and apply effective strategies that foster safety, regulation, resilience, and connection. Through a combination of didactic instruction, case application, and experiential exercises, attendees will deepen their understanding of Complex PTSD, developmental trauma, attachment wounds, dissociation, and survival responses while building confidence in supporting clients through embodied healing processes.

This training is ideal for social workers, counselors, and other helpers seeking advanced clinical skills for working with Complex PTSD related to developmental trauma, attachment trauma, racial trauma, and chronic stress.

Led by nationally trained trauma specialists Dr. Cat Poehling, LCSW-BACS, SEP, and Emily Madeira, LMSW, Somatic Experiencing® Advanced Student, this workshop combines decades of clinical, supervisory, educational, and research experience with experiential learning that allows participants to embody the concepts they will use with clients. Whether you work in private practice, community mental health, healthcare, schools, or integrated care settings, you will leave with a deeper understanding of trauma, a more refined clinical lens, and practical interventions that can immediately strengthen your work with clients living with the lasting effects of complex trauma.
Learning Objectives

1. Participants will identify and analyze three disturbances in self-organization (DSO) that define Complex Post Traumatic Disorder. 

2. Participants will define and apply three key elements of complex trauma, including its developmental, attachment, and racial dimensions, and describe their prevalence and etiology.

3. Participants will identify three evidence-based interventions to treat C-PTSD.  

4. Participants will apply and analyze three embodied movement interventions for treating C-PTSD.

CEUs

• Social Work: LABSWE Approved for 6 Clinical CEUs 

• Counselors: Applied for The Louisiana Counseling Association is approved by the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselor Board of Examiners to offer continuing education for Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors and Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors. This program meets requirements for 6 of continuing education clock hour credit for Louisiana Professional Counselors. Diagnosis 3, Helping Relationship 2, and Counseling Theory 1

Lunch Provided

Investment: $150

Register Here

Presenter Biographies

Dr. Catherine Poehling, LCSW-BACS, LCSW-S, SEP (she/they)

Dr. Cat Poehling is a trauma therapist, researcher, and seasoned educator with over two decades of experience serving diverse communities. She holds advanced degrees in Social Work and Disaster Resilience and Leadership from Tulane University and is a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), and trained in Level 3 Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dynamic Attachment Repatterning Experience (DARe) Levels 1-4, and EMDR trained. Dr. Poehling specializes in trauma psychotherapy, health equity, reproductive justice, with extensive experience in clinical supervision, program development and evaluation. Her research explores the Intimate Partner Violence as well as applications and effectiveness of Somatic Experiencing in therapy.

Emily Madeira, LMSW, SE student (she/they)

Emily Madeira is a Licensed Master Social Worker and somatic psychotherapy practitioner with specialized training in nervous system-informed approaches to trauma, stress, and emotional wellbeing. An Intermediate Student in Somatic Experiencing®, Emily integrates principles of embodiment, movement, play, creativity, and mindfulness into both clinical practice and professional education. Drawing from a unique background in clowning, dance and performance, Emily brings an experiential perspective on the role of joy and spontaneity in healing. Emily earned a Master of Social Work from Tulane University and is committed to advancing trauma-responsive, body-based approaches within behavioral health practice.