Course Catalog

Browse our course catalog by clicking the '+' and '-' symbols next to the items in the tree below.

Close All Items

Welcome to the CEU By Net's 'CBT Courses Catalog'

To View the List of CBT Courses, Click HERE.

These CBT CEU courses are appropriate for Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Alcohol and Drug Counselors who work with difficult emotional and behavioral conditions which respond to Cognitive Behavioral Therapies.

These courses teach CBT Intervention approaches to anger management and control of legally risky explosive behavior in Dual Diagnosis groups, domestic violence and conflict in intimate relationships, PTSD with battlefield and other traumas, and Complex Trauma in children and adolescents.

We offer an Annual Subscription Feature. Pay only $54.95 for an entire year of unlimited CE Courses and CEUs.

Course 4J - Anger Management: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $22.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Course 4J - Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual

The course is a research-based TRAINING MANUAL which is appropriate for Addiction and Mental Health Professionals, school counselors and school psychologists, CEAPs, and others who work with Anger Management, Domestic Violence, and Dual Diagnoses.

The course earns 4 Clock Hours of Continuing Education credit for multiple Mental Health and Addiction Licensing and Certification Boards including the Texas and Florida Mental Health Boards, TxCBAP-TAAP, IC&RC, NAADAC, California CCAPP, CCADE and CADTP, and Florida FCB. The course earns 4 EACC PDHs in Domain III re-approved July 1, 2022. Earns 3 Credit Hours for NBCC and California BBS. Based upon these credentials, the course is accepted by most other states for multiple licenses including Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, MFTs, CEAPs, and School Counselors.

This course is specifically approved for 4 credit hours in DOMESTIC VIOLENCE by Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling.

The treatment approach is ideal for ongoing programmatic operations in clinics, treatment centers, schools, and in criminal justice and deferred adjudication programs. EAP providers working in industry may wish to utilize this program on a short-term basis as an intervention in the workplace – whether the employees are the perpetrator or the receiver of uncontrolled anger or abuse. In EAP situations, referral on to longer term treatment may be indicated, particularly where SUD is a diagnostic issue.

The course is published in the public domain by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). The publication is authored by Patrick M. Reilly, Ph.D. and Michael S. Shopshire, Ph.D. of the San Francisco Treatment Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. Sharon Hall, Ph.D., was the Treatment Research Center’s Principal Investigator.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a free, supplemental CLIENT WORKBOOK ('Participant Workbook') for use by group members which is published in three languages (ENGLISH, KOREAN, AND SPANISH). The workbook provides group members with a summary of the information presented in each session, which they can notate and review on their own between sessions. The Client Workbook is NOT a part of the course material upon which you will be tested, but you may wish to save and print it for use by your clients in the treatment process. You can print the workbooks for free, for use by you and/or your clients, even if you don't want to take the quiz on the course material. Just click the links below for the language of your choice.

ENGLISH VERSION: GO HERE.

SPANISH VERSION: GO HERE.

KOREAN VERSION: GO HERE.

INTRODUCTION FROM THE PUBLISHERS: 'Despite the connection of anger and violence to substance abuse, few treatments have been developed to address anger and violence problems among people who abuse substances. To provide clinicians with tools to help deal with this important issue, [we are] pleased to present Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual ..... The anger management treatment design in this manual, which has been delivered to hundreds of clients over the past 8 years, has been popular with both clinicians and clients. This treatment design can be used in a variety of clinical settings and will be beneficial to the field.'

GOALS AND FOCUS OF THIS COURSE:

The approach used in the intervention model described in this manual is a combined CBT approach that employs relaxation, cognitive, and communication skills interventions. Readers learn the four types of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions most often used when working with ANGER and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE and ABUSE DISORDERS, and how to implement them ..... particularly in the context of anger which becomes abusive and violent toward spouses and other family members, co-workers, and friends.

EAP providers may wish to utilize these interventions for clients on a short term basis in order to help affected individuals - whether they be the perpetrator or the receiver of uncontrolled anger or abuse. In EAP situations, referral on to longer term treatment may be needed, as indicated. Goals for learning:

1. Learn specific relaxation interventions to be taught to clients in a CBT group therapy context, which target emotional and physiological components of verbal and physical expression of anger.

2. Learn specific cognitive interventions (CBT) which target negative cognitive processes, such as assigning hostile appraisals and attributions to others, irrational beliefs, and inflammatory thinking.

3. Know how to teach specific communication skills which target deficits in conflict resolution and constructive assertiveness.

4. Understand that use of cognitive techniques to control anger is a STRENGTH-BASED approach which can be employed in multiple situations - on the job, within the family, with colleagues, within the community to avoid legal repercussions, and in situations in which the use of alcohol had been previously utilized in response to anger.

5. Know how to present clients with MULTIPLE anger control TECHNIQUES that encourage development of INDIVIDUALIZED ANGER CONTROL PLANS, using as many of the techniques as possible

6. Learn how to teach the use of COMBINED techniques which integrate two or more strategies for control of multiple RESPONSE DOMAINS. (verbal, physical, and use of alcohol).

This is a 'QUIZ ONLY' COURSE! Read and print the study material and the quiz for FREE. Save it to your computer, and study the publication off-line if you choose. YOU PAY ONLY TO TAKE THE ONLINE QUIZ and to obtain your INSTANTLY DOWNLOADED CEU CERTIFICATE. If you have an Annual Subscription, you can enroll in this and all other courses on this website for FREE.

Note: You are free to read, download, save, and print the Study Guide(s) and Quiz(zes) for this Course, before deciding to enroll in the course. These course materials are public domain, and CEU By Net is sponsoring the course for CE Credit. You may STUDY THIS COURSE and the quiz AT NO CHARGE. You may enroll in the course at any time. You must take the quiz ONLINE, by logging into your My Home Page , clicking on the course you want to complete, completing the quiz or quizzes required, and submitting the Feedback Form. You will then instantly receive your course completion certificate! For more information on this course - and to see a COPY of the online quiz - click the '+' symbols, below:

Course 4J - Anger Management: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Manual

Course 3T - Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $18.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Course 3T - Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health

This Course 3T - Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services - is sponsored and presented online by CEU By Net. The course earns 3.0 Clock Hours of credit for multiple State Mental Health and Addiction Boards including Texas BHEC, Florida CE Broker, Texas' TCBAP-TCB-TAAP, California CADTP and CAADE, Florida Certification Board, IC&RC, and NAADAC. Re-approved Dec 22, 2021 by EACC for 3 PDHs Domain III. The course also awards 2 Credit Hours for California BBS and 2 NBCC Hours. Based upon these credentials, the course is accepted by most state boards for multiple licenses.

This material was first published in 2014-2015 by the US Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA, and CSAT, as the Quick Guide to Trauma-Informed Care, from TIP 57 in the TIP series for training of behavioral health treatment providers. Per SAMHSA, this publication is based upon the most current research pertaining to Trauma-Informed Care.

The document addresses the primary principles and approaches to the treatment of traumatic stress reactions in persons with Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health issues which were present either before or after the traumatic event or circumstance. Understanding of cultural factors, including the traditional expression of grief within the culture, are essential to effectively respond.

The material describes the multiple TRIGGERS which produce traumatic stress reactions (symptoms) in Trauma Survivors, and provides the correct terminology and clinical understanding for each symptom. Specific strategies and supportive interventions for each type of stress reaction are presented - perhaps the most significant of which is the recognition that the individual's trauma-related symptoms are ADAPTIVE, rather than pathological. The reason why the client must retain control of his or her own recovery process is demonstrated throughout the document.

The Goals of Learning:

1. Understand the impact of the individual's CULTURE and/or the nature of the CULTURAL TRAUMA upon the level of trust, the expression of traumatization, the perception of the traumatic experience, and the CULTURAL APPROACH to recovery.

2. Learn the terminology which is native to Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), as it pertains to the client, the cause and function of traumatic stress reactions, and the NORMALIZATION of those reactions.

3. Learn to identify the multiple types and symptoms of traumatic stress reaction experienced by clients, with a clinical understanding of the adaptive function for each symptom.

4. Learn the basic principle that trauma-related symptoms are ADAPTIVE mechanisms rather than pathological, and that choosing and developing new ways to manage trauma-related TRIGGERS are the client's choice to make.

5. Learn the trauma-informed treatment principles and the effective strategies for working with Trauma Survivors vs. strategies and practices which are not effective.

6. Understand the phenomenon of RETRAUMATIZATION which occurs within a treatment situation as a result of treatment strategies, program procedures, and organizational policies which inadvertently replicate the dynamics of the traumatic event or situation.

7. Know the need to specifically identify recovery from trauma as a primary goal for Trauma Survivors who have entered treatment to address their Substance Use Disorder or Mental Health problems.

This course material is HHS Publication No. (SMA) 15-4912, first printed in 2015, and published by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

Course 3T - Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health - Study Guide

Course 3H - Principles of Adolescent SUD Assessment and Treatment - A Research-Based Practical Guide

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $20.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Principles of Adolescent SUD Assessment and Treatment - A Research-Based Practical Guide

This practical research-based publication is sponsored by CEU By Net and is approved and/or pre-approved for 3.5 Clock Hours of continuing education credit by multiple State Boards including Texas BHEC and Florida, and by TCBAP-TAAP, NAADAC, IC&RC, Florida CE Broker and Florida Certification Board,, and California CADTP and CCADE, Approved for 3.5 PDHs Domain III by EACC Dec 22, 2021. It also awards 2.5 CA BBS Credit Hours and 2.5 NBCC Credit Hours.

In addition to a clear research-based description of the impact of both illicit and misused prescription drugs on the developing adolescent brain (including marijuana), the course includes an extensive analysis of the intervention approaches which work – including several types of short-term counseling with the entire family. This course is therefore quite appropriate for all Addiction and Mental Health service providers working with adolescents who are experiencing or at risk for the entire spectrum of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) - from early experimentation to addiction. .

This sponsored course is authored, published and copyrighted in the public domain by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), Nora D. Volkow, M.D., NIDA Director. Dr. Volkow says, about the core issue addressed in this well researched study,

"Historically the focus with adolescents has tended to be on steering young people clear of drugs before problems arise. But the reality is that different interventions are needed for adolescents at different places along the substance use spectrum, and some require treatment, not just prevention.

Fortunately, scientific research has now established the efficacy of a number of treatment approaches that can address substance use during the teen years. This guide describes those approaches, as well as presents a set of guiding principles and frequently asked questions about substance abuse and treatment in this age group."

THE GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

1. Recognize the realities of adolescent drug use, including the SOCIAL and CULTURAL issues which inherently complicate treatment for adolescent SUDs.

2. Know the principles to consider in assessing, diagnosing, and treating adolescent substance use disorders and the therapeutic components to be included - including intensive involvement of the family.

3. Understand the unique status of the developing adolescent brain, and the biochemical connection between this stage of NEUROLOGICAL development and DRUG-SEEKING, RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS.

4. Know and understand why there is a physiologically detrimental impact of substance use upon adolescent brain structures and critical neural pathways.

5. Understand why abusing drugs during adolescence can interfere with effectively meeting crucial SOCIAL, CULTURAL, and DEVELOPMENTAL milestones, and can also compromise cognitive development.

6. By category of drug, know the specific dangers, attractions, and potential for adolescent addiction - including the personality, social, and familial characteristics which affect vulnerability.

7. Considering the special treatment needs for youth ages 12 to 17 and the intrinsic role of family dynamics in the process: Know the most effective evidence-based approaches to adolescent SUD assessment and treatment - including the most effective forms of family-based treatment.

Aside from Nora D. Volkow, MD, these additional professionals are cited for their contribution to the development of this publication: Tina Burrell, M.A., Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Connie Cahalan, Missouri Department of Mental Health, Barbara Cimaglio, Vermont Department of Health, Michael L. Dennis, Ph.D., Chestnut Health Systems, Rochelle Head-Dunham, M.D., Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Scott W. Henggeler, Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina, Sharon Levy, M.D., M.P.H., Children’s Hospital Boston, Kenneth J. Martz, Psy.D., CAS, Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Kathy Paxton, M.S., West Virginia Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities, Paula D. Riggs, M.D., University of Colorado School of Medicine.

This is a self-paced course. Although you must access it online, you may save and print the course document and a copy of the quiz for FREE, before making a decision to enroll in the course. You may print and study the materials offline, if you prefer, although the interactive quiz MUST be taken online, logged into your account.

To view and print the study materials and the quiz for FREE, CLICK ON THE + SIGN BELOW, and click the links for a preview. When you have enrolled in the course, you will find these same links inside your account, to re-access the course materials and to print and TAKE THE ONLINE QUIZ.

Course 3H - Principles of Adolescent SUD Treatment - Study Guide

Course 2J_Basic Guide to Traumatic Stress, Complex Trauma, and Resilience

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $18.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Course 2J_Basic Guide to Traumatic Stress, Complex Trauma, and Resilience

This course – 'Basic Guide to Traumatic Stress, Complex Trauma, and Resilience' – is sponsored online by CEU By Net and earns 2.5 Clock Hours of credit for multiple State Mental Health and Addiction Boards including Florida CE Broker, Texas BHEC, TCBAP-TCB-TAAP, IC&RC and NAADAC pre-approval, and Florida Certification Board, California CADTP, and CCADE, 3.0 PDHs are re-approved by EACC for Domain III, effective December 22, 2021. The course also awards 1.5 California BBS Hours and 1.5 NBCC Hours. Based upon these credentials, the course is accepted by most state boards for multiple licenses.

The training document was prepared and published in 2017 in the public domain by Center for Child Traumatic Stress on behalf of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. This work was funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This course document serves as a basic clinical guide which assists clinicians in identifying strengths and functionality patterns which can contribute to the development of resiliency and emotional survival of trauma - including, specifically, Complex Trauma. The Study Guide has three sections, each of which focuses upon a different aspect of trauma and resilience.

The first section of the Study Guide -- 'Family Resilience and Traumatic Stress' -- focuses upon the family as a unit and the factors which impact their reaction to the traumatic event or ongoing traumatic circumstances, and the development of resilience in the face of trauma.

The second section of the document -- 'RESILIENCE and CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS' -- focuses specifically on the CHILDREN within the family: What does resilience look like in children? What factors might enhance resilience in children after traumatic events? What are some initial steps to enhance recovery during treatment or service delivery?

The third section of this document focuses on the specific topic of 'What is COMPLEX TRAUMA?' in youth, and how it differs from the trauma experienced in single, time-limited events such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, seeing someone hurt or killed, a major car accident, etc.. Complex Trauma occurs in situations of CHRONIC or ONGOING mistreatment or abuse, chronic instability in living conditions and parental support, ongoing or unrelenting uncertainty and insecurity, and potentially in those traumas which ‘don’t end’ following mass tragedy and the aftermath of natural disasters [such as Hurricane Katrina and the disappearance of Malaysian Flight 370].

The authors indicate that this 'workbook' format pertaining to Complex Trauma can be used by clinicians 'to have conversations—sometimes hard, but often freeing—with young adults, teens, pre-teens (and even some . . . 7-9 year olds).' CEU By Net sees the third section of the course as perhaps the most compelling, in that it places the understanding and resolution of Complex Trauma into an unusual and workable framework which can serve as a step-by-step guide for mental health and addiction counselors, social workers, family therapists, CEAPs, and their clients.

This course can be of assistance with the delayed aftermath of mass casualty and traumatic occurrences which does not begin to resolve in a timely manner with the initial post-trauma interventions – particularly in situations in which many questions or disruptive circumstances are left hanging and unresolved for the families involved in the traumatic event, such as Malaysian Flight 370 and the socioeconomic impact of the Katrina hurricane. • In such situations, Complex Trauma reactions may come into play, which presents a potential for long term disruption of family and individual functionality in the workplace, school, and family life. CEAPs and other therapists can then play a role in helping employers to identify employees in which Complex Trauma has begun to exert an extended impact upon individuals and their families, and to develop a plan for intervention with those so affected.

Goals of this course:

1. Within the context of TRAUMA and COMPLEX TRAUMA, learn to identify family strengths, functionality patterns, and other factors which can contribute to development of resilience and emotional survival of trauma, vs. those factors and characteristics which inhibit resilience and recovery.

2. Learn some initial STRENGTH-BASED steps which providers can take with families to enhance their resilience and resumption of functioning following a traumatic event.

3. Understand the nature of 'child traumatic stress' and 'resilience' in children, as individuals, and what factors and clinical interventions can enhance resilience following a traumatic event.

4. Learn the meaning of 'Complex Trauma' and how it differs from the trauma experienced in events such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, seeing someone hurt or killed, a major car accident, etc..

5. Learn a specific therapeutic intervention to use with young adults, adolescents and pre-teens who are experiencing Complex Trauma.

Course 2J_Basic Guide to Traumatic Stress and Resilience - Study Guide

Course 5H - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: Identification and Intervention with Families and Couples

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $24.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Course 5H - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: Identification and Intervention with Families and Couples

This course is sponsored by CEU by Net and is specifically approved in Florida for 5 credit hours in Domestic Violence. It's approved and/or pre-approved by multiple licensing and certification boards including Texas' TCBAP-TCB-TAAP, IC&RC, NAADAC, Florida Certification Board, Texas Mental Health Boards, and three California Addiction Boards. Awards 5 EACC PDHs Domain 3, re-approved effective July 1, 2022. It also awards 3.5 CALIFORNIA BBS Hours and 3.5 NBCC Hours. Based upon these credentials, our courses are accepted by most states for multiple licenses.

AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS: This course is sponsored by CEU By Net and is published by the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAAA), an agency of the National Institute of Health (NIH), and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The material is authored by Linda J. Roberts, Ph.D. and Barbara S. McCrady, Ph.D., with supportive data provided by William F. Northey, Jr., Ph.D., of the AAMFT.

The course is appropriate for Marriage and Family Therapists, licensed counselors, Social Workers, EAP professionals and SUD treatment providers, including those who ASSESS and TREAT or REFER couples and families with PRIMARY or SECONDARY ALCOHOL PROBLEMS -- particularly those clients who have significant ‘problem drinking’ issues which may not be initially identified as a reason for seeking help (i.e., problem drinking that is ‘below the radar’).

This course presents a CBT approach to working with couples and families who present with MARITAL CONFLICT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, FINANCIAL STRIFE and/or pending DIVORCE .... in which the precipitating issue of PROBLEM DRINKING is oftentimes unacknowledged. Drinking may not have surfaced at the front end of the intervention process, and must be identified and addressed during assessment and the early stages of intervention. This course provides guidance in how to approach this sensitive issue.

The primary goal of this course, therefore, is to RECOGNIZE problem drinking early on, and its role in the conflict or domestic violence .... and then to address the SUD issues without precipitating a premature termination of treatment sessions. The authors teach a step-wise CBT approach to resolution of this precarious therapeutic situation, as well as very specific steps to take when Domestic Violence and risk to children is part of the picture.

THE GOALS, PER THE AUTHORS:

1 Learn an "alcohol problems framework" for working with couples and families from a CBT perspective, and its implications for alcohol treatment and intervention.

2. Learn the defining characteristics and prevalence of a range of alcohol problems, including domestic violence and its management within a family or couples therapy context.

3. Understand the significance of alcohol problems in the couple and family context, vis-a-vis implications for marital conflict, parenting, and domestic violence.

4. Understand the importance of adopting a universal screening procedure in one’s practice or program, for quick and efficient identification of undetected alcohol problems - e.g., domestic violence.

5. Will have access to a downloadable ‘Clinical Toolbox’ – an extensive set of AOD Assessment forms to conduct effective screening, assessment, and diagnosis of alcohol problems, including those that are not clinically blatant.

6. Know how to decide to treat or not, when to treat, and how to select an appropriate intervention to protect spouse and children from ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

7. Learn the essentials of providing brief interventions for alcohol problems.

8. Know a range of treatment alternatives, and understand the factors to consider in choosing a treatment strategy or making a referral, including specialty treatment alternatives when appropriate.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES OF THIS MATERIAL: This open-access study material presents a clear, structured approach to ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT of such alcohol-related issues within relationships and families - including multiple standardized and empirically validated ASSESSMENT FORMS which may be printed on your computer for personal use.

PLEASE CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW to READ the online course for FREE. You may also PREVIEW AND PRINT a copy of the online quiz.

Course 5H - Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships - Study Guide Link

Course 5K - Part 1 of Finding Balance After the War Zone

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $24.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Course 5K - Part 1 of 'Finding Balance After the War Zone - Considerations in the Treatment of Post-Deployment Stress Effects - A Guide for Clinicians'

Course 5K - Part 1 of 'Finding Balance After the War Zone - Considerations in the Treatment of Post-Deployment Stress Effects - A Guide for Clinicians'. This course is sponsored online by CEU By Net and earns 5 Clock Hours of credit for multiple State Boards including Florida and Texas Mental Health, TCBAP-TCB-TAAP, IC&RC, NAADAC, California CCAPP, CADTP, and CCADE, Florida Certification Board, and 5 PDHs Domain III for EACC effective Dec 22, 2021. It also awards 4 CA BBS Hours and 4 NBCC Hours. Based upon these credentials, the course is accepted by most state boards for multiple licenses.

NOTE: This Course 5K has two study guides. and two quizzes. You may view, save, and print them for FREE at the bottom of the course description.

This sponsored course is the first half (Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4) of a Federally funded and published training manual for clinicians entitled 'Finding Balance After the War Zone - Considerations in the Treatment of Post-Deployment Stress Effects - A Guide for Clinicians'. 'Stress Effects' are the mental, emotional, and physiological injuries which result from unrelenting trauma on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, which include PTSD, AOD Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - which frequently involves anger control issues, domestic violence, anxiety and depression.

This course addresses the ASSESSMENT and TREATMENT of War Zone Stress Injuries, and also presents an excellent explanation of the unique CULTURE of Military Service Units in the War Zone - both while there, and after they are re-deployed to home. This course explores the reason why most War Zone veterans feel that the hard part of the war is 'coming home.'

The OTHER HALF of this federally published manual (Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8) is seen on our website as Course 5L, which also earns 5 Clock Hours of CE Credit and 5 PDHs. 5L goes into more detail about the interaction between the provider and the veteran, with specific intervention and treatment approaches for specific issues. Want a quick preview of Course 5L? Go Here. For more details about Course 5L, view the description in this catalog.

This course is authored and copyrighted by Pamela Woll, MA, CADP - 2013 Award as 'Professional of the Year' from the Illinois Certification Board (IAODAPCA, the credentialing body for addiction prevention and treatment professionals in Illinois), published in the public domain by Great Lakes ATTC (Addiction Technology Transfer Center), Human Priorities, CSAT and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

This manual is written from the perspective of the emotional and physical STRESS INJURIES incurred during deployment to war zones in the Middle East. The publication recognizes that those who are deployed in these wars face some unique challenges when they return to home - challenges that require enhanced professional awareness if behavioral health clinicians, counselors and therapists are to work effectively with this generation of Service Members and veterans. Although the military continues to evolve in development of approaches to War Zone veterans, this publication covers the essential aspects of working with these traumatized individuals in ways that oftentimes differ from approaches used with the typical SUDs and mental health patient.

Says the author of this publication: 'No matter how many words this chapter might contain, or how carefully they were chosen, they would not be enough to convey the experience of war. The single most important tool for the civilian preparing to help veterans is a sense of humility, an appreciation for the enormity of what we cannot know if we have never experienced combat. And our most important task is to listen.'

This course is intended to provide a BACKGROUND of knowledge about the unique trauma experienced by this decade's war zone combatants and the lingering effects of same - knowledge which civilian clinicians can utilize in the assessment, intervention and treatment process. Specifically, this course explains WHY the stress of deployments to the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones are particularly TRAUMATIC and UNRELENTING - mentally, physically, and biochemically. The emotional and physical TRAUMA that is experienced in these conflicts is particularly brutal, with an extra measure of persistent impact upon the neurological and biochemical systems of those who return. It is this unseen damage that causes the most difficulty when these men and women return home.

Understanding the ingrained CULTURE of the Military Services, particularly in Units deployed to war zones, is also critical to successful therapeutic interaction.

This Clinicians' Guide is appropriate for all civilian counselors and other clinicians who want to work more effectively within the military culture - licensed and certified professionals who are (or plan to be) delivering Mental Health, AOD/SUD, and EAP services to post-deployment Veterans and active Military Personnel with PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), Depression, Anger Management Issues, Domestic Violence, and other results of STRESS INJURIES.

THE GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

• Understand the unique complexity of Dual Diagnosis STRESS INJURIES which are incurred in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan – from the neurological effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the psychological and spiritual effects, including DUAL DIAGNOSIS Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger, rage, paranoia, severe interpersonal conflict, domestic violence, etc..

• Based upon the extensive research which produced this document, learn to recognize the embodied stress reactions and protective mechanisms that are common in military personnel returning from deployment in a war zone - including the chemical imbalances that result from intense or unrelenting threat, stress, and trauma - all of which continue to impact the ability of the human organism to recognize when the danger is past.

• Know what it is that drives the disruptive and frightening symptoms accompanying post-deployment PTSD - such as flashbacks, the 'freeze reaction', runaway heart rate, dissociative reactions, 'shut down', and failure to distinguish 'then' from 'now'. Think 'amygdala' and 'stress chemicals' - and 'fight or flight'.

• Recognize (1) that individuals may instinctively seek to remedy their combat stress effects through SELF-MEDICATING with alcohol, street drugs, and misuse of prescription medications, and (2) that cessation of AOD use may trigger the emergence of a persistently traumatized (frozen) biochemical status.

• Obtain an understanding of the mechanism through which unconscious stored memories and other symptoms of trauma begin to emerge at higher levels of intensity, when alcohol and drugs leave the system.

• Become aware of some basic misconceptions about military personnel and veterans who present with Stress Injuries incurred in a war zone, which can result in misguided and ineffective counseling interventions for marital conflict, domestic violence, workplace dysfunction, SUDs, anxiety and depression, and other post-deployment dysfunction.

• Develop introductory knowledge about the factors and situations which contribute to resilience vs. vulnerability to trauma and stress in a war zone -- including the MILITARY CULTURE, which promotes resilience but makes 'going home' particularly difficult.

• Become aware of some basic misconceptions about military personnel and veterans who present with Stress Injuries which have been incurred in a war zone, which can result in misguided counseling interventions.

• Know some basic clinical and therapeutic things to do and not do when working with significant war zone Stress Injuries.

• Learn that a CBT approach to Veterans' neurological, emotional, and relationship dysfunction is an effective way for the individual to find his own path to peace and the quieting of stress-related chemicals.

Read and print the study material and quizzes for FREE before you decide to enroll in the course. Save the study material to your computer, and study off-line if you choose. [NOTE: If you have an active Annual Subscription for $54.95, you pay nothing to enroll in the course and take the quiz.]

For additional information about the study materials - and for links to READ and PRINT them - please CLICK the + SIGN BELOW.

Course 5K - Guide 1

This Study Guide 1 contains the first two chapters of this well documented, highly informative federally funded publication, with the focus of each chapter as follows:

Chapter 1

This chapter presents an overview of some of the critical issues which have tended to differentiate the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from previous wars in modern times, from a deployment and survivorship perspective. The primary sections of focus are these:

- The expanded role of SUD (Substance Use Disorder) treatment and recovery upon re-deployment to home.

- An overview of the clinical challenges associated with counseling of post-deployment military personnel.

- The prevailing stigma and reluctance to seek help

- The need for veteran-specific education and training of professionals prior to entering into a therapeutic relationship with war zone survivors.

- An overview of the effective treatment responses which we seek to bring about reduction in the neurological impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the psychological and spiritual effects including DUAL DIAGNOSIS Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger, rage, paranoia, conflict leading to domestic violence, etc..

Chapter 2

This chapter examines the nature of the body's response to unrelenting stress and threat to safety, in the context of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars:

- The human stress and survival system:

- How the body naturally responds to stress and threat

- How we first develop our ability to respond to stress in balanced ways

- How our stress response systems become more vulnerable to being off balance and to persisting in 'overdrive' even when the danger is past.

- What causes the stress response system to fail to recognize safety. - Using a CBT approach, the therapist or counselor helps the individual find his own path to peace and the quieting of stress-related chemicals which produce the frightening images and flashbacks.

Click here to view this study material.

Click here to view and print the quiz you will take for this material.

Course 5K - Guide 2

Course 5L - Part 2 of Finding Balance After the War Zone

Earn and download a certificate immediately upon completion of this module.

Only $24.00

No charge if you have a subscription

Course 5L - Part 2 of 'Finding Balance After the War Zone - Considerations in the Treatment of Post-Deployment Stress Effects - A Guide for Clinicians'

Course 5L - Part 2 of 'Finding Balance After the War Zone - Considerations in the Treatment of Post-Deployment Stress Effects - A Guide for Clinicians'. This course is sponsored online by CEU By Net and earns 5 Clock Hours of credit for multiple State Boards including Florida and Texas Mental Health Boards, CE Broker, Alabama, TCBAP-TCB-TAAP, IC&RC, NAADAC, Florida Certification Board, California CCAPP, CADTP, and CCADE, and 5 PDHs Domain III for EACC effective Dec 22, 2021. It also awards 4.0 CA BBS Hours and 4.0 NBCC Hours. Based upon these credentials, this course is accepted by most state boards for multiple licenses.

PLEASE NOTE: Course 5L has two study guides (sections) and two quizzes. You must pass both quizzes in this course to earn a certificate.

The course is appropriate for licensed and certified professionals who are (or plan to be) delivering Mental Health, Addiction, and EAP services to military personnel and veterans who are experiencing PTSD, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUDs), DEPRESSION, and other STRESS INJURIES upon return from War Zone deployment.

Course 5L on our site is PART 2 of the Federal research-based publication entitled 'Finding Balance After the War Zone .....' The course encompasses Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 of that Federally funded training manual, and is an expansion of our site's Course 5K [which is Part I of the Federal training manual].

The document is authored and copyrighted by Pamela Woll, MA, CADP - 2013 Award as 'Professional of the Year' from the Illinois Certification Board (IAODAPCA), the credentialing body for addiction prevention and treatment professionals in Illinois; published in the public domain by Great Lakes ATTC (Addiction Technology Transfer Center), Human Priorities, CSAT and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

As an expansion of Course 5K, this course moves further into the treatment process and the interaction of the clinician with the Service Member or Veteran who has been redeployed to home from the War Zone, and their families.

This course seeks to correct many of the MISCONCEPTIONS that civilians carry about the Military Culture and how Service Members and Veterans actually perceive the military role that they have been filling in the war zone, and how they react to the major challenge of 'Coming Home'.

A significant proportion of War Zone veterans who return to home from Iraq or Afghanistan are returning with severe TRAUMA and STRESS EFFECTS incurred on a battlefield that is very different than in previous wars. These 'stress effects' often include SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUDs), ANGER, RAGE, SEVERE INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. But how to treat it - especially when these traumatized individuals are returning to marriage or a cohabitation relationship and/or the need to become employed in a different line of work?

Do we use the same approaches that work well with non-military clients? OR, is there a DIFFERENT CULTURE that we must consider throughout the treatment process? Is there a DIFFERENT APPROACH that we must take to everything we do with post-deployment clients, if we are to be successful? The answer is YES. The author is clear that when we work with War Zone veterans, we are working with a very different and clearly defined culture, about which many civilians have little or no knowledge or experience.

This training manual addresses specific, unique issues encountered in the ASSESSMENT and TREATMENT of the trauma-induced emotional, physical, biopsychological, and biochemical STRESS INJURIES incurred during deployment to war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. These stress injuries include but are not limited to Dual Diagnosis SUDs, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Anxiety and Depression, and significant difficulty with flashbacks and mistrust of situations which can produce terror and rage reactions.

Because of the unique nature of the injuries, the assessment and intervention process with Military Service Members and Veterans must be characterized by cultural humility, cultural openness, and the willingness to suspend one’s usual assumptions and ways of doing things. Without such a cultural awareness, many errors in intervention approach may be made, potentially resulting in IATROGENIC ILLNESS in our military patients and clients.

Unlike many courses which address post-deployment treatment for veterans, this course is clear that there are PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES to the traditional approaches often utilized in PTSD and trauma resolution such as desensitization and immersion therapy. This author also describes preferred alternatives to some of the time-honored, traditional AOD-SUD treatment approaches -- alternatives which are better suited to the experiences, mindset, and culture of War Zone veterans. Using these alternative interventions reduces the risk of premature termination of treatment and/or worsening of the post-deployment emotional condition. This course teaches how to purposefully EMPOWER War Zone veterans with a number of cognitive and skills-based approaches which help the veteran to STRUCTURE his or her OWN RECOVERY PROCESS.

Perhaps the second most important message in these chapters for civilian professionals is this: The most difficult challenge faced by War Zone military survivors is not the trauma of the battlefield itself, but rather the process of 'COMING HOME.' Why is that the case? Does it have to do with the uniqueness of the military CULTURE and the DEPLOYMENT MINDSET? And how, as professionals, can we use this knowledge? Says the author "Civilians need to learn more about the heart and soul of a warrior. They need to stop asking, What was the hardest part about being over there? and start asking, What’s the hardest part about being home?"

The materials also emphasize the importance of recognizing that battlefield-related Stress Injuries may not appear for weeks, months or years after re-deployment to home. Family members and the war zone survivors themselves oftentimes have little understanding of the actual cause of their Stress Injury symptoms - i.e., chemical imbalances within the body, resulting from the intense and unrelenting threat, stress, trauma, and physical demands of the terrain. They are more inclined to see this biochemical impact as a sign of mental illness or incompetence or moral weakness.

This course incorporates a CBT approach to educating the war veteran about the biochemical cause of post-deployment Stress Injuries, and a CBT approach to helping the veteran find his or her own path to peace and the quieting of stress-related chemical disturbance.

In summary . . . what do we need to do differently in the ASSESSMENT and TREATMENT of these individuals, including how SUDs and PTSD services are provided? That is what this course - 'Part 2 of Finding Balance After the War Zone' - is about.

THE GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

1. Obtain an understanding of the MILITARY CULTURE of those who have been deployed to a War Zone - and how this affects their return to home and family, and their response to ASSESSMENT and TREATMENT for SUDs, PTSD, and other stress injuries sustained on the battlefield.

2. Learn the nuances of effective personal and therapeutic interaction between civilian professionals and Military clients - including the aspects of the ASSESSMENT and TREATMENT PROCESS which are different than those typically experienced with a civilian population.

3. Based upon the extensive research which produced this document, obtain a more detailed understanding about the unique emotional and biochemical STRESS INJURIES incurred during deployment to war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, which result in Dual Diagnosis SUDs (Substance Use Disorders), PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), depression, anxiety, and disruption of relationships within the family and community..

4. Understand the impact of the trauma- and stress-induced biochemical imbalances which produce many of the symptoms and protective mechanisms common to those returning from deployment in a war zone - and learn some the practical interventions to address them in an intervention or treatment setting.

5. Learn a skills-based approach to working with war zone veterans, to facilitate resilience and re-balancing skills, including those treatment modalities to avoid.

6. In order to REDUCE instances of iatrogenic illness in War Zone military survivors, develop a better awareness of the misconceptions and lack of knowledge that civilian providers oftentimes have about the MILITARY CULTURE - including how Service Members and Veterans actually perceive their roles and experiences in the war zone.

7. Understand how and why post-deployed War Zone veterans oftentimes utilize alcohol and drugs to suppress the disturbing symptoms caused by unrelenting danger and stress - and some of the ways that traditional AOD counseling approaches MUST BE ADAPTED to SAFELY treat these individuals.

To READ and PRINT the two Study Guides in this course and to preview and print a copy of the two quizzes you will take online, JUST CLICK THE + SIGN BELOW.

Course 5L - Guide 1

Course 5L - Guide 2

Click again to close